Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

THE DEMON’S HEAD.--This is a large and effective piece of apparatus, standing about twenty-eight inches from the table. It consists of a grotesque papier maché head, representing that of a demon or satyr, and painted according to taste. It is supported by an ornamental brass column, about an inch in diameter, springing from a velvet-covered base, nine inches square and four and a half high. (See Fig. 286.) At the will of the operator, the head rolls its eyes and opens its mouth, and is sometimes made available in this way to answer questions; the rolling of the eyes being taken to signify a negative, and the opening of the mouth an affirmative. In addition to these accomplishments, the demon will indicate chosen cards in the following manner: Five cards having been selected, are returned to the pack, which, after being duly shuffled, is placed in the demon’s mouth. The performer now orders him to produce the chosen cards, when two of them fly from his mouth, and the other two spring up between his horns.