Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

The solid die, having remained in the hat, may readily be produced when required. THE DECANTER AND THE CRYSTAL BALLS.--The routine of this trick, as practised by different performers, varies a good deal. We propose to describe it in two forms, the first being as nearly as possible that which was adopted by Robert-Houdin. First Method.--The apparatus in this case consists of four glass balls (two of plain glass an inch and a half in diameter, one of ruby-coloured glass of the same size, and one of plain glass, three-quarters of an inch in diameter) and a decanter of clear glass, with a hollow or “kick” underneath it just large enough to admit one of the larger balls. The decanter is two-thirds filled with port or claret, and is brought forward with the red ball beneath it, in the hollow we have mentioned, and is placed on the performer’s table. The remaining balls are disposed as follows: the two large balls in the performer’s left pochette, and the small one in the pochette on the other side. Thus provided, the performer comes forward, wand in hand. Taking the wand carelessly in his right hand, he says, “Ladies and gentlemen, I have already given you some proofs of the singular powers of this wand, but I do not know whether I have drawn your attention to one remarkable faculty which it possesses, viz., that if I strike anything with it, at the same time mentally calling for any object, that object is instantly produced from the article touched. Let us put it to the test.” (He pulls back his coat-sleeves, showing indirectly, by a careless gesture, that his hands are empty.) “For the purpose of the trick I am about to show you, I require a crystal ball.