THE COIN IN THE BOTTLE
By TOM BOWYERI present this at any social affair where beer is being served. Picking up a beer bottle from one of the tables, I empty out any beverage that may be in it. Then I borrow a half-dollar. Holding the bottle horizontally with one hand, I announce my intention of passing the coin into it through its bottom.
Coin held in other hand is now brought forcibly against bottle bottom, which it apparently penetrates, as coin is heard to fall inside. Bottle is then shaken vigorously, so coin jingles around inside, and bottle is then shown at close quarters to as many spectators as desired, special attention being drawn to the bottom of the bottle being still absolutely solid and without trapdoors.
The coin (still in the bottle) is handed back to the lender. Then, apparently hearing some remark from this gentleman, the bottle is taken from him and broken in a surprising manner. He removes the coin from the bottom portion of the broken bottle. The latter is also left with him for examination and to pass around to any other curious spectators.
This effect depends more upon the manner and circumstances of its presentation than anything else. In my club act, it is the trick most talked about afterwards, so I have really found it worth the trouble.
A duplicate coin inside the bottle does the trick. Get a pint beer bottle and, with a glass-cutter, make incisions around it as in Figure 1. These incisions are made at varying heights from top or bottom of bottle. Now paste long paper strips around it, above and below the glasscutter marks, as shown, which helps to prevent any cracks from spreading towards either end of bottle when you break it.
Tap bottle gently all around with a hammer, until it breaks into two parts in an irregular manner, as in Figure 2. You may have to repeat this with another bottle or so, as the glass will not always break exactly along the incisions, and these marks will still be visible. This is not satisfactory for close examination. (There may be some better way of breaking the bottle so it will not show a clean break, but that is something to find out from glass-cutting experts, which so far I have not done.)
When you get a satisfactory break, soak off and discard the paper wrappings.
I have two bottles so prepared. One is of brown glass and one of clear glass, as beer is sold in bottles of both colors, depending on the brand.
It is now necessary to get a supply of labels from the different local breweries, to correspond with the brands of beer that are popular. (Of course, if you wish, you can soak a label off any bottle and paste it on again after faking bottle.) Before playing an engagement, I learn what beer will be served and label accordingly whichever prepared bottle I will need to use.
However, you must first stick a half-dollar to the inside of the bottom of the broken bottle. A very slight amount of wax is used--just enough so that coin will not come loose when bottle is turned upside down a few times. Both parts of the bottle are then put together and the label pasted on, which holds them securely and enables bottle to be freely handled.
Upon arriving at my engagement, I get hold of a bottle of their beer, which, of course, is the same brand as the label on my prepared bottle. I immediately drink most of the contents, pouring the remainder into my bottle, so that the beer does not quite come up to the crack in it. I then walk around with this prepared bottle in my hand and await an opportunity to casually leave it on a table up front, where someone else may not remove it accidentally.
In presenting the trick, I claim that, owing to so many bank failures, I have invented a new kind. My invention is simply a different form of "baby's bank." All that's needed is the baby's bottle, which also has the big advantage of allowing you to see how much money you have in it at any time, by simply counting it through the glass. However, I say, as there don't seem to be many milk-drinkers present, I'll demonstrate it with a beer bottle.
I now ask for the loan of rather a large coin--say, a fifty-cent piece. While someone is fishing in his pocket for one, I approach the table on which my bottle is planted. Picking it up, I pour the contents into a convenient tumbler, and maybe I drink and maybe I don't (but he probably does).
Anyhow, I hold the bottle upside down so that the last few drops drain out, then take it in my left hand so that the label faces audience and my hand hides that part of crack in glass not covered by label.
Having obtained the half-dollar in my right hand, I return to the platform. The bottle in left hand is held horizontally by the neck, with label facing audience, while I tell them I shall pass the coin into the bottle through the bottom.
Hands are held about two feet apart. They now approach each other, but hand holding coin moves much faster than the one holding bottle. Coin is thumb-palmed just as right hand bangs against bottom of bottle. Thumb-palmed coin clinks against the glass, and the jar loosens the waxed coin inside bottle. Right hand now takes hold of bottle momentarily, to enable left to shift its grip from neck of bottle to centre, thus covering the crack at the back.
Jingling coin in bottle, I pass among the spectators to convince them that coin is actually inside. In turning slightly to my right, thumb-palmed coin is got rid of in trousers pocket. I now hand bottle to lender of coin but (working fast here) I pretend to hear him say he'd rather have it without the bottle. So I quickly take it from him before he discovers the crack in it. Then, holding bottle high, with one hand at each end and label facing audience, I bend my left knee, assume a determined look and strike bottle against it. As bottle hits knee, it is turned so label is downwards. Bottle, of course, comes apart, spectator is allowed to remove his coin and is handed the broken bottle as well. (Any wax on coin should be almost unnoticeable but, if you are afraid of it, you can remove coin from bottle yourself and give it a scratch with your thumb nail before handing it to spectator.)
Should you have to use a clear glass bottle, when "passing" coin into it, bottle must be held in left hand so that fingers cover that part of it below label. Mouth of bottle must also be tilted slightly towards audience. This prevents anyone at the side from seeing the coin that is already inside bottle.
When I have finished my performance, I retrieve the broken bottle as quietly as possible, soak the label off it when I get home and then use it over again.
So far I have always been able to borrow a half-dollar for this trick. However, have always had one of my own in my pocket in case of any difficulty in this respect. I would then hand it to someone for a quick examination and apparently pass it into the bottle.
Have tried several methods of holding coin inside bottle behind the label, instead of against the bottom, thus enabling bottom to be shown at commencement of trick, but none of these were without some drawback. This is a rather "broad" effect and should be snappily worked. That is why I hardly think it worth while going to the trouble of having the borrowed coin marked and making a switch at the finish.
It is surprising how people will not only wonder how you got the coin inside the bottle but will also marvel at the way you broke the bottle over your knee.
Thanks, Tommy, it's a sweet trick--remember the time up in Winnipeg when I was playing up there, you did this same trick at a beer garden? I forget who carried whom home. Was it you or me? Tom, Folks, is a pretty nice lad. Everyone likes him, and he has the questioned honor of being one of the two I. B. M. members who never pay for a room at a convention. He sleeps in everybody else's room, or not at all.
Up in Toronto where Tom lives now, they call him SPAULDING, he's been on so many bats. I was surprised that Tom was able to do the trick so well tonight. He was calling on a girl the other night, and a hoodlum threw a brick through the window and hit the girl right in the ribs. Tom says it didn't hurt the girl but it broke three of his fingers.
Well, the fellows out back are kicking because I'm not doing anything myself. I suppose I'VE got to show you something... if I can... If there's any grapefruit coming, I want it NOW... shut up, McGurk... Barnum was right... you can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people most of the time, but McGurk you can fool all of the summer time... unless he smells your breath... if you forget how my voice sounds when you get home, tear a rag... here goes then. Next