Saturday 9 February 2013

The Ball, the Glass and the Cloth



The Tarbell Course in Magic. What a vast resource it really is. In lesson 28 (page 389 if you have the hardbound copy) there is a little overlooked routine. Simply called "the egg, the glass and the handkerchief". I did very little changes to the handling. But if you had to write it up like a dealers ad it would read something like this. Impromptu! No extras! Easy! Yes, the signed cloth really ends up in the glass! No switching! A real worker! Audience tested!

This is simply a rare gem that nobody does. I mean nobody! If you feel like you are that "nobody" explain yourself in the comments. The originator of this trick seems to have been lost in the ages. In fact Tarbell writes: "This is another effect which has been handed down throughout the magical fraternity for many years."

I really like idea of using a ping pong ball. They are cheap, you can have them signed and you can give it away in the end. In fact if you substitute the cloth for a napkin it really goes into the realm of true impromptu magic.

Check this one out. It needs to be done more often. And if you really fear the one bold moment in the routine, you can use a familiar gimmick to make everything good.

2 comments:

  1. Totally agree - it's been one of my impromptu effects for ages. I use an egg ISO a ping pong ball - I can't recall if that was Tarbell's original handling/suggestion? (BTW in the Tannen 7-volume edition it doesn't seem to occur @ Lesson 28... differently edited?)

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  2. I've found it: Volume 1, Lesson 19, P 389 (of the 7 volume edition) PG

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