Magical Originalities
Ernest E. Noakes
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A New Billiard Ball TrickDO YOU work billiard balls? If so, I trust the following will interest you. There are several forms of presentation, either to produce four balls, using one hand only, which is sometimes an advantage, or the production of seven or more balls, making use of various vanishes and flourishes.
As every performer likes his own adopted methods best, I shall just describe the apparatus and leave my reader to experiment with it and see to what use it can be put. This is the first time the idea has been "given away" by me, and my readers who intend including this trick in their show, or adopting the idea for some other trick, should do so at once.
Unfortunately any trick, however original, somehow gets into the hands of the unscrupulous, and instantly a similar thing is offered, but my experience has been, that although they advertise the "same" thing, the real essential points are not observed unless they have dealt direct with the inventor. As my book becomes the property of the purchaser and is his "real own," and he can do as he likes with it, I do not take the liberty of warning him to do this or that, or lock it up, but I feel sure, in the interests of himself, he will not indiscriminately give away knowledge that he has acquired, to those not justly entitled to it.
The whole secret of my "1912" billiard ball trick lies in the table top, although at first sight the table is quite innocent. The top has a fringe, 1 inch deep, attached to it, so that the fringe only shows, proving that the balls could not possibly be in the table. For working the production of four balls, with one hand only, one genuine ball is obtained by the performer, "by the power in him vested."
This ball is examined, several flourishes made, and the ball placed upon the table. He reaches again into the air, and obtains the second ball, which is placed upon the table, then the third and fourth. To vanish them, he approaches the first ball and rolls it with his left hand into his right, shows it, and then vanishes it by his favourite move. The other three are vanished one at a time. Perhaps before giving the second effect with seven balls it would be best to explain the mechanism, but the effect I have just described will help my reader to follow the working description better.
Just come with me for an imaginary chat into my workshop. This thin board, 1/8 inch thick, will be the bottom of the faked table top. It is 15 inches long by 12 inches wide, and needs no further comment other than to call it the base. These lengths of square wood will form the sides and ends of the "box" or completed table top. Another piece of thin wood, the same size as the base, will form the top. The first thing to do is to set out with a pair of dividers the centres for four holes. These holes will be slightly larger than the "balls" which are to be produced. The top, having its four holes cut out, is now reversed, and a spring hinge, fitted to each opening, so that when the hinge is free it will stand up at right angles on the top of the table.
Next, a red xylonite "shell" or "halfball" is mounted on the disc of wood that was cut out of the table top. This disc being larger than the interior of shell must be turned down in the lathe until it nicely fits into the shell. When the four discs are turned, they are glued into the shells and allowed to dry. When dry they are rubbed down smooth on sand-paper. Now the half-balls are fitted to the hinges, seeing that every portion of the "ball" is equidistant from the sides of the opening. When the "ball" is screwed to the hinge, it can be folded down into the table.
To keep the "balls" under control, there are four spring releases on the front edge of the table, so arranged that as the wrist presses upon them in placing a genuine ball upon the table, the small arm of release when it is pushed in causes a thin flat bolt to be withdrawn, releasing the "ball," which stands up. This release is quite simple, a piece of curved clock spring (G) keeps the bolt (E) in position and is fixed to the table edge (B). The arm (C) is a piece of brass 2 inches long, 1/4 inch wide, slightly bent in the middle to form a fulcrum. There is a small hole in the middle for a screw to pass through to hold it to the front of the table, and just loose enough for the arm to work. To the end of the arm is soldered a piece of brass, bent at right angles, which will be the bolt (E) that keeps down the mounted half-ball in the table. See details of release. See guide for bolt.
To produce a ball, the genuine ball is shown, and in placing it down on the table, it is palmed just as the wrist comes in contact with the release, and the illusion is perfect of having placed the ball upon the table. After having produced the four "balls," there is the genuine ball palmed. I do not consider it good to show this as a fifth ball, but to keep it for working purposes. To vanish first ball, allow the right hand with the ball in it to approach to the table to "pick up the ball," when the thumb pulls down the fake, and the genuine ball is shown, and vanished by sleight of hand. The second "fake" is apparently picked up by both hands and brought forward, but really the left hand forces the fake down as it passes over it, giving the effect of just rolling the "ball" into the right hand. The third and fourth follow. When the fakes are down, the table can be used for any other tricks, as of course the whole of the top and the backs of the half-balls are covered with black velvet, likewise the wells.
I have not given quite all the little points, but, as I have already explained, I have presumed upon the knowledge of my reader as to minute details. I do not invite the young beginner to adopt any of the tricks as I work them, as in every case the apparatus and means used cannot assure the success of the trick unless the performer has that essential power "Experience." There never has, and never will be, any magical standard works to compare with Modern, More, and Later Magic, and when the student of magic has mastered the principles of these works and had a good many years' actual experience, he will then be able to follow the description of a performer's ideas and instructions with ease.
But to return to our "Billiard Table." For a second effect, the performer can go through his ordinary "four balls and shell" working and then place three balls on the table, just behind and between the four openings. He now gets the four fakes worked up by using the fourth genuine ball as the means of production. Of course the performer who so wishes can work some genuine and some fake balls according to his ability, for as many to be on show on the table as he wishes, but I have found seven the best effect. When vanishing, start with first faked "ball," then the first genuine ball, rolling it openly along the table over the top of the fake. There are so many movements in vanishing that it is not possible to set them out in detail, but once the performer has made up his table he will soon see what a number of effects can be obtained.
I trust that my explanations will enable those who become owners of my book to. make up the fakes and work all the moves described.
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