Greorge Johnson - A Few Jardine Ellis Secrets
Greorge Johnson - A Few Jardine Ellis Secrets
Greorge Johnson - A Few Jardine Ellis Secrets
~ A Few ~
Jardine Ellis Secrets
By
George Johnson
Originally published by
GEORGE JOHNSON,
The "Magic Wand" Office,
24, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C. 2.
1925.
Foreword
Thimble and Wine Glass
A Juggling Feat
The Rod and Ring
A Humorous Card Item
The Jardine Ellis Slate Mystery
An Experiment in Telepathy
Card Divination
The Holder of the Egg
The Measured, Cut, and Restored
String
Coin Levitation
The Magnetised Knife
The Floating Wand
Foreword.
The late Jardine Ellis was a master of what is known to Conjurers as
"close quarter work." The majority of his effects were designed to
puzzle the single onlooker, and in this particular class of Magical
deception he was a past master.
This clever worker was at some pains to keep his secrets within a
charmed circle and usually stipulated that his tricks were not to be
either shown or exposed to a conjurer. I have witnessed many of the
effects but for the majority of the secrets I am indebted to Mr. Stanley
Norton who, by the way, has himself written the description of the
Slate Mystery.
One day, while exchanging secrets--as conjurers are wont to do--Mr.
Norton remarked to Mr. Ellis, "You are very particular as to these
effects; do you expect to keep them for ever and ever?" Ellis laughed,
"Oh well," he said, "when I am gone it does not matter what becomes
of them."
I do not, therefore, feel any qualms regarding the publication of this
booklet. However, in memory of a clever worker who left us all too
soon--he died on February 1st, 1923, a comparatively young
man--Conjurers may perhaps see to it that the secrets are not disclosed
to all and sundry. So far as this little publication is concerned, it will
only be sold through recognised Magical booksellers and dealers.
George Johnson,
The "MAGIC WAND" Office,
September, 1925.
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He now drew the corner of the handkerchief up the arm to a position just
above the edge of the coat sleeve, see Fig. 2. Then, with the left hand, he
A Juggling Feat.
The performer, holding a cord or ribbon by one end, gives it a slight
shake. A knot appears half way down the cord.
For this pretty effect, Ellis used a cord with a weighted tassel. In working
it, I have been more successful with about a yard of silk ribbon at the
lower end of which is inserted a piece of rather thick tin plate measuring
three-quarters of an inch by half an inch. The metal, which is attached to
the ribbon by bending the edges of the tin plate over the silk, is indicated
in Fig. 1. A strip of ribbon is Seccotined over-all and the fact that the
ribbon is thus weighted is unknown to the audience.
towards your left and instantly strike the rising ribbon with the loop of
silk which is formed, so to speak, in the air. The hand naturally falls a few
inches in doing this. In Fig. 2 the uppermost portion of the ribbon is about
to "swish"--I can think of no better term--against that part which is some
few inches below the knuckles. The result of this manoeuvre causes the
weighted end of the ribbon to pass through the loop in the direction of the
arrow (Fig. 2) and the knot (Fig. 4) is thus formed.
Fig. 3 is intended to illustrate the ribbon just about to conclude its
formation into a knot. It is actually the termination of the move illustrated
in Fig. 2.
No written instructions can exactly convey the idea but, with the above
notes, the learner should acquire the knack in five minutes. Do not lose
patience!
Another Worker, Mr. Ellis Stanyon I think, holds a ring (threaded through
the ribbon) between the thumb and fingers (Fig. l), and, as the knot is
made; releases the ring which becomes tied in the knot. This is a
charming amplification which the performer many venture upon when
proficient with the first and easier version of the trick.
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The apparatus consists of a ring and a shell ring which is rather difficult to describe
and almost impossible to clearly illustrate. Imagine a hollow ring cut into two round
its circumference thus making two circular troughs. One of these is the shell which
should fit nicely over the solid ring.
The ring alone is permitted to drop down the stick and a sort of bagatelle
process with the ring on the stick is now indulged in, as follows.
The actual ring is dropped on, when it quickly reaches the left (nearly
closed) fist. The,ring is then jerked with that fist until it arrives adjacent
to the right, when the ring falls back again. At the termination of this
juggling business, We will presume that the left fist conceals the ring (on
the stick, of course, this being known to the spectators) and that the right
hand contains the palmed shell.
The assistant now grasps the ferrule end of the stick and the performer
the knob end. He places his right hand--presumed to be empty underneath
the left, which, it will be remembered, covers the ring. The performer
now suddenly withdraws the right hand, exhibits the shell, pulls the stick
away from his helper and, ere the latter has time to ask any question, such
as "What is under the left hand?" the performer has dropped the shell on
to the stick. The instant it arrives at the left hand the latter opens to
receive it and as the shell at once adapts itself, all is well. There must not
be a moment's hesitation with these moves. The performer may now
withdraw ring and shell as one, and hold them with a second and third
"finger Palm" ready for the next phase of the trick.
So much for taking the ring off the stick--or rather appearing to do so.
Now let us proceed with the equally apparent transference of the ring to
the stick when the ring is presumed to be elsewhere.
The to and fro juggling proceeds as before, this time; however, the
performer shows the shell as he deliberately removes it: (The ring, as
usual, is still concealed by the left hand.) The position now is as follows.
Assistant holds ferrule end of stick. Performer hold the knob end with left
closed fist under which, this time unknown to the spectator, is the ring.
The shell is held in the performer's right hand. He brings this hand
adjacent to the left and proceeds to strike the edge of the shell against the
stick. At the third or fourth hit, he suddenly pulls away the left hand with
a sliding motion and drawing the right hand sharply backwards rests it on
the hip with the shell palmed. All eyes are fixed on the twirling ring.
Now, again, giving neither assistant or audience time to think, the stick is
taken from the assistant and the ring dropped off right on to the palmed
shell, which is concealed by the curvature of the fingers.
The trick may be tried, for one's own amusement, with two key rings, but
no amount of writing can equal five minutes experimenting with a ring
and shell. Sufficient has been stated to show the possibilities of this
brilliant effect. In presentation, the performer must neither cease
pattering for a moment or permit his helper time to ask awkward
questions at equally awkward moments. As the presence of the shell ring
is never guessed at, the performer, if he does get into difficulties, can
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drop the ring into the shell at almost any time. Jardine Ellis never
experienced any trouble of this sort. He boldly proceeded on the lines
described, though it is possible that there are others more conversant with
the various moves who, if willing, could better describe the actual
working than myself. I have only seen the trick "from the front," and
submit but the bare bones so to speak, of a pretty experiment.
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your audience. Borrow, if you can, one of the genial and reasonably
good-natured brand. And, for goodness sake, having got him, keep
him in good humour. "Gag" all you can, but not at him, for your whole
aim is to win his confidence and make him believe that, up to a certain
point, you have not done a suspicious sleight or move. If you arouse
any irritatiOn or an even good-natured desire to "get one back on
you"--you are lost and there is no "get-out."
Invite him to the chair furthest from you (he stands on your left), you
stand beside the other chair, one foot resting carelessly on one of the
side rungs of the chair under the seat and still nursing your stack of
slates. Patter genially away, hand him the duster (with some joke
relative to spring-cleaning), and also the first slate. from the top of
stack. See that he wipes it thoroughly on both sides. Receive the slate
back from him. Place it on the stack and produce chalk from pocket.
State that you are about to mark the slate on both sides, as also the
other slates, but, only after each has been cleaned by him.
You say, "I will mark each side of the slate; With consecutive figures.
This side 'one' and this side, 'two'" You apparently mark, in the lower
right hand corner, a figure 1 and turning slate over undoubtedly mark
a 2. But you merely simulate writing with your thumb nail in the first
instance. The actual chalk is pushed up too high between the finger
and thumb, but is visible. You must not hesitate. A simple flinch and
the assistant may note the swindle. You now withdraw the next slate
and hand it to the assistant to clean as before. Now give particular
An Experiment in Telepathy.
The effect to be described is designed for the bewilderment of a single
individual Briefly the "telepatist" reproduces a simple sketch, which
the "victim" draws with pencil and paper. The performer is equipped
with a faked pocket book. Under a leather flap, situated near one
corner of the book. is a small piece of thin mirror plate. The design of
the book's cover is arranged to conceal the mirrors when the loose
leather flap, indicated in the drawing, is either covering the mirror or
folded back on the pocket book.
The performer faces his helper and offers him a quarter sheet of note
paper, a pencil, and any flat object--to serve as a writing pad--that
happens to be handy by. The presentation now proceeds somewhat as
follows. "I want you, sir, to draw any simple object on this piece of
paper; I am going to try and reproduce it while standing facing you.
Please hold the book and paper as I do."
The performer takes out his pocket book, places a similar piece of
paper thereon, and holds the book with both hands by its lower
corners. "Now draw a simple design, please, very slowly." The
performer also appears to be drawing--he is actually making a few
random lines. "You have made a sketch; very well, now I want you to
follow my instructions carefully. Continue to hold the book and sketch
in the same position so that it is not possible for me to see it." (The
Performer takes a step nearer the spectator). Now I want you to place
your hand over one eye and continue to look at your sketch with the
other eye. (The assistant closes one eye as directed). "No, sir, not that
eye, this one." As the performer makes the remark he, for an instant,
holds his pocket book in front of the spectator's free eye--whichever it
happens to be--and catches the reflection in the mirror.
The performer withdraws his hand and proceeds. "Yes, that is right.
Now please open both eyes, look at the drawing and think intently of
the design." During the final remarks, the performer appears to be
adding a few finishing touches to his drawing. He then hands it to the
spectator with the remark. "That is as near as I can get, sir." As may be
supposed, the sketch is almost a replica.
Jardine Ellis varied the above procedure according to circumstances.
Sometime he would merely ask the helper to close one eye, to gaze
longer at the drawing or would make any chance remark that occasion
offered. The main object was to cover the victim's spare eye for a
moment with the faked pocket book and, being a master of
misdirection, this Ellis did without ever arousing the slightest
suspicion.
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Card Divination.
This trick, when presented on one occasion at the Magic Circle,
caused something of a sensation. It gives a very fair example of the
methods adopted by Jardine Ellis and the ingenuity he displayed. It is
true that many who witnessed the effect were afterwards much
chagrined to discover that the trick was accomplished by the aid of
confederacy, but it was "effect" that Ellis was after.
Coming forward with a tennis racquet and a soft woollen ball, he
asked if a spectator, willing to catch the ball, would hold up his hand.
Several hands appeared and Ellis, apparently choosing the most likely
looking spectator (for his particular purpose) batted the ball in the
right direction. The spectator was then asked to bring the ball on to the
stage. In passing, it may be stated that this ingenious method of
making sure of a helper from the audience was used on other
occasions.
The helper was now given a pack of cards: He was asked to run
through them, to extract one card and to place it in his pocket. Ellis
then introduced another pack, and, after cogitation and some bye-play,
withdrew from this pack a duplicate of the card which the helper had
selected.
Brief and terrible is the secret! In the pack given to the spectator, was
a blank playing card on which was written, say, "Please select the two
of hearts." One trembles to think what may have happened when, on
certain occasions, Ellis may have had to deal with a disobliging
member of the audience.
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Coin Levitation.
It was in June, 1914, that Mr. Stanley Norton first introduced the coin
balanced, on its edge, at the finger tips. For the benefit of those not
conversant with the original deception, a condensed version of the
effect as it appeared in the MAGIC WAND, Vol. 4, page 742, is
included in this article. Jardine Ellis, with his usual proclivity for
creating a big effect from small beginnings, improved the trick out of
all recognition, and it is his particular version that I now describe.
The coin, a florin, was first balanced on the fingers, then the hand was
removed and the coin was seen to be floating in space. A few passes
were made round and about the coin, it rested again for a moment on
the finger tips and was then returned to the lender.
To deal first with the balancing. Place a pin on the coin, which should
preferably be a new one as the pin is less noticeable. Pick up the coin
by its edge, with the finger and thumb, the thumb tip covering the pin
point. Show casually, front and back, making a sweeping movement
with the arm. Now slide the pin across the coin until the head projects
about half an inch beyond the edge of the coin. At the same moment,
the coin is placed on the first and second fingers of the outstretched
right hand held palm upwards. The head of the pin is now gripped by
the knuckles of the first and second fingers and forms a support for the
coin which will stand almost at right angles to the hand. (By relaxing
the pressure of the knuckles, the coin may be caused to gracefully
assume a flat position in the hand and from here, minus the pin, it is
transferred to the other hand and returned to the owner; this, however,
has nothing to do with the Ellis levitation).
Jardine Ellis was provided with a long hat pin, originally fitted with a
metal head or knob. This latter was removed and the small cup-shaped
receptable which formerly held the head in position was filled with
conjurer's wax. (Beeswax two parts, Diachylon one part; melt
together. This wax is always "tacky.")
The pin, in the first instance, was impaled on the left coat sleeve.
Having presented the balanced coin by the Norton method, Ellis
obtained possession of the hat pin and having pressed the coin against
the waxed head, imbedded the point into his waistcoat at a position
where he had thoughtfully vested a potato! It thus became possible to
remove the hand supporting the coin altogether and exhibit it "floating
in space," The experiment over, and the coin returned, the pin was
pushed into the right coat sleeve at an early opportunity.
In presenting this effect, Mr. Norton now wears a long bandage which
contains a large and sound potato. Personally, I should back the tuber
with a strip of metal. One never knows.
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