Neato Silk
By Paul Rosini

THE magician causes a silk handkerchief to disappear from his hands and to reappear in a glass some distance away. In basic effect the trick is not new, but in detail it is new and it is a complete novelty to audiences. It is a trick that can be done effectively under any conditions.

The magician shows a piece of paper about nine inches square, and forms it into a cornucopia. The pointed end is folded over several times so that it will not unroll. He uses this to cover an empty stemmed water glass. He puts the glass on a table and picks up a silk handkerchief. The magician rolls the silk between his hands and apparently leaves it in his left hand. He reaches down with his right hand and plucks the silk from behind his right knee. The left hand is empty. He says: "I will repeat this so that you will have a better opportunity to see it." He again apparently leaves it in his left hand, but this time--not a silk--but a lighted match is produced from behind the knee. His left hand is empty. He touches the match to the cornucopia, which covers the glass. It disappears in a burst of flame, and the handkerchief is seen in the glass.

The cornucopia is made of flash paper. A small strip of flash paper is pasted to one end of the flash paper square from which the cone is made. The duplicate silk is folded by laying it flat and bringing the corners to the center, and continuing to do this until you have a small, compact bundle. This is put on the flashpaper strip, which is rolled around it, then pasted back on the square (see illustration). This permits the handkerchief to be bent back beyond the corner of the paper, so that by holding it, masked in the hand. both sides of the paper may be shown. Once the cone is made, the point is bent several times to, keep it from opening out. The cornucopia is then dropped over the glass.

The magician rolls his silk between his palms: he pretends to take it in his left hand, but keeps it in his right. He produces it from behind his right knee. The second time, the magician keeps the silk in his right hand and pulls the match through a tiny hole in the seam of his trousers, where the end protrudes. A match- lighting gimmick such as dealers sell is fastened inside the trouser leg. The withdrawal of the match lights it automatically. The flame is such a surprise that it masks the fact that the closed right hand still holds the silk. The extra silk can be disposed of in one of your pockets when the duplicate is pulled from the glass.

This is the first time that I have ever described a trick for publication. I sincerely hope it appeals to you.