Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

The ingenuity of the reader will probably suggest to him combinations to make the trick more effective. To those who have not such ready invention, we may remark that the trick may be very effectively combined with that of the ball that changes to a rose, and vice versâ (see page 300), or a duplicate rose may be placed in the mouchoir du diable (described at page 195), and thence ordered to pass to the vase. THE CHINESE RINGS.--These are rings of brass or steel, in diameter from five to nine inches, and in thickness varying from a quarter to three-eighths of an inch. The effect of the trick to the spectator is as follows:--The rings are given for examination, and found to be solid and separate; but at the will of the operator they are linked together in chains of two, three, or more, becoming connected and disconnected in a moment, and being continually offered for examination. Finally, after the rings have become involved in an apparently inextricable mass, a slight shake suffices to disentangle them, and to cause them to fall singly upon the stage. The sets of rings sold at the conjuring depôts vary in number, ranging from six to twelve. The set of eight, which is perhaps the most usual number, consists of one “key” ring, two single rings, a set of two linked together, and a set of three linked together. The “key” ring (see Fig. 235), in which lies the secret of the trick, is simply a ring with a cut or opening, a, in it. For use upon a public stage, where the performer is at a considerable distance from his audience, there may be a gap of an eighth of an inch between the ends, but for drawing-room use, they should just touch each other. Some rings are made to “clip” like an ear-ring, and some have the opening cut diagonally instead of square, but the simple square cut is, in our own opinion, the best.