mitchell_leary
2005-03-18 14:26:01 UTC
This is not a new idea but it continues to fool laymen and even
magicians not familiar with the principle.
Effect:
Three small matchboxes are laid on the table. Magician picks up each
of the boxes one at a time and shakes it. In two of the boxes matches
can be heard rattling back and forth (full). When he shakes the last
box no sound is heard. He slides the drawer open and proves the
matchbox is empty. The drawer is slid closed and a 3-Card Monte type
game is played with the spectators. They are asked to point to the
empty box. I every instance they lose.
Secret:
All of the matchboxes are empty. On the magician's right wrist, under
his coat sleeve, is a 4th matchbox, which contains the matches. I use
a matchbox that's about half full for maximum "rattle". When a empty
matchbox is picked up with this hand and shaken, is sounds full (shake
the entire forearm). Any two matchboxes are picked up and shaken in
this manner. The last one is picked up with the opposite hand and is
is empty, both audibly and visually (opened and shown).
Note: With practice you can pick up a matchbox with the right hand
and, with the fingers only, move it up and down or from side to side
and make it sound empty.
................BONUS.................
Jay Sankey has a routine like this called Slay Bells. I don't own the
trick but can offer an educated guess on how it works.
Effect:
Three round metal jingle bells (or whatever they're called) are layed
on the table. Two of them jingle when shaken, one does not. The bells
are mixed up and the audience is invoted to point to the one that
doesn't jingle. They always lose.
Secret:
All of the jingle bells are empty. This requires preparation. With
needle nose pliers, pry open each of the bells and remove the metal BB
inside rattling around, then close it back up so it looks normal. Do
this with three jigle bells.
You will need a 4th bell that functions normally. This one can be
finger palmed or strapped to your wrist with a rubber band.
You can cause any of the bells to jingle by picking it up with the
"loaded" hand. If you opt to palm the working jingle bell you can
switch hands using any number of sleights. Yet another idea is to load
the functioning jingle bell into a Thumb Tip, then you could work in
short sleeves.
Note: This rattle box principle can be applied to all sorts of items
to covert them into tricks or con games. Any three identical opaque
enclosures small enough to be handled on your close-up mat will work.
-Leary-
magicians not familiar with the principle.
Effect:
Three small matchboxes are laid on the table. Magician picks up each
of the boxes one at a time and shakes it. In two of the boxes matches
can be heard rattling back and forth (full). When he shakes the last
box no sound is heard. He slides the drawer open and proves the
matchbox is empty. The drawer is slid closed and a 3-Card Monte type
game is played with the spectators. They are asked to point to the
empty box. I every instance they lose.
Secret:
All of the matchboxes are empty. On the magician's right wrist, under
his coat sleeve, is a 4th matchbox, which contains the matches. I use
a matchbox that's about half full for maximum "rattle". When a empty
matchbox is picked up with this hand and shaken, is sounds full (shake
the entire forearm). Any two matchboxes are picked up and shaken in
this manner. The last one is picked up with the opposite hand and is
is empty, both audibly and visually (opened and shown).
Note: With practice you can pick up a matchbox with the right hand
and, with the fingers only, move it up and down or from side to side
and make it sound empty.
................BONUS.................
Jay Sankey has a routine like this called Slay Bells. I don't own the
trick but can offer an educated guess on how it works.
Effect:
Three round metal jingle bells (or whatever they're called) are layed
on the table. Two of them jingle when shaken, one does not. The bells
are mixed up and the audience is invoted to point to the one that
doesn't jingle. They always lose.
Secret:
All of the jingle bells are empty. This requires preparation. With
needle nose pliers, pry open each of the bells and remove the metal BB
inside rattling around, then close it back up so it looks normal. Do
this with three jigle bells.
You will need a 4th bell that functions normally. This one can be
finger palmed or strapped to your wrist with a rubber band.
You can cause any of the bells to jingle by picking it up with the
"loaded" hand. If you opt to palm the working jingle bell you can
switch hands using any number of sleights. Yet another idea is to load
the functioning jingle bell into a Thumb Tip, then you could work in
short sleeves.
Note: This rattle box principle can be applied to all sorts of items
to covert them into tricks or con games. Any three identical opaque
enclosures small enough to be handled on your close-up mat will work.
-Leary-