Magical Originalities
Ernest E. Noakes
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The Dyeflytie Handkerchief ActIN THIS chapter I have combined a set of effects, leading up to a finish, in which I have endeavoured to introduce suitable moves and wrinkles. My idea of setting out the tricks is so that my reader can pick out just the parts that please him (or her) and "get on with it." I will go through the whole trick and give my explanations as I go. The dyeing theme, the handkerchief or flag found between two others, and the usual points known to magicians I shall not dwell upon, but all my personal ideas, moves, and description of my original fakes I shall give in detail.
The performer requests the loan of a silkworm, but being unable to borrow one, he shows his hands are really empty, and then picks up his wand and touches the palms of both hands with it. The wand is now laid down, but a black handkerchief ball containing three light coloured handkerchiefs was on one end of the wand, hidden behind some article on the table, see drawing. After having "changed over" several times, the performer holds up his left hand and with his right hand picks out of the left hand an invisible handkerchief. As this colour does not appeal to the audience he tries again, and with the fake palmed in the right hand, his left finger takes hold of the tip of the first handkerchief, and by lowering the right hand and permitting the handkerchief to come through between the thumb and fingers of the right hand, it has the appearance of the production of a handkerchief from the left hand. The left hand is now shown empty, and the handkerchief taken by the corner. The right hand strokes this handkerchief a few times, and No. 2 appears--repeat for No. 3.
Just a word as to the loading of the fake. The handkerchief ball is 1 3/4 inch diameter, which easily takes three good silk handkerchiefs. The first handkerchief is pleated into the ball until 1 1/2 inch remains. To this end the second handkerchief is fixed by a peculiar twist. Lay one end over the other and twist them in opposite directions, and then pull the ends belonging to their own handkerchief smartly together, that is to say, suppose you have a white and a pale yellow handkerchief, the white end would be laid against the white, and the yellow against the yellow, forming a tight twist which is then pushed into fake. When the production is made, one handkerchief starts the other coming out of the fake, and renders it easy for the performer to work effect.
Now as to production. When the first handkerchief is held in the left fingers, the right hand strokes it down a few times, and in so doing the fake is thrown into the left hand, and the performer shows his right hand empty. Again, in stroking the handkerchief the fake is allowed to drop into the right palm, and then production is proceeded with. These two moves are well worth mastering, as they can be performed within a yard of your audience. We have now arrived at the production of the three light-coloured handkerchiefs, and have vested the ball under the right side of vest, hole downward, ready for future use.
Having drawn attention to the paleness of the three handkerchiefs, the roll of paper for the tube is now introduced to the audience, and the fake for "dyeing" is procured from left vest This is held in the left hand at the back of the top of the paper, and the paper shown back and front by turning the left hand which is holding the fake, over the top of the paper, and then the paper tube is formed round the fake. The fake I use is 3 inches long, of stout brass tube, with a number of holes perforated round the middle. This allows of black worsted being threaded through, so that the ends fall down beyond the end of the fake. These ends are all tied together, see fake. When the fake is loaded, one handkerchief is on view inside the net or bag, pushed out at the end of the fake. When the fake is used, the three light coloured handkerchiefs are all pushed into the tube before any of the dark ones are taken out, and only the first dark one comes into view.
The three light handkerchiefs being pushed into the fake, cause the three dark ones to be pushed out clear of the fake, and in taking out the first dark handkerchief, the fake is servanted, which permits the performer to get right up to his audience to finish the trick. The pushing apparently of the other two light-coloured handkerchiefs is kept up just for misdirection. The second dark handkerchief is produced, the misdirection continued, and the instant the third handkerchief is out the paper tube is proved empty, I consider this a much better effect than having to servante later on.
After dyeing the three handkerchiefs, I force the choice of one and dye this by means of my "Colour Change" fake. This "Noakes' Feke" is 1 1/4 inch brass ball, having a hole each side, of 1/2 inch diameter and 5 inch respectively. Pleated into the smaller hole is the handkerchief to be produced. The ball is palmed at the right moment, and the handkerchief to be dyed is taken in the right hand, which holds the fake as well. The left hand is proved empty, and in drawing the handkerchief through it several times, the fake is left in the left hand, and the right hand casually shown empty. The point of the handkerchief to be dyed is now pushed into the closed left hand, and "squeezed hard," really pushing it into the larger hole of the ball. The tip of the loaded handkerchief is now pulled out and the other one worked in--as more of the dyed handkerchief appears, so is the other vanished.
When the first handkerchief has nearly disappeared, see that the second one is free from the fake and request someone to finish the pushing in for you. Whilst explaining to them what to do, you finish pushing in the first handkerchief, and show them how they must push their first finger into your closed fist, and in explaining this your finger has palmed out the fake. When the person assisting you tries to push as directed, you keep the hand firmly closed and tell him "that's right now stroke the other handkerchief," and as he does so, you allow him to drag it away. You are not prepared for this apparently, and look at your closed left hand, at him, at your audience, etc., and ask him if he is satisfied it is the same handkerchief? Lead him and the audience to request "open the other hand," which you do at the right time and then--all I can advise you is to "try it"!
Having dyed the three handkerchiefs, they are handed out to the audience "for examination" and "choice." You force 1 and 3 on them, and then taking No. 2, you request that 1 and 3 be tied together. This done, the 1 and 3 are wound round the fingers and formed into a packet. The performer calls attention to a tumbler on his table, and crossing to the same with wand in left hand, he servantes 1 and 3 and picks up duplicate load ready with a duplicate No. 2 tied between them, and drops this lot into the glass, which he then holds up for inspection with the left hand keeping hold of the wand and well away from the body all the time, to misdirect. I have the glass standing on a box or book with the duplicate load behind, and whilst passing along the front of the table, at the moment the body passes the table, the switch is made.
At this point of the trick, the handkerchief No. 2 is still on view, and can be vanished by any ordinary means, or by a method which I shall fully describe later, and which is now known as the "Noakes Vanish," and is used in many forms. Having vanished the No. 2 handkerchief, and found it tied between 1 and 3 in glass, the three are taken in the left hand and rubbed "into thin air." Whilst showing the handkerchiefs, the ball from which the three original handkerchiefs was produced is palmed in right hand, and the change-over pass made. The three handkerchiefs are worked into the fake, and the ball vanished by apparently covering the handkerchiefs with a small paper bag which is picked up from the table, and squeezed tightly round the performer's wrist. The ball is servanted when picking up the paper bag. The performer now requests someone to remove the bag and untie the knots of the handkerchiefs! The handkerchiefs having vanished, the bag is thrown away, and the performer finishes the trick with what he commenced with nothing! This is a combination of moves from well-known tricks, but I think the tricks will always exist, just the same as the Chinese Rings, and the Coffee Vase.
I have tried to show a method of presenting the trick in such a manner that no quick, or suspicious, movement can cause the knowing members of the audience to actually see the working, even if they have read all the magazines which are now accepting articles from those who have no compunction about "lifting" a page or two from Modern Magic and other standard works. Of those magicians who write their own tricks up for the benefit of the pubic, I can only admit they have a perfect right to do so--and may they never stumble into the pit they have made. I often wonder if they were doctors, whether they would tell their patients just what medicine they gave them, and advise them to be their "own physician"! It is a pity the exposures take place, but there is the satisfaction of knowing that the genuine lover of magic would no more condescend to injure those who live by magic than he would palm away and keep the purse from his friend's pocket. However, I must not chat about troubles, as, when a magician is at work, he must be proof against every trouble or "unrehearsed effect."--Most practical performers have had experience in both.
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