Wehman Bros.' tricks with coins; or, Modern coin manipulation, embracing every sleight and subtlety invented and known, including ... a complete explanation of his world famous coin creation "The miser's dream".

Front matter

FT

MEADE

TRICKS

Chapter I. “the Miser's Dream."

Description of the act page

Continuous front and back-hand paim ..... r

Latest improvements in connection with same. o

Method ot getting first stack of coins into hat ,o

The apparent “catching” of the coins

Passing coin through bottom of hat I?

Passing coin through side of hat

Coin thrown in the air and invisibly caught in hat.. 1 {=

Manner of getting a second load into hat 7111171

Method of continuing the “catching” after second load is exhausted 16

Production of any number of coins at finger tips 17

To pass a coin through the knees is

The “elusive” pass 77 1 {q

New “change over palm ” 7.7. 1 90

Downs’ new “ click ” pass 21

Ten coins passing into tumbler 21

Downs’ new “ fan ” pass 00

Downs’ “Eureka” pass 24

Three distinct methods of palming coins at the same time 27

To palm and make the pass with 40 coins 28

To produce same in a shower from the vest 7. 7 7777 28

Chapter II

A Series of Abso'utely New and Original Coin Vanishes and Passes.

Methods for causing the disappearance of one coin

With the aid of a piece of hair

Vanishing coin from handkerchief

Coin vanish with the aid of the vest-

Disappearance of a coin while lying on the table.. .,

Coin vanish with the aid of the outside sleeve

Coin vanish with the aid of the trousers’ pocket

Novel pass with a coin

New back-palm idea

The sleeve vanish

The sleeve vanish in conjunction with back palm,..

The coin and tumbler

Novel adaptation of the “rattle-box ” idea

A rapid pass with six coins

Disappearing pile of coins

31 31 31

32 32 32

33 33

INDErX— Continued.

CHAPTER III. Miscellaneous Coin Tricks, Illusions, and Combinations

TAGE

The equilibrium of silver 35

To pass 20 coins from one hand to the other 36

Quadruple coin 36

Gold versus silver 37

The transmutation of metals 38

Vanishing coins from goblet 39

Multiplying coin (sleight-of-hand method) 39

New coin production from bare hands 40

The money-producing cigarette., 41

The coin of Phoenix 42

New money-producing card 42

The marvelous transit of coins 44

Novel appearing coin 45

The new crystal target 45

The flying coins 47

The “ Downs’ ” goblet of mystery 48

The mysterious claret glass 48

Magnetized coins 49

The demon goblet 50

The silver question 50

Handkerchief as money-producer 52

New money-producing candle 52

The dematerialization of 30 coins 53

Coin passing through a table, etc 54

The crystal coin ladder 55

The traveling coin 57

The sixteen-to-one silver trick 58

The fusible coins 59

CHAPTER IV. Mechanical Devices for Performing the “Miser's Dream."

Coin with wire loop . 62

Coin with attachment for first, finger 63

Single spider “fake” 63

Single spider “ fake ” (differently constructed; 63

The “Hilliar” coin spider fake 63

Coin holders 85

New coin-dropper for hat 65

Coin caught on rim of the hat 67

Apparatus enabling performer to easily palm 50 coins 68

New vest coin dropper 69

New vest coin dropper (differently constructed) 69

CHAPTER V. Additional Coin Tricks

The coin of Mercury 71

The coin cornucopia 72

The obedient coins 73

The coin and paper tube 74

An old trick improved 74

A good coin trick 75

To tell date on borrowed coin 75

Entirely new pass with 25 coins 76

The new glass coin-jar 76

The winged coin 78

New coins and die 78

CHAPTER VI. Koincluding observations 81

■^MODERN

Coin /Hbarupulation.

Chapter I. The Miser's Dream

The above original conception of the author s has, he believes, been more extensively imitated and counterfeited than any other known Magical Act. In this chapter it is proposed first to give an outline of same, and then to explain all the different “sleights” necessary for its accomplishment, which the author desires to emphatically state were all, without exception, invented by himself some sixteen years ago. He mentions this fact for the information of those that may be in doubt as to the origin of the back palm.

The stage is devoid of any kind of furniture, with the exception of an ordinary property side-table, which is totally unprepared. The performer enters and asks for the loan of a hat. Upon obtaining the necessary article it is placed crown downwards on the table. Professor now turns up his sleeves to the elbows, and his hands are shown to be quite empty, back and front, with the fingers WIDE APART. The hat is now taken (without the slightest suspicious movement) in the left hand. The right hand next makes a grab in the air, and there are two coins, which he places in the hat. This is repeated till about 20 coins have been caught, but during the whole time the back and front and fingers of the right hand are shown to be absolutely empty, and not once do they approach the body. By way of variation, a coin is sometimes passed through the side of the hat, being unmistakably heard to fall within ; or a half-dollar is thrown in the air, completely vanishing, and the hat held out a second or two afterwards

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

to catch the coin, which is also heard to fall into the same. A coin is placed between tips of first and fourth fingers of right hand, and pushed against bottom of hat, whereupon it instantly vanishes into the interior, making itself heard as it mingles with the other coins. The right hand now catches a dozen or twenty coins at once, dropping them all into the hat. This is continued until an enormous number of half-dollars is collected. These are turned out on to the table. One is now taken in the left hand and passed completely through one and then both lyiees, then passed from hand to hand. Now the audience is asked to name any number, which we will say is 15, whereupon the performer proceeds to catch, one at a time, the half-dollars on tip of his wand, immediately passing each one invisibly into the right hand, where it makes its appearance between the first finger and thumb — this being continued until the whole 15 are produced. Six coins are now vanished and both hands shown empty, when the former are produced in a fan from the back of the left hand. In conclu-

Fig. 1.

sion, after several other sleights hereinafter described, the performer gathers up all the coins on the table— somewhere about 40 — makes the pass with this huge pile, when lo ! they have vanished, but are immediately reproduced in a shower from the bottom of the vest.

As the above depends chiefly on what is termed the 44 Continuous Front and Back Hand Palm,” it is proposed to describe this in minute detail first. The object is to conceal a coin in the hand, yet at any moment showing back and front quite empty, extending the fingers and thumb as well, but im-

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

mediately producing the coin when desired at the finger tips.

If the reader desires to excel in this particular sleight, he should, first of all, select a coin which best suits his fingers. The author always uses a half-dollar as being best adapted to the size of his hands. The smaller the coin used the more difficult to successfully carry out the trick. It is therefore, advisable, perhaps, to start with a larger coin, say a dollar, and follow this up gradually with smaller coins, until you find one which exactly suits the width of your fingers.

To commence the trick the coin is placed on the front of the hand, being gripped between the tips of the first and

Fig. 2.

fourth fingers (see Fig. i). You now draw down the two middle fingers until the points rest behind the coin at its lower end. If you now exert with these two fingers a slight pressure on the lower part of the coin it revolves between the first and fourth fingers (see Fig. 2), and, upon the performer now extending carefully the two middle fingers, these stretch out in front of the coin (see Fig. 3, which represents a back view) (which is now held in same position as at first, except that it is at the back instead of the front of the hand), the coin being quite invisible and appearing to have vanished. To cover this movement, which, of course, should be executed with lightning-like rapidity, the performer makes a short movement with the hand as if about to throw the coin away. The slight movement facilitates the deception to a great extent. Now, to make the coin reappear, the above movements are simply reversed. This novel movement should be acquired by both hands, which should perform it with equal freedom and ease.

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

With considerable practise this can be accomplished with more than one coin. Fig. 4 shows the author’s hand with six coins back-palmed.

Fig. 3.

The above is the original form in which the trick was invented by the author sixteen years ago, but since then he has naturally made vast improvements in same, and the following is the correct manner in which he performed the “Continuous Front and Back Hand Palm,” at the Palace Theatre, London, in 1899, for six consecutive mouths. If the reader will take the trouble to compare other descriptions of this palm, with the details herein given, he will at once see the extent of the knowledge of the different writers who have compiled these “counterfeit” descriptions

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

When the coin has been reversed to the back of the hand, as in Fig. 3, the little finger moves away from the coin, which is left gripped between the first and second fingers. The third

Fig. 5.

and fourth fingers are now spread wide apart (see Fig. 5) to show there is nothing between them. The third finger moves up at the back of the hand behind the coin, which it pulls be-

FlG. 6.

tween it and the second finger, where it remains gripped as in Fig. 6, enabling the performer to show the back of the hand, and demonstrate that there is nothing between first and sec-

IO

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

ond or third and fourth fingers. Now, the thumb pushes the coin through from the front of the hand to the back, still gripped between the second and third fingers, enabling the

Fig. 7.

front of the hand to be shown, with the first and fourth fingers extended as in Fig. 7. The little finger next comes up behind the hand and grips the coin in exactly the same way

Fig. 8.

as the third finger did previously, enabling the first, second and third fingers to be shown empty (see Fig. 8). The second finger now grasps the coin from the back, so that it is now

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

ii held as before in Fig. 7, between the two middle fingers, again allowing performer to show there is nothing between first and second or third and fourth fingers. The coin is then picked

Fig. 9.

up with the first finger and gripped between that and the second finger, as already seen in Fig. 5. Next the fingers are bent ’round towards the palm, and with the assistance of the second and third fingers the coin is transferred to the palm of the hand (see Fig. 9), thereby allowing the performer to show the back of the hand with all the fingers and thumb extended

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

(see Fig io). It is now picked up with the two middle fingers and replaced between the first and second fingers, being exactly the reverse of the previous move, enabling the front of the hand to be now shown. By next placing the third finger up be-

FIg. ri.

hind the coin, the same can be placed at back of thumb (see Fig. ii), where it lies gripped in the fleshy part, so that the performer can now show front of hand empty, but with the fingers extended. The hand is now closed, the coin being altowed to drop in, and then opened, whereupon the coin is produced. The author uses all of the above passes in his entertainment, and, of course, to work the Back and Front Palm la an absolutely correct manner, a considerable amount of

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

practice is necessary. However, to produce many brilliant effects it is only essential that the performer should be acquainted with one or two of the moves, but if the reader ever desires to become a strictly first-class Coin Manipulator he should practise, practise, and keep on practising until all the above sleights become second nature to him, and he can then defy even expert conjurers to tell where the coin is. All the above should be done with both hands, as mentioned before, thereby enabling the performer to exhibit some combinations that appear nothing short of supernatural. The author lias devoted considerable space and time to the above description, but he believes it is in the best interests of the Magical Art for him to have done so, bearing in mind how professional and amateur magicians are being deceived by productions compiled by unscrupulous parties purporting to expose his Act.

Having described the principal secret of this Act, the author will proceed to explain the Act itself and then the various additions.

Before going on the stage, the performer places 20 half-dollars in his right-hand waistcoat pocket and 15 in his right-hand trousers pocket. A hat is borrowed, and, while taking the same in his left hand, the coins from the waistcoat are palmed in his right, and placed like a flash of lightning under the bent-over side of the rim on the outside of the hat (see Fig. 12), which is placed with the same hand, crown downwards, on the* table. Now, if the coins have been placed neatly and prop

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

erly on tbe rim when the hat is turned over, they will remain where you put them, but this is the most delicate part of the trick, as uuless you are exceedingly careful some, or all, will fall as the hat is put on the table, and, in the words of a popular song, “There would be no show that night.” With practise, however, this can be accomplished. A would-be-author, in “exposing” the above, not knowing how it was possible to place the coins on the rim of the hat and then turn it over,

has, in his exceeding cleverness ignored this move altogether. Yet, this is the most delicate and at the same time puzzling move of the performance. This ignorance is probably due to his “many years’ experience.”

The performer now casually turns up his sleeves and remarks : “ With the permission of the ladies I will remove my cuffs, or rather turn them up to the elbows.” The hat is now taken up with the left hand, the fingers of which get hold of the coins under cover of the rin^ The hat is next passed into the right hand to show the left empty, and the artist will find with practise it is quite easy to pass the coins with the hat from hand to hand. The hat is now taken by the edge nearest the audience, aud, with right hand, turned over so that the fingers of the left hand containing the 20 coins are brought into the inside of hat (see Fig. 13), in position for the money-catching. The right hand is now shown empty, and makes a grab in the air at an imaginary coin, immediately placing it (apparently) in the

hat, where it is heard to fall, but, in reality, it is a coin dropped from the left hand. This is repeated, and, as the hand goes to the hat to make a pretense of dropping in a coin, two coins are quickly palmed in the right hand. You look in the air for more coins, and one of those palmed is now produced at the finger tips (the mode of which is described on page 5), and visibly dropped into the hat. You now produce the second one, but, instead of placing this in the hat, one is dropped from the left hand at the same moment that the right approaches the top of the hat, thereby inducing the audience to believe that the visible coin was really placed in the hat. This is repeated as often as desired, and, by means of the “Continuous Front aud Back Hand Palm,” before described, the right hand can at any moment be shown apparently empty.

Additional effects are produced according to the fancy of the performer. The apparent passing of a coin through the bottom of the hat never fails to bring forth plenty of applause. This is accomplished by holding the coin in the manner depicted in Fig. 14. The back palm is now made (see Fig. 15), one coin being at the same time dropped from the left hand into the hat, creating the necessary “jingle,” and the illusion is perfect. A similar effect can be produced by holding the

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

*5 coin between the tips of the first three fingers and thumb and pretending to push it through the side of the hat. What really happens is that the coin is pushed by the hat down between the fingers (the back of the hand facing the audience) which hide it, one, of course, being dropped by the lift hand to create the necessary deception. It is as well to pay particular attention to these little moves, as tl^ey invariably create more furore than bigger and more difficult sleights.

A coin is now apparently thrown in the air, and caught in the hat a few seconds later. The coin is, of course, palmed in the act of throwing up the hand, and the hat is held out in the left hand as if waiting for the coin, which, at the right moment, is dropped from the left hand.

When the first load of coins is exhausted, the performer makes a bold move. He pretends to hear some one make a remark that he gets the coins from his pocket — “Which pocket?” he replies; “The left one?” and places his left hand into the pocket so as to suit the action to the word — “No, the right one?” — now placing his right hand into the pocket, which forthwith palms 15 coins previously placed there. “No, ladies and gentlemen, if I were to place my hands in my pockets you would all see me. Please see that my hands do not approach the body.” Meanwhile, he has got the palmed 15 coins onto the rim of the hat, as explained at the commencement of this description. The hat is then plaed, if desired, on the table, crown downward, and the hands shown perfectly empty. The same process as before is now repeated.

If the above movements are executed with a certain amount of sangfroidy and without appearing to be in a hurry to place the hands in your pockets, not one iu a thousand would guess that you were “loading” — it being so barefaced a proceeding the audience never dream that you would be so bold as to deceive them iu this decidedly simple yet effective manner.

Now, when this last lot of coins becomes exhausted, another ruse is resorted to by the performer. His right hand dives into the hat and rattles the coins to show they are real ones, at the same time letting them pour in a shower from the hand into the hat.

He repeats this once or twice, and then palms, say, a dozen, which, of course, enables him to

go on catching them FlG. IS.

singly (producing them it finger tips as described ou page 17). or to mak« a grab in the

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

air and produce the 12 in a fan (see Fig. r6),with the remark that “When I desire more than one at a time I make this move. The above can be repeated, if desired, but it will usually be found that 30 to 40 coins will take some time to “catch,” provided the performer is not unduly quick about it. This niust be avoided, and the artist must go about his business 111 an easy manner, without any jumps or jerks so common with unfinished performers. To practise before a looking-glass is all very well, but before your friends is better, as they are thereby enabled to give you hints as to mistakes, etc., which u is impossible for you to see yourself in a glass.

Next comes the

PRODUCTION OF ANY NUMBER OF COINS AT FiNGER TIPS.

Before the hat is replaced on the table the audience is asked to name any number, which we will suppose is 15. The performer, who has in the meantime been “jingling” the coins in the hat, quickly palms the desired number, and replaces the hat on the table (to palm the correct number instantaneously requires considerable practice, but the author is enabled through constant exercise to tell exactly how many he picks up by the feel and weight). Both hands are now shown empty by means of the “ new Change-over Palm, described 011 page 20. The magic wan<j is taken in the left hand, and the coins caught on its extreme end one by one, each being then invisibly passed from the wand to the right band finger i8

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

tips. The wand used is, of course, the old “Half-dollar” Wand, but the one the author has been in the habit of using was improved by him to the extent that it works noiselessly, this being brought about by a series of minute pieces of rubber operating in the “Coin” end of tbe wand, which prevents the edges of the opening “clicking” together when the half-dollar is caused to appear or to vanish.

The coins are palmed in the right hand. To produce them one by one at the finger tips, the two middle fingers are bent down towards the coins as in Fig. 17. The third finger pushes up the bottom one (that nearest the wrist), same being immediately gripped between that finger and the second, which instantaneously places the coin between the tips of the first finger and thumb, the second one being placed behind this, and so on till the whole 15 have been “produced.” The left hand, of course, makes a motion of catching a coin on the wand each time and shows the coin, which is withdrawn into he wand in the act of throwing it towards the right hand.

The coins are now counted, one at a time, from the right hand into the hat. If, by any chance, you should have made a mistake in the number asked for, it is easy when counting them at the conclusion to “miscount” one or two.

TO PASS A COIN THROUGH THE KNEES.

To bring about the above effect a half-dollar is palmed in the right hand, and another taken between the second and third finger tips (the latter being, of course, visible to the audience). Left hand is now shown empty, and the visible coin placed 011 the left fingers in readiness for the Back Palm, the left hand being placed -horizontally against the right knee.

The right hand now points jit the coin in the left hand in a casual sort of way (in reality to show nothing between fingers or at back of hand), then shows the front of the hand (in the meantime, of course, reversing the coin to back of hand), and places it in a similar position on the opposite of the knee to the left. Fig. 18 will show the correct position. The coin is now back-palmed by the left hand — at the moment of doing which the coin back-

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

palmed in the right hand is brought to the front, the same having apparently passed completely through your knee. This can be repeated once or twice. The performer then pretends to overhear a remark, “Pass it through both knees,” and replies, “Through both knees? Oh, certainly; however, it’s more painfu.,” and he repeats the trick, apparently passing the coin through both knees, making, of course, not the slightest difference in the modus operandi.

THE ILLUSIVE PASS°

The performer takes, we will say, six coins between the foremost sections of the middle and third fingers of the right hand, spreading out at the same time the other fingers, presenting to the public the back of his hand. The left hand now approaches the right as if to take away the coins (see Fig. 19), and, in fact, really, takes them away the first time. Then, apparently overhearing a remark to the effect that they are not in the left hand, he opens it and shows the coins. Same are again taken between the tips of the second and third fiugers of the right hand and the left hand makes the motion of taking the coins, while under cover of the fingers of the left hand, the two fingers of the right hand, containing the coins, are bent round the thumb of the left hand, and the coins left palmed in the right hand, the two fingers immediately returning to their original position, the left hand moving away as if it contained them (see Fig. 20). The above movements are made very clear in the accompanying illustrations, though they may appear almost impossible of execution. In the first place, the

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

different moves should be made very slowly, with, say, 2 coins ; but the reader will understand that in the actual execution of this feat before an audience, everythiugisdoue so quickly that it is quite impossible for a spectator to tell whether the coins are really taken in the left hand or not.

Aliy one who may have witnessed the author’s performances will, he is sure, bear witness to thisfact.

Now upon the Fig. 20.

left hand being opened and shown empty, the right hand can

also be shown empty by means of the following :

NEW CHANGE-OVER PALM.

When the left hand is opened, the right hand, which contains the coins palmed, is brought face to face with the left one, and the coins transferred to the palm of the left hand, which is immediately turned ’round (under cover of the right) to show (apparently)that there is nothing at the Fig. 21. back, and then the right

hand can be shown empty back and front (see Fig. 21). The left hand is next turned round under cover of the right haud, and the coins re-palmed in the right (see Fig. 22). This is an exceedingly difficult sleight, and requires a considerable amount of delicacy in manipulating. It is very desirable to have the coins alJ

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

all of the same size and thickness, otherwise one or more

may slide out from the rest in the act of transference.

The coins can then be produced as fancy indicates, by catching them one at a time, or in a fan from the back of the left hand ; but a suitable mode of production will readily suggest itself tc a performer who has thorough] y mastered the above two passes. The author can safely state that when once proficient in both of the above the performer can do practically just as he likes with half a dozen coins, and he therefore considers it one of the most useful passes in existence.

DOWNS’ NEW “CLICK” PASS.

As the trick about to be described relies almost entirely or the above-named new and original “pass,” the author has thought it only fair to give it the above title. Once acquired it becomes a most useful and one of the most puzzling and deceptive sleights extant.

The mode of performing it is as follows : Ten coins are borrowed and placed unmistakably in the left hand. All are satisfied that the coins are really in the left hand, they being heard to fall therein. The right hand now picks up an ordinary empty glass tumbler and holds the hands wide apart. The coins are commanded to pass, one at a time , from the closed left hand into the glass, held in the right, which they proceed to do, the beautiful part of the experiment being that each coin is distinctly seen and heard to fall into the tumbler. After about, say, eight coins have passed, the per former pretends to hear some one say that there are no coinj in the left hand. He immediately opens the left hand and shows the two remaining coins. The hand is closed, and the two that are left to pass singly into the glass held in the right in the same manner as their predecessors.

To produce the above illusion it is necessary to study care

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

fully the accompanying illustrations which explain fully the “click” pass before referred to. The coins are first placed in the right hand, as in Fig. 23, and the hand is then quickly turned over, the coins being apparently transferred to the left hand, but in reality the third and fourth fingers of the right hand arrest their fall, see Fig. 24 (thereby creating a sound or “click” as if the coins had fallen into the left hand), and

MODERN COIN MANIPULATION.

forthwith palm them in the right hand. If the foregoing be tried once or twice it will be seen what a perfect illusion it produces. Now with the right hand (containing the palmed coins) pick up the tumbler as in Fig. 25. By slightly relaxing the muscles of the palm of the' right hand, the coins are released, one at a time, and fall into the glass (see Fig.

26). A considerable amount of practice and delicacy of manipulation is essential to ensure the coins dropping singly. The additional effect of being able to show two coins in the left hand, after eight have passed into the tumbler, is brought about by finger-palming in the left hand two dummy coins, pivoted together, which admits of their being spread apart to look like two coins. These are shown, and in the act of again closing the left hand, they are reverse-palmed, and the fact of their being riveted together enabling this to be accomplished with ease.