2. PRODUCTION OF A NUMBER OF SILKS
From the Sleeves
We will suppose that you have produced a white silk and wish to produce a number of others of different colors.
Preparation. Spread another white silk of the same size on the table; then take three or four others, also of the same size; fold each one lengthwise by the diagonal fold and place them on one another. Seize them by the ends with both hands and twist and twirl them into a tight roll. Lay this on the first silk as shown in Fig. 8. Fold the corner B over to C and then roll the whole up to C. The colored silks will be kept safely in the white silk as long as the corners at A are held tightly. Prepare two rolls in this way; take one in each hand by the corners at A; then don your coat, retaining your hold on the silks and drawing them down each sleeve until the ends A are near the ends of the sleeves at the inner sides of the wrists.
Method. After producing the first silk by one or other of the methods already explained, hold it up in the right hand and stroke it downwards with the left hand. Bring the left hand up to repeat the action and with the tips of the right fingers, under cover of the right hand, grip the corners A of the load in the left sleeve. Hold the right hand motionless as before and again stroke the silks downwards with the left hand. The onward sweep will cause the load to be pulled out of the left sleeve. The moment the load is clear, seize its lower end and the lower end of the first white silk and twirl them with both hands. It will appear to the spectators that one silk only is in view. Release the grip of the left hand and take the single silk in that hand by one corner, showing a white silk in each hand—One apparently pulled out of the other. Throw this over the left arm; with the right hand shake the white silk it holds, causing it to untwist and reveal the colored silks inside it. Draw these away one by one with the left hand by their lower corners.
By stroking these with the right hand ample cover is obtained for the production of the second load from the right sleeve. Develop these in the same way. When a number of silks is required for the performance of a trick, it is much more effective, and more magical, to produce them in this way than to have them set prosaically on the table.
From the Vest or Coat
Rolls of silks prepared in the same way can be produced from the vest by being pulled through the openings between the vest buttons. In this case the outer silk must be black or dark purple.
When it is desired to produce a large number of silks under cover of a number already in the hands, fold them diagonally and lay them one on top of the other. Tie a fairly strong thread around the middle of the pile; run a short piece of fine black wire, or horsehair, under the thread and tie the ends, making a loop. Place this bundle, folded in half, under the dress vest on the left side, tucking the free ends well down and letting the loop protrude over the top of the vest toward the middle. Under cover of displaying the silks, already produced, in front of the body, it is an easy matter to engage the left thumb in the loop; then, by simply stretching the arms outwards and upwards, the load will be dragged out behind the other silks. It is, after that, merely a matter of breaking the thread and developing the silks to make the greatest display possible. The loop is allowed to fall to the floor unnoticed.
When a dress vest is not worn, the same idea can be applied to the coat by having pockets in the sides with vertical openings. The action is practically the same and a load can be obtained from each side of the coat. Some performers prefer to make a bag (Fig. 9) with a piece of black silk by simply pinning it together; the silks are then folded into accordion pleats and pushed into the bag one by one. When this is full it is tied cross-wise with thread and the pins removed (Fig. 10). In this case, after the load has been stolen under cover of other silks, the thread is broken and the silks are shaken out one by one, developing, as they are released, with very pretty effect. The black silk is simply let fall with the others and passes for another silk.
It is surprising what a quantity of silks can be concealed on one’s person by exercising a little thought and ingenuity, and the stealing of such loads under cover of other silks is very easy. It is strange that the procedure is so much neglected by magicians. What effect could be prettier than a seemingly endless supply of gorgeous silks welling up spontaneously from the performer’s hands?
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