Miracles of Modern Magic
Harry Whiteley
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An Improved Swallowing Wand
THE following will be found a most useful addition to the effect of the conjurer using the swallowing wand. By means of our improvement the wand may be pushed through the assistant's back or through a borrowed hat, since the nickel endpiece does not need covering as in the older method of presenting the trick.
The wand used is a black wooden one with nickel ends, on one of the nickel ends is a sliding collar, and inside this is a second collar (which can be made of paper) painted black to resemble the wood portion of the wand.
In working the trick, the unprepared end of stick is pushed against assistant's back, while the two faked ends (one of nickel and one of paper) are palmed on to the opposite extremity. Now, by slightly tilting the wand, the inside black collar slips out and travels down the wand, dropping over the bottom nickel end, this producing the illusion that the metal end has been really pushed into the assistant. The proceeding, now, is in the same manner as in the older trick; the sliding end being pushed along the wand (which passes up performer's sleeve) until within a few inches of the "victim's" body.
To pull the wand out again, the left hand is brought into use, apparently to assist in extracting the stick which the audience are assured is stuck. In reality the left hand palms the black collar and holds the wand while the nickel fake is drawn upward. At the finish the black collar is retained in the left hand, the wand is thrown from the right (which conceals nickel end) to the audience for them to "discover the hidden spring."
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