Magical Originalities
Ernest E. Noakes
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The Chocolate Box
THIS is a very daring experiment, never intended by me to receive a place in my performance, but it has proved a very fine trick in my hands. I simply introduced the idea into one of my lectures, to emphasise "misdirection" by "suggestion." The effect of the trick is as follows. A chocolate box (the threepenny size) which comfortably takes a pack of cards is ready at hand, together with "an eyepiece of lenses" (a novelty that can be purchased for one shilling, consisting of opera-glasses, mirror, compass, etc.). The box is open, with the cards inside. The performer empties the cards out and asks for them to be shuffled. It is as well to get two members of your audience to come up and assist you. Whilst No. 1 examines and shuffes the cards, No. 2 is given the "X-ray eyepiece" to examine. The card-board box is now held up to the audience in one hand, and lid of the box in the other hand, and turned about to prove it is empty. The cards are now placed inside the box, face downwards, by assistant No. 1. The performer places the lid on the box, and assistant No. 2 is requested to arrange the lenses so that he can "see right through the lid of the box, and through the back of the top card, and then say what that card is." Of course he fails--so the performer takes the "lenses," and discovers what the card is. This is done several times, and then the audience are requested to assist. So much for the idea of the trick, now for the "wrinkles"!
You must have a pack of cards containing a blank. My preparation is as follows. I place in the lid face upwards six cards, taking the second one and placing it beneath the first, and so on as follows:--The ace of diamonds, queen of spades, nine of hearts, six of diamonds, three of clubs (which will be in reverse order when the lid is put on the box), and on these I place the blank card face upward. Now the box is also placed in the lid, and the rest of the pack inside the box, and the eyepiece on the top. The cards are emptied from the box on to one assistant's hand, the eyepiece is given to the other, and performer holds the box in one hand, and the lid (ready loaded) in the other hand. The fingers prevent the cards falling out of the lid, and the blank card looks like the inside of the white lid, to the audience. The performer replaces the lid on the box when the assistant replaces the cards in the box, and thus far the "trick" is done.
Of course the first "reading" of the cards is not accomplished by the other assistant, so performer looks through the lenses and describes "A black card-a club-the three of clubs," and says that if it is right no doubt they will applaud the gentleman who has charge of the lenses. The two assistants are kept well apart. When the box is opened and the first card is shown, the performer seizes the opportunity to whisper to the other assistant (if he happens to be a reliable person) "six diamonds." Then when the lid is replaced he asks the assistant with lenses to name the colour, then the suit, then value. Assistant No. 1 opens the box, and finds the card is correctly named. During the applause, assistant No. 2 is told quietly "nine hearts." This is proceeded with, and then performer holding the three cards fanned out, approaches some other member of the audience, and indirectly pushes the fan of cards into the field of vision of his eyes, and asks him to name a" suit. "The reply is" Spades" (nine times out of ten it works). Then, "Court or plain?"--reply, "Court." "Yes, sir, there are three court cards, the king, the queen (with emphasis), and the knave" --reply, "Queen." With much "address" you now desire assistant No. 1 to remove the lid of the box and show the top card--the queen of spades. This you take from him, and the lid is again replaced. You advance to your audience and ask them to "name a card." You will hear several shout ace of diamonds-and perhaps other names--but you fix on the ace of diamonds, and lo! by the magic in which you are vested, "the selected card" comes to the top of the pack! and assistant No. 1 shows it round. You now take the pack from the box "as there is no need to name all the pack," and just palm off the blank card, which now leaves you with a complete pack to proceed with your other card tricks.
When I first performed this "trick" it interested my fellow-magicians considerably. Many times since, when I have been presenting this trick the reception it obtained has surprised me. The combination of the cards I have found out by working the trick.
Until the reader has tried it, he will not credit that such a simple trick can be worked up to such an exciting effect. It is a good trick for humorous patter and repartee. The first four cards are easily remembered, "3, 6, 9, 12" clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades.
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