Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring

The first point to be explained is the mode in which the assistant obtains possession of the borrowed watches, in order to place them in the frame. The watches are collected by the performer in a changing apparatus (say one of the changing caddies described at page 348, or a drawer-box with a shallow inner drawer, as described at page 346). In this is placed beforehand a like number of dummy watches, and it is these latter which are placed on the plate, and meet the pre-destined downfall. The apparatus being left apparently empty, no suspicion is excited by the fact that the assistant, when sent to fetch the pistol or the frame, carries it off as no longer needed. The sudden restoration of the piece apparently wanting in the plate, though marvellous to the uninitiated, is really effected by very simple means. The restored plate is throughout whole and unbroken, but the effect of a piece wanting is produced by covering one portion of its outer rim with an angular piece of black velvet or alpaca, similar to that which covers the back of the frame. The illusive effect is perfect. The frame is provided with two pedals, the first releasing the black blind in front of the plate and watches, and the second serving to withdraw the angular piece of cloth already mentioned, and thus (apparently) effecting the complete restoration of the plate. The pretended disappearance of the broken piece from the hand at the moment of throwing is effected by taking it first in the left hand, and thence apparently transferring it to the right by the tourniquet, so that when the right hand is opened in the act of throwing, it is naturally found empty.