COPYRIGHT - 1948 AND 1975

BY

HAROLD R. RICE

COPYRIGHT IN CANADA AND IN ALL

COUNTIES SUBSCRIBE TO THE

BERHE CONVERSION.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

NO PRRT OF THIS BOOK MAY BE

REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WIITHOUT

PERMISSION IN RIGHTINHG FROM THE PUBLISHER

THE MANUFACTUREING RIGHTS FOR THE

DEVICES DESCRIBED OR ILLUSTRATED HEREIN

ARE RESERVED BV THOSE CREDITED WITH

THE EFFECTS DESCRIBED.

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

SECOND PRINTING 1960

THIRD PRINTING 1974

FOURTH PRINTING 1986

D E D I C A T I O N

F O R E W O R D A N D I decided to compile and write this encyclopedia while attending a magicians convention eight years ago. A friend in magic with whom my wife and I spent much of our time and with whom I talked silk magic for hours was so grateful for the knowledge gained from our informal discussions that I felt there must be others interested in silk magic who would find an encyclopedia of this, the most beautiful of all magic, of value to them. To compile and write on encyclopedia is a tremendous task, and some of my friends attempted to discourage me in my undertaking. It had to be done in my spare time, and as nothing like it had ever been attempted before, material had to be gathered from the four corners of the earth. Wishing to make this work as authentic as possible, I spent several years seeking confirmations and permissions from magicians whose names were associated with various tricks. When the material was compiled I was faced with the problem of presenting my writings to my readers. Much of silk magic is difficult to explain even in person, and few authors have done a first class job in print. Not wanting to publish just another book, I decided to use thousands of illustrations in several volumes, supplemented by text where necessary. Francis B. Martineau, a prolific creator and performer of unusual effects in magic and a paramount illustrator, was engaged to do the illustrations and lettering. Shortly after he started his tremendous assignment war was declared, and Francis enlisted. However, his interest in the project prompted him to design and build a special kit in which to keep his art materials. This kit went with him throughout his activities in the European theatre of war.

A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S A work truly encyclopedic must include contemporary material. While none of the material herein was taken verbatim from previously published copy, permissions were sought and obtained. I am deeply grateful to all of those who have supported my project with such enthusiasm and assistance. Several dealers supplied illustrations made at their own expense of all of their silk effects, and many publishers favored me with copies of their books for my convenience. Particular mention of appreciation is due Eric C. Lewis of Northamton, who, although active in military affairs, found time to compile and forward descriptions of silk effects that originated in England. I have credited each source with a courtesy line throughout the text, and although there may be instances where others will claim prior authorship or invention, I have been as accurate as is humanly possible. I am deeply grateful to John Braun for the reading of the entire manuscript and for numerous invaluable suggestions and criticisms. He have generously of his time whenever I called upon him for technical information and verification. AT this reading Volume Two is under way, to be followed by a third and possibly a fourth volume. When the series has been completed I hope to have given the profession a complete illustrated thesis on practical silk magic. Harold R Ricr

C O N T E N T S Dedication. V Foreword and Acknowledgements.. VI

CHAPTER ONE The Romantic Story of Silk 1

CHAPTER TWO Dyeing Your Own Silks. 15

CHAPTER THREE Methods of Folding Silks 33

CHAPTER FOUR (NON-APPARATUS METHODS) Methods of Producing a Single Silk 57

CHAPTER FIVE (APPARATUS METHODS) Methods of Producing a Single Silk 87

CHAPTER SIX Non-apparatus Quantity Productions 145

CHAPTER SEVEN Apparatus Quantity Productions 181

CHAPTER EIGHT Vanishes.. 289

CHAPTER nine Changes... 361

CHAPTER Ten Transpositions............ 399

The Romantic story of Silk Introduction For this most beautiful of all textiles, we must thank the lowlysilkworm. The filament it spins to make its cocoon provides the fibers fromwhich silk is made. Silk dates back to 2700 B.C. in China and the secret of its

production was closely guarded for many centuries.The silkworm industry is foreign even today,centered chiefly in China, Japan, Italy and France.The United States, however, ranks first in themanufacture of silk fabrics.

A Brief History of Silk Magic It is interesting to note that silks and effects employing their use werealmost neglected prior to the latter part of the nineteenth century. Before thattime the cambric handkerchief was employed in magic. Robert Houdin was one ofthe first to make use of the silk handkerchief. The VANISHINGHANDKECHIEF and the first application of the HANDKERCHIEF PULL areaccredited to him. Buartier de Kolta was the first to appreciate the many possibilities of thesilk handkerchief. He applied his inventive genious to silks, and first presentedsilk effects that were complete tricks within themselves. Professor Louis Hoffmann explained a few silk effects in his MODERNMAGIC and MORE MAGIC. However, the offerings in his LATER MAGICare generally considered the best of his contributions to the profession. Manyof the basic principles of todays silk magic will be found therein. Since Hoffmann, the development has been a very rapid one. Numeroussilk effects have been created, the more practical ones being marketed by thevarious dealers of magical supplies. Such creations will be discussed in detail inlater chapters of this book. The present day performer finds it difficult to assemble materialrepresentative of todays magic. While numerous manuscripts have been placedon the market since the work of Hoffmann, these are scattered. There has beenno recent publication of any size devoted exclusively to the art of silk magic.

In view of the foregoing, I have assumed the tremendous task ofassembling this voluminous material into one or more volumes. I hope to makethis research as extensive and as complete as humanly possible. May theworks of the masters of both the past and the present inspire the silkartists of the future! Types of Silks Available SOLID COLORS The first silks used in magic were the solid color variety, Figure I. These were dyed in various vivid hues, red and green being most popular. Soon a silk of solid body with wide borders of white or contrasting colors put in its appearance.

Both styles of silk are in use today. The plain

solid-color style is more popular however, the wideborder silk having certain disadvantages when used ineffects requiring the knotting of two or more silkstogether. Further, the wide border adds additionalbulk to the silk and this is often undesirable. Finally,plain silk is less expensive, quality being equal.

RAINBOWS

This particular type of silk is dyed in several colors, the arrangementof the colours forming a geometric pattern. It is difficult to credit theindividual responsible for this creation for written records shed no light onits origin. Based on the famous tile-and-dyed principle, rainbow dyeing isquite old, dating back into the early history of the peoples of Asia.Regardless of their origin, rainbow silks play an important part in the varioussilk effects of today, many of which would be impossible without them. The term rainbow is often misinterpreted. Some magicians have likened it to the rainbow of our heavens. Such conception would classify only those silks of a diagonal pattern as rainbows. The original term was

intended for much broader treatment, rainbow meaningany geometric pattern made up of a number of thecolours of the rainbow, without any particular referenceto any specific pattern. Thus, any multi-colored silk,whether its pattern be made up of diagonal strips,colour radiating from the center ( incorrectly called sunburst silks) , or pattern of similar arrangement,should be correctly termed a rainbow silk, Figure 3.

PRINTED SILKS The latest contribution to silk magic has beenthe printed silk, excluding flags. Silk flags (commercial)have been available to the magician for many years.However, these flags were not designed for magical useand were not as practical as those printed exclusivelyfor the magician of today, Figure 4.

Records show that the L. Davenport Company of London, England, wasamong the first to produce printed silks in any quantity. The patternsoffered included a butterfly, a dragon, a rabbit-in-hat, and other designs. Afew years later the Silk King Studios of the United States of Americaintroduced their own line of printed specialties. Figure 5. Just at the out-break of World War No. 2, Silk King Studiosannounced a new style of printed silks titled Symphony Silks, Figure 6.These, as cataloged, were made up in various patterns resembling thoseformerly offered in the rainbow series. However, the were described asmachine printed, while the rainbows were dyed by hand. These newprinted silks seem to be superior to the earlier rainbows as they areadvertised as washable, containing fast colours. Most rainbows cannot

washed due to this dyeing process involved,as explained in Chapter Two.

While the printing of patterns on silkshas been a well-established commercialprocess for some time, the printing of specialsilks for the magical trade is relatively new.Such procedures are rather expensive andthe volume of sales realized by any onemagical manufacturer did not justify anoutlay of the necessary capital to undertakesuch an enormous task. By specializingexclusively in silks and silk effects, Silk KingStudios made printed silks possible for theAmerican magical profession, just asDavenport did for the English magicians.

Graded Silk and its Construction PURE SILK Magicians can be reasonably assured of obtaining pure silk by purchasing from nationally recognized dealers. Just-as-good substitutes are never bargains, regardless of their original cost. To present silk magic effectively, the performer MUST have the best of PURE silk. Inferior materials invariably contribute to an inferior performance

One of the simplest tests for pure silk is to remove several threads from the silk and to burn them, Figure 7. If the material is pure silk it will burn slowly with a

small flame. It ignites more readily than wooland less readily than cotton the flame is easilyextinguished. Pure silk leaves a crisp, black, round-balled ash, which crushes very easily. It gives off anodor like burning hair or feathers.

To be assured that the entire piece of materialis PURE silk it is necessary to test both vertical andhorizontal threads since through skillful mixture orsubstitution in manufacture it is possible to weave two

or more different types of fibers into the same material. Thus rayon orCelanese could be mixed with pure silk, unknown to the purchaser.

Rayon leaves almost no ash, that which is given off being black andpowdery. Rayon ignites easily and flashes with a yellow flame, like cotton. Itgives off a faint odor like burning paper. Celanese leaves a hard, shiny black ash. It burns more rapidly thanrayon and gives off a blue flame, the material appearing to melt. It sputtersand puckers as it burns. Burning Celanese has an odor of slightly sourvinegar. WEIGHTED SILK Unless silk is processed to specification at the source of manufacture,it will invariably contain a certain amount of foreign substance known asweighting of SERCIN. Untreated silk is most difficult to hem and it is acommon practice to add this silk glue or SERCIN to facilitate handling. SERCIN represents from 25% to 40% of the total weight of bolt silk.It coats heavily the fiber of the silk, giving a harsh brittle effect. Once thesilk is cut and hemmed into specified sizes, this foreign substance should beremoved. This practice will usually double the life of a silk. SERCIN is seldom removed from commercial silk. However, it must be remembered that silk used for magical purposes is handled under entirely different conditions. Such silk is at times crumpled in the hands or pushed through tubes repeatedly. A coating of SERCIN can be likened to a thin sheet of ice that has been coated over both sides of the silk. If a silk, so created, is crumbled into a small ball and then viewed under a microscope, one is likely to find hundreds of jagged saw-toothed edges, where the ice has crocked.

The harmful stiffness caused by the presence of SERCIN has the samequalities as the ice. When a silk is crumpled, this substance cracks, leavingscores of saw-toothed edges to cut into the delicate fibers. Weighted silk (silk containing SERCIN) ignites with no flame. It glowsand chars. It leaves a heavy ash and when burning gives off an odor likeburning hair or feathers. It is therefore most essential that all weighting be removed before asilk is dyed or used. It is not difficult to remove it. The silk should beplaced in a large basin of water and allowed to remain there overnight, Figure8. It should be removed the next day, rinsed in fresh luke-warm water,Figure 9. and finally allowed to dry, Figure 10. It can then be pressed andput into immediate use, Figure II. CAUTION! Before attempting to remove SERCIN, be certain thatthe colors are fast. Solid-colored silks of different colours should never beplaced in the same basin. Rainbows cannot be so treated unless themanufacturer definitely states that the colours are fast. Mostmanufacturers remove the SERCIN before dyeing rainbow silks. The wisemagician will insist on silks manufactured under intelligent and scientificallycontrolled conditions.

GRADES OF SILK Few magicians stop to consider the fact that, as in all fabrics, there arevarious grades and weights of silk. It is generally accepted within the profession that so called China Silkis preferred to Jap Silk for magical purposes. While this is the laymansmethod of designating the grade of silk desired, there are actually nine (9)grades of each weight of silk. Briefly, silk is graded as follows: FIRST QUALITY SECOND QUALITY THIRD QUALITY (Red ink markings) (Blue ink markings) (Black ink markings) Special Special Special Select Select Select Ordinary Ordinary Ordinary Silk sold by reliable dealers is never poorer than Select First Qualitymaterial. This is the best that can be obtained on the open market. Severaldealers import direct, having their silk made to specification. This is the verybest that can be obtained, being Special First Quality material. Space will not permit a detailed discription of various markings, etc.But the magician interested in doing his own silk dyeing should ask to see themarkings on the end of the bolt. If these are in RED ink, the silk is firstquality, although it still can be any one of three grades. Silk marked in BLUEink is of second quality and that marked with BLACK ink is of third quality.Blue and black quality material is intended for commercial use where itreceives little or no handling. Such silk is frequently used to manufactureshower curtains or to line caskets and is not suitable for magical use, althoughit has appeared on the market for such purposes. WEIGHTS OF SILKS The weight of silk is referred to as momme, a term meaning weight.For general purposes, six momme is recommended. Silk of a lighter weight willnot withstand the punishment received through frequent manipulation. Silk used for productions can be five or six momme, the former being preferred. However when five momme silk

is used, it should be loaded into the production apparatus with extreme care.As silk of this weight is quite thin, it will snag easily, regardless of the quality

of the material. Silk used to conceal other silks ormaterials used in the effect should beseven or eight momme. Silk of theseweights is more expensive and therefore isseldom used by the manufacturer. Effects such as Blendos, mechanicalColor Changes, and the bag silks in 20 th.Century Silks should be made of thisheavier weight. While the use of thisbetter material makes it necessary for thedealer to ask a few cents more for thissuperior product, the customer should placequality above price. He will be omply repaidthrough the satisfaction received from thebetter product.

Standard Sizes of Magical Silks Bolt silk comes in two widths, 27 and 36. To eliminate waste, silks arecut to fit within the original width limitations. Silk 27 wide can be made intosquares 27 x 27, or can be cut lengthwise into strips of various widths.Squares measuring 12 x 12 and 15 x 15 or others 13 x 13 (after hemmed)can be made from these strips. The 36 wide silk is much more popular withmanufacturers. Squares measuring 12 x 12, 18 x 18, 24x24 and 36x36can be made from 36 material, without waste. In view of the above mentionedlimitations, standard sizes of silks are squares measuring 12, 15, 18, 24, 27and 36. Some dealers offer lengths of silk various widths. These are calledstreamers. While any width can be cut from a 27 or 36 wide bolt, thestandard widths of streamers are 6, 12, 18, 24, 27, and 36. Silks larger than 36 wide must be pieced together. These mammothsilks are usually used for production purposes and are produced last from theproduction apparatus, forming a pleasing climax to the effect. While varioussizes are

affered in this mammoth style, the most popular with magicians is the 6 6square.

The Care of Silk GENERAL SUGGESTIONS Silk is a delicate material and must be given every consideration if longlife is expected. Follow the listed suggestions carefully.

1. Silks are folded to facilitate shipping. These folds should beremoved upon receipt of shipment.

2. Silks should be given frequent use whenever possible. Inactivesilks should be aired at least once a month.

3. When possible, silks should be kept in their original sets. When asilk is borrowed from one effect for use in another, it receivesmore use and this added wear is quite evident when the silk is usedwith the others of the original effect.

4. Silk is an animal fiber, and will rot with age, Silks that are usedfrequently will outwear those stored for long periods of time.

5. Silks should be kept clean and fresh. Frequent pressing, ifproperly done, will not harm silks.

WASHING SILKS Unless silks become obviously soiled, it is not wise to wash them.Washing silks, especially rainbows, is an art in itself. Solid colored silks orprinted silks of guaranteed fast colors can be washed with ease. Someperformers wash their solid colored silks before using them to remove anyundesired SERICIN that might be present. However, a good quality silk thathas been purchased from a reliable dealer should not require any suchadvance washing.

1. Solid colored silks and printed silks (fast colors) are washed in thesame manner as a pair of silk stockings Silks of like color can bewashed in the same water. The water should be changed with thewashing of each new color

2. Few rainbow silks are dyed in fast colors: these should not bewashed unless it is absolutely necessary. It is safer to haverainbow silks dry-cleaned.

3. When washing rainbow silks, use luke-warm water. Add a verymild soap such as LUX to the water, forming a good suds, Figure12.

4. Rotate the silk in the water, allowing the water to circulatethrough it freely, Figure 13

5. Rinse under cold running water. This removes any suds or loosedirt and sets the colors again.

6. Squeeze the silk between the hands, forcing the water from it.Do not twist or wring the silk, Figure 15.

7. Hang a rainbow silk at its full length so it cannot overlap. Shouldpart of the silk overlap, the pattern may fade into the other partof the silk.

PRESSING SILKS Some prefer to press the silk while it is still damp; others contendthat it should be thoroughly dry before it is pressed. If a silk is still dampwhen it is pressed it is free of any little wrinkles. However it will not be quiteas soft and fluffy as one that is pressed after it is dried. Either procedurehas its compensations.

1. If the silk is dry when it is pressed, the iron should not be too hot as it will scorch the silk. Silk sticks to an over-heated iron.

2. If the silk is damp when it is pressed, the iron can be quite hot.However, the ironing board should be heavily padded. The heatpasses through the silk into the padding. This is more of asteaming than ironing process.

3. The folds in a silk should be changed with each pressing. Thisadds life to the fabric.

4. AT times a silk will have a pulled or drawn thread in it, runningdeep into the material, Figure 16. This often occurs while thesilk is being hemmed and escapes the notice of the manufacturer.A silk is by no means inferior if received in this condition, as it ispossible to pull the best of silk. To remove this pull, start at thecenter of the silk and press outwards towards the hem, Figure17. This action equalizes the tension on the pulled thread andrestores the silk to its original state.

STORING SILKS Silks that are to be stored for a period of less than a month can befolded as desired and placed in a box of suitable size. Silks that are to bestored for on indefinite period of time should be prepared as follows:

1. Press out all creases that may be in the silks. 2. Wrap the silk around a suitable object such as a mailing tube,

Figure 18. Some performer store their silks in a paper or clothwindow shade purchased from the ten-cent store. The shade isopened out flat, the silks piled on the shade, and then the shadeis wrapped around the roller again, Figure 19. Smaller silks canbe hung on coat hangers by attaching them with a smallclothespin of the clip type Figure 20.

3. A sheet of heavy brown Kraft paper should be wrapped around the roll of silks to exclude

any strong light, thereby eliminating the possibility of the colors fading. THREAD ENDS Sometimes a silk will be received with one or twolong threads extending from the body of the silk.These are end threads. In the original weaving aspool of the warp or weft thread ran out and a newone was started. ON examining the silk it will benoted that the new thread starts back one ormore rows before the old one ends so as not toweaken the material, Figure 21. End threads are common and their presencedoes not necessarily indicate inferior quality.These are usually clipped before they leave theweavers, but some pass through the inspectorsunnoticed.

Should a silk be received with one or moreend threads, these should be clipped (not pulled)before being used. To clip threads, lay the silkflat on a table and hold the loose threads in avertical taut position. Clip the thread from thesilk with a pair of scissors, being careful not tosnip part of the silk proper as well, Figure 22.Now press the silk and it is ready for immediateuse Have no fear of the silk deteriorating after theend thread is removed. It is properly woven topermit this clipping procedure.

DYEING Your Own SILKS

Introduction 1 Few magicians care to do their own silk dyeing as most silk items canbe purchased from a reliable dealer for less than the cost and time involvedin doing ones own work. However, there are those that feel so inclined, anda number of practical suggestions are disclosed for their benefit. Then too,although the reader may not care to try his hand at this art, the informationmay prove of interest to him. Finally, a performer may need a special silkand cannot obtain it through the regular dealer channels. By following theplans set forth in this chapter he can do his own work to his completesatisfaction. Preparation 2 A number of simple items are required. They will differ with theprocess being followed. These properties will be treated separately in eachinstance.

REMOVING WEIGHTING Before doing any special silk work, the weightingor sericin must be removed. The details of theprocedure are given in chapter I. Once thisforeign substance is removed the silk is readyfor a special dye job.

TYPES OF DYES While many dealers use regular householddyes such as Tintex, Rit, or Diamond Dyes, theseare not recommended for use on magical silks.These colors are not in a concentrated formand do not give the desired brilliant colors socharacteristic of the silks used for magicalpurposes. The best type of dye to use is known as BasicAniline Dye, (concentrated).

This can be obtained in powder or liquid form from most art stores. Iflarger quantities are desired, purchase dyes from o reliable manufacturerof dye stuffs. The E.I. Du Pont De Nemours Company of Wilmington,Deleware, has offices throughout the United States, and carries acomplete line of suitable colors. It is important to use BASIC dyes asACID dyes have a tendency to run much more readily. PROTECTIVE APPAREL Regardless of the procedure to be followed, it is advisable to wear apair of rubber gloves and a protective apron, preferably rubber. As anilinedyes are fast, it is almost impossible to remove dye stains of spots fromclothing. Should the hands become stained, they can be cleaned withalcohol. Dyeing Solid Colors 3 Fill a vessel about half full of hot water. To this add enough dye-stuff to obtain the desired shade. The color will get deeper as more dye-stuff is added. The exact quantity cannot be recommended here as someare stronger-than others in their concentrated state. Small pieces of silkcan be used as test strips and dipped into the liquid to determine thestrength of the color, Figure I. It is well to remember that colors dryseveral shades lighter than they appear in their wet stage.

If the dye-stuff is in a liquid form, it ispoured directly into the vessel of hot water.Powdered dyes must be treated in a differentmanner. Several teaspoons of the powdereddye should be placed in the center of a squareof muslin measuring about 6 x 6, Figure 2.The corners are then brought together andthe square tied directly above the dye-stuffwith a length of string, forming a bag, Figure3. The dye-stuff cannot escape.

Hold the bag so that the dye is covered with water and swish itaround in a circular fashion, Figure 4. The water will disolve the dye andcolor the water. Continue until the liquid is of the desired shade. Nowremove the bag and lay it aside.

Hold the silk to be dyed under hot running water until it becomes saturated. Squeeze out the surplus water and place the silk in the liquid bath, expanding it so that it receives an equal distribution of dye; otherwise one part may dye a darker shade than the other. IF the silk is swished gently around in the bath it will dye more evenly than if allowed resting in one spot. The longer it remains in the dye bath the darker it becomes. When it is of the desired shade, remove it and rinse the surplus dye away under cold running water, then hang it up to dry.

Note that the dye bath contained hot water; the silk was placed inhot water before dyeing; the dyed silk was rinsed in cold water. When thedye and the silk are hot the color penetrates the fibres. The cold waterrinse sets the colors. This process eliminates the tedious procedure ofboiling the colors into the silk. Mottled Silks 4 A very interested mottled pattern can be obtained with a minimumamount of effort and with little or no skill. A flat surface such as a table should be covered with five or six thicknesses of newspaper. The piece of silk is rinsed in hot water, the watersqueezed out, and the semi-dry silk placed flat upon the papers, Figure 5. One or more vessels of prepared dye ( see SOLID COLORS) are set nearby. In addition, a number of pieces of rubber sponge (of small pores) are needed. A piece of sponge is dipped into the desired color. Only a small amount of dye should be allowed to enter the sponge; should the

pores fill completely, part of the liquid should be squeezed back into thevessel. With the sponge loaded with colored liquid, tap it gently on the silk atvarious spots, varying the pressure being applied. This will give a pleasingmottled effect, Figure 6. Once the technique has been mastered, more elaborate coloringarrangements can be carried out. For example, a rather wide spread patternof blue can be first applied. This can be supplemented with an application ofred on the areas not previously covered. At times the red may slightlyoverlap the blue giving an interesting purple tinting. There is still another possibility. In the above mentioned suggestionsthe silk is white. A square of yellow, treated in the same manner, willproduce different results. It can be mottled with red and green, with a smalldash of orange added. The possibilities of mottled silks are almost unlimited. However,there is one limitation that must not be overlooked. Certain colors will notblend when mixed and are known as opposites. For example, if a red issponged over green, the mixture will be on uninteresting gray or muddybrown. It is advisable to try various combinations on scrap material beforeventuring into the main project. Tie-Dyed Silks 5 Most of the rainbow or vari-colored silks used in magic are dyedthrough some variation of the tie-dyed process. This is on ancient Indianand Javanese art and is even today one of the most fascinating of art forms.Anyone can do tied-and-dyed

work, and with a little experimenting and practice highly artistic color andpattern effects may be obtained.

Tie-dyeing employs the old principle of resist-dyeing which isprovided by bunching the material into knots or winding with string, tyingtightly, and dipping in dye. The knotted or tied portions resists the dye,retaining the original color of the cloth.; The silk is then held under coldrunning water to set the colors. Finally the strings and knots are removedand the silk opened out flat and placed upon a pad of newspapers of five orsix thicknesses. Final touch-ups can be added with a brush if necessary.The silk is allowed to dry before it is pressed. The first pressing should bewith a hot iron, as this helps to set the colors. COLORS If all exposed portion are to be the same color, the entire piece isimmersed in the dye solution after the bindings are in place. If severalcolors are to be used, each portion must be immersed separately in its colorsolution. The surplus color should be squeezed from the silk before a newcolor is added. To get a clear-cut design, dip the material into the solution up to thebindings, being careful to avoid any overlapping of colors. Often the mostbeautiful effects are obtained by overlapping the colors, thereby blendingtwo colors together to make a third. Apply the lightest colors or tints first,and those of greater depth lost.

If colored silk is used, it will affect the final colors. For example,blue dye on light pink will become lavender or purple. It is better to try asmall sample first, remembering that color, when wet, is deeper than when itis dry. DESIGNS An almost endless variety of artistic designs may be obtained by variation in tying and knotting. Small geometric forms are obtained by tying the silk over cubes, marbles, pebbles, buttons, etc.. To make a square design, the silk square is as shown in Figure 7. Corner Dr is folded over on top of corner B, Figure 8. Corner A is folded over on top of C, Figure 9. The silk is folded on O-X, Figure 10, and finally on O-Y, Figure 11.

The result is a long narrow strip, triangular in shape. This is tied with stringat various intervals, the spaces being determined by the desired widths,Figure 12. The finished silk is illustrated in Figure 13

To make a circular or Sunburst pattern, pick up the silk at its center withone hand and pull it though the other, creasing the silk do awards evenly,Figure 14. Bind it at desired intervals, Figure 15. The finished silk willlook the one shown in Figure 16.

To make a diagonal pattern, fold a square of silk as shown in Figure17, 18 and 19. Now all folded silk into a long tube like bundle, Figure 20.Tie it at the desired intervals, Figure 21. Here again the exact spacingwill vary with the taste of the individual. The finished silk is as shown inFigure 22.

Twist-Dyed Silks 6

This is merely a variation, of thetied-dyed process. The finished silkresembles a silk dyed by the mottledprocess. The silk is folded and twisted,producing a soft, wavy effect.

Fold the material lengthwise in evenfolds, accordion fashion, Figure 23. Twistthe silk as tightly and as evenly as possible,Figure 24. Fold the silk back on itself,Figure 25. and allow it to twist to-gethernaturally, Figure 26. Now dip the silk in adesired color. Two or more colors may beused, dipping certain portions of the twistin different colors. The resulting patternwill be like Figure 27.

An interesting all-over pattern can be obtained by applying one color while the material is twisted lengthwise, and another with the twist running crosswise. To dye such a pattern the silk is folded as shown in Figures 23,24,25 and 26. It is dipped into any desired color. The silk is opened out once more and folded again. However, instead of pleating the silk lengthwise, Figure 23, it is pleated crosswise. Then the steps illustrated in Figures 24,25 and 26 are followed, and the prepared silk dipped in another color. Stenciled Silks 7 None of the previously mentioned techniques is suitable for work thatrequires a controlled outline. Such work must be done by the use ofstencils or hand-painting. Frequently a performer desires a silk with a special lettering or anillustration on it. Unless this special silk can be produced in quantity, it ismuch less expensive for the individual to do his own work than it is to haveit done by a magical house. Stenciling is not difficult but it requiresconsiderable time to do, a fact only realized by those who attempt suchwork themselves.

The process is simple. The desired design or lattering is carefullydrawn on a sheet of stencil paper. This is turn is placed on a padding ofnewspaper or cardboard and the outline cut through with a sharp single-edges razor blade, Figure 28, or a special stencil knife which can bepurchased at an art store, Figure 29. This gives a stencil sheet with thedesired design or lettering cut away, leaving an opening through which thecolor is to be applied, Figure 30.

There are various kinds of paper suitable for the stencil. If but one reproduction is to be made, a good grade of heavy

Kraft paper is satisfactory. However, much better results can beobtained by using a sheet of oak-tag, the type of paper used to make file-folders. Oak-tag is obtained at most paper stores and is offered in sheetsof various sizes. Any paper or thin cardboard that is rather hard is

satisfactory. Porous papers of soft texturesare not desirable as they absorb the colorsand usually give a fuzzy edge along theoutline contour. After the stencil is prepared the silk isstretched over a board. Some prefer toplace a large blotter between the board andthe silk to absorb any surplus dye that mightpenetrate the silk in the stenciling process,Figure 31.

Professionals apply the color with an

air-brush. If there is a sign-painter in the community, have him spray the color on the silk. Once the stencil is prepared, it requires but a few minutes to apply the color, and the cost will be slight. The colors used should be the basic aniline type as explained earlier.

However, once the powder is transformed into a concentrated

liquid form, the mixture should be diluted with alcohol instead of water. When the color is sprayed on the silk the alcohol evaporates soon after the color, hits, leaving a pattern that is sharp and distinct.

If an air-brush, Figure 32 is notavailable, the new Textile Colors can bebrushed in with o stencil brush. Fullinstructions for their use accompany eachoutfit and additional details will be givenin a special section to follow.

Painting With Home-Made Colors 8

Thousands of years ago the ornamentation of fabrics by means ofpainting was an authentic and important art expression. IN fact the oldestknown example of fabric decoration (2300-2500 B.C.) is a piece of paintedmuslin, found in an old Egyptian tomb and attributed to the eleventhEgyptian dynasty. Decorative painting on fabrics is still a pleasing and fascinatingaccomplishment which may express great ingenuity of design and beauty ofcolor. You need not be a talented artist to paint fabrics. No skill isrequired. Time and patience are the basic factors in textile pointing. COLOR PREPARATION

Prepare a gum thickener as follows: Oz. Powdered Gum Traqacanth. 1 Qt. cold water. 1 Teaspoonful Formaldehyde or 10 drops of Carbolic Acid.

Allow the powdered gum to soak in the water for 24 hours while it swellsto a gelatinous mass, stirring it occasionally. Add the formaldehyde orcarbolic acid and beat with a fork or an egg beater until the mixture isperfectly smooth. Bottle the mixture in a tightly corked container. Fill a small jar or wide-mouthed bottle about two-thirds full of thegum thickener. Disolve a teaspoonful of powdered online dye in a third of acup of boiling water. Strain the dye into another container. Add enough ofthis dissolved dye to the gum to produce the desired depth of color, andshake vigorously to mix. The gum solution prevents the dye from spreading

on the silk. Test the consistency by making a few trial strokes on a scrapof silk with a camels hair or red sable brush. To thicken, add a smallamount of the gum solution, To thin, or increase the color strength,

add dye solution. It is proper consistency when it is just thick enough toprevent running and brushes on easily without stickiness. Kept in tightlyclosed containers, these paints may be used indefinitely. APPLYING THE DESIGN Any weighting that might be in the silk must be removed. The silkis then pressed free of any wrinkles. Stretch it smoothly over a largesheet of wall-board and faster it with small thumb tacks. It is advisableto place blotting paper between the board and the material to absorb anyexcess paint that penetrates the silk. Either draw the design directly onthe material, or apply the design by using carbon paper. Many lovelytransfer designs are specially prepared by pattern makers for textilepainting. Very sheet silk is semi-transparent and the design can be drawnon the blotter instead of the silk. Large white blotters can be purchasedfrom any printing house for a few cents. PAINTING TECHNIQUES Painting on textiles differs very little from other types of brushwork. Because of the quick absorption of the paint by the cloth, thebrush is more quickly drained of its color. Long sweeping strokes are notpossible. Point boldly with short, firm strokes. Do not carry excess colorin the brush as the silk may pick it up and on ugly blot is the result.When the paint consistency is correct, clear sharp outlines are obtained.Very fine lines can be pained with small brushes.

Use a saucer or small dish to mix small quantities of specialshades. When using standard shades, dip the brush directly into the jar.Clean the brushes carefully before using another color, and remove anyhardened paint by soaking the brush in cold water. Remember that thedyes are transparent and therefore the original color of the silk affectsthe result. Light tints are obtainable only over white or very pale colors.It is advisable to use a pure white silk for this type of work.

SETTING THE COLORS After completing the pointing, allow the material to dry thoroughly.Then place it between damp cloths and press with a hot iron. This sets thecolors and the cloth absorbs the excess dye and gum, leaving the paintedsilk soft and pliable. If the cloths are dipped in white vinegar beforeplacing a silk between them, the vinegar aids in setting the colors. To clean use gasoline or a similar dry-cleaning solution. The handpainting material is cleaned in the same manner as any other fabricrequiring this treatment.

Eric C. Zewiss method 9 Stretch the silk tightly over a board that has been previously covered witha large sheet of blotting paper. Now prepare a stiff starch paste asfollows:

1. Grind two tablespoonfuls of a good quality starch into a cup. 2. Add sufficient cold water to form a very stiff gummy mass. 3. Stir until very smooth. 4. Add boiling water in very small quantities, stirring continually. 5. Continue until the mixture becomes a pale blue. Stop adding

water at this point. 6. Continue stirring for a few minutes, forming a stiff paste.

The paste must be used while hot. Brush it freely over the

stretched silk and allow it to dry thoroughly. When dry, sketch or tracethe design on the silk. Now the silk is ready for painting, the starch coatingpreventing the colors from running.

Any water-proof dye can be used. Some use water-proof colored inks. Aniline dyes are excellent. Regardless of the type of dye used, the solution should be hot while painting with it. Allow each color to dry thoroughly before adding another. After the picture is completed and all the colors are dry, wash the silk in warm water. This removes the starch. Allow the silk to dry again, and then press it between two damp cloths previously moistened with white vinegar.

Batik Dyeing 10 The ancient Oriental art of Batik was originally used as a subtle formof textile decoration for special costumes, and reached its highest form ofdevelopment in Java, India and Japan. The word Batik is Javanese, andmeans to apply design on a fabric with wax, after which it is dyed. The waxprevents the part covered from absorbing the dye. More wax may then beadded to other portions and the material dipped in another color, continuingthis process until very elaborate designs are created. The wax is thenremoved by heat or gasoline. PREPARING THE SILK The material should be washed to remove any weighting. The silk isthen pressed free of wrinkles and attached to a frame. A special frameresembling a picture frame is necessary for Batik work. Assuming that apiece of silk 36 square is being used, the frame should measure about 34on its inside dimensions. This allows a I overlap of silk on all sides. Theoverlapping portions are tacked to the frame at equal intervals, Figure 33.

Before the silk is attached tothe frame the design should beapplied to the material. Sketchthe design in lightly with a softpencil. If the silk being used isvery thin, the design will showthrough the silk and it is veryeasy to trace it on to thematerial. It is also possible totransfer the design on the silkwith a carbon paper.

WAXHING THE SILK Wax made of equal parts of paraffin and beeswax gives good results. The wax must be kept uniformly hot so that it will flow freely and evenly from the brush.

of tool. An electric grill or alcohol lamp can be used to keep it hot, or better still, place the wax dish in a pan of boiling water to avoid burning both the wax and the brush, Figure 34.

If the silk has been properly attached to the wooden frame, Figure 33, there is a working surface 34 x 34 that does not touch the frame.

This area should never be allowed to touch any other surface whilewaxing as the wax will stick and break when pulled away, allowing the dye topenetrate the broken spot and thus ruin the pattern.

The wax outlining may be done eitherwith a fine camels hair brush or a specialJavanese tool called the tjanting whichsends the hot wax through a tiny spout invery fine lines, Figure 35. These tools areobtainable at most art stores. Larger spacesmay be filled in with a broad brush. DYEING THE SILK

Prepare a number of dyeing vessels withthe desired colors. The dye-bath should belukewarm. IF it is too hot it will melt the

wax. The vessels should be large enough to accommodate the dye andmaterial without crowding.

Any water-proof colors can be used, aniline dyes being preferred.Test the shades with small test strips of silk to obtain the desired depth ofcolor, remembering that colors look darker when they are wet. Remove the waxed material from the frame and immerse it in the dyebath. Several dippings in a weak solution will give a more permanent colorthan one quick dipping in a strong color. Dip the silk in light colors first,deep colors last. Always remove the material before adding more colorsolution. If the dye bath is too hot it will melt the wax; if too cold the waxwill crack, After dyeing, rinse the piece thoroughly, drain or blot the water from the material by placing it between

two clean dry cloths, and hang the silk on the line to dry. REMOVING THE WAX When the piece is thoroughly dry, remove the wax by placing the silkbetween two sheets of clean white paper. Place several thicknesses ofnewspaper on each side and run a hot iron over it. Remove the remaining waxby dipping the silk in gasoline. ADDITIONAL COLORS At this stage of the process the silk is colored where it was exposed(areas carrying no wax) and white where it was protected with wax. Somemay prefer to add additional colors. The silk is now ready for the secondwaxing and the application of the second color. Remember that this secondcolor will penetrate every portion not covered with wax. The process ofwaxing and re-dyeing is repeated until the Batik is a completed, harmoniousdesign. Crackle Batik 11 To produce a crackled effect or a fine all-over moss-like pattern, dipthe entire article in dye after the design has been applied by the regularBatik process. Now crumple the silk in the hands, cracking the wax-coatingwhich is now applied to penetrate the broken places. Remove the wax aspreviously explained above. A speedy mottled pattern can be obtained by dipping a pure whitesilk in wax. After the wax is dry continue as suggested above. By dyeingeach silk a different color, an assortment of contrasting colored silks can beprepared in a very short time. Outline Batik 12 This is a method of getting Batik effects quickly by outlining each area to be dyed with a narrow line of wax and painting in the spaces with a brush. The wax lines act as stoppers for the separate colors. When dry, remove

the wax and press the silk between damp clothsto set the colors and remove the excess dye. Awax crayon can be substituted for the liquidwax if desired. Outline the design with a goodquality wax crayon of a light color. Thencontinue as explained above.

Textile Color Painting 13 A number of commercial preparations specially prepared forpainting on textiles have recently appeared on the market. One typeknown as Prang Textile Colors is highly recommended and can beobtained from most art stores. A special stencil brush is made up ofstiff bristles similar to those in an artists oil brush, Figure 36. Thecolor can be painted on the silk but more pleasing results are obtained bythe stencil process. Less color is used in stenciling and the silk retainsits original soft and fluffy texture. Textile colors are very vivid andhave certain advantages over other coloring preparations. They are veryeasy to apply and once dry they are fast, making it possible to wash thesilk in ordinary soap and water. Full directions are supplied with eachcolor kit. Those interested in doing their own silk painting are urged toinvestigate this latest art product.

Introduction The propeplays a large partmethods of foldinformation. Eachhas its individual governed by the uthe standard onesparticular situatiacquaint himself w Single Silks TRAP-FOLD This fold isis to be pushed upfollows: Methods of FOLDING Silks

1

r preparation of the silks before the actual presentation in the success of silk magic. Few magicians know the propering silks, for few silk manuscripts give this important of the methods of folding to be described in this chaptercharacteristics, and the particular fold to be used will bese to which the performer intends to put it. These folds are. Additional folds designed for definite routines or to meetons will be given in later chapters. The reader shouldith them all.

2

recommended for loading silks into a dye-tube or where the silkward into a bottomless glass, or through a trap. It is made as

1. Lay the silk out flat on atable, Figure 1.

2. Fold the corners in to the centreof the silk, Figure 2.

3. Repeat operation 2 over and overuntil the silk is folded into abundle mall enough to meet theparticular requirements, Figures 3and 4.

4. When loading a trap-fold silk into adye tube, the centre of the silkshould enter first the corners

last, Figure 5. When the silk ispushed out, the corners willexpand first.

COIL-FOLD

This fold is excellent for preparing silks that are to be produced fromthe apparently empty hands. The coil-fold silk can be manipulated like abilliard ball and is one of the best folds for general manipulative purposes. Itis made as follows:

1. Lay the silk out flat, Figure 6. 2. Fold the diagonal corners A and C to the

centre, Figure 7. 3. Fold the doubled portions in half again,

Figure 8. 4. Repeat this operation until the strip is but

3 wide, Figure 9. 5. Fold one half of the strip over on the

other, making a long narrow band 1 wide,Figure 10.

6. Fold about 2 of end B back upon the silkat right angles to the strip, Figure 11.

7. Starting at end B, roll the strip to endD. Roll as tightly and neatly as possible.

8. After the roll is completed, tuck the leftend into the folds of the silk, Figure 12.

9. Some tuck it into the end of the coilapposite the extended end B, Figure 13.

Some performers tie a tiny knot in corner B, the protruding corner.This makes it easier to grasp the corner for manipulation or production. Bytaking this corner in the fingers of one hand and shaking the silk bundlesharply, it will open instantly.

A useful gimmick invented by Joseph Maynard, and described inHUGARDS ANNUAL OF MAGIC 1937, A Holden Publication*, was designedfor making the coil fold. It is a metal tube 3/8 in diameter and 3 long. Ithas a narrow slit cut along one side as shown in Figure 14. A loop of stringis passed through the qimmick. Then one corner of the silk is placed in theexposed loop, Figure 15. By pulling the knotted end of the string, the silk is

pulled into the tube, Figure 16. The loop of string is no longer needed.Draw the silk through the slit, letting it hang down as shown in Figure 17.The silk is wound tightly around the tube and the remaining end of the silktucked into one of the outer folds with a blunt pointed instrument, Figure18. Finally, slide the silk down the gimmick to the left, removing it from thetube. The result is a small compact ball, which can tube. The result is asmall compact ball which can be safely handled and yet it will expandinstantly to full size by pulling on the protruding corner B, Figure 12.

ENVELOPE-FOLD This fold holds the silk in a neat compact ball in readiness for instantproduction. It is made as follows:

1. Lay the silk out flat on a table, Figure 19. 2. Fold corners W, Y and Z to the middle of the silk, Figure 20. 3. Fold the sides A-B and C-D to the middle, Figure 21. 4. Repeat this folding procedure until a Strip 3 wide results, Figure 22. 5. Fold one half of the strip over the other, making a long narrow band

1 wide, Figure 23.

6. Beginning at the square end opposite X, roll the band to the right. Roll it as tightly and as neatly as possible, Figure 24.

This gives a small compact bundle. It is impaled on the point of a long needleor pin under the edge of the coat or vest. Held in this manner, it is a simplematter to steal the silk with the manner, it is a simple matter to steal thesilk with the manner, it is a simple matter to steal the silk with the fingersand to palm it. Some tie a small knot in corner X, making it possible to

locate this corner just prior to the production without looking at the palmedsilk. SQUARE ACCORDION-FOLD This fold is recommended for very large silks or flags. Whenreleased, the silk develops instantly. Two small buttons or beads are

attached to the two adjacent corners A and B sothat these can be found quickly and withoutfumbling. The fold is made as follows: 1. Lay the silk out flat on the table, Fig. 25. 2. Fold one side of the silk in toward the centre,

forming a band 1 wide, Figure 26. 3. Grasp the silk at D with one hand and at C

with the other; carry the fold back under thesilk. The silk is now in the position shown inFigure 27.

4. Continue this operation, alternating from oneside of the silk to the other until the silk hasbeen folded

completely, Figure 28. Note that the cornersA and B are on top.

4. Starting at the top, fold the silk to form asquare measuring 1 x 1, Figure 29.

5. Accordion pleat the strip until it resemblesthe neat pocket shown in Figure 30. Notethat corner A remains on top. Corner B ison the bottom and directly under A.

6. A strip of tissue paper or a length of weakthread is placed around the packet to hold itin place. This is easily broken when producingthe silk. Corner A is taken in one hand,corner B in the other, and the arms areextended in opposite directions. This actionbreaks the band or thread which falls to thefloor unnoticed as the silk develops to fullsize.

DIAGONAL ACCORDION-FOLD This fold is also, recommended for large silks and flags but differsslightly from the square accordion fold. A square accordion fold isproduced between both hands while this one is used in a finger-tipproduction, the silk being held at one corner instead of two. The fold ismade as follows:

1. Lay the silk out flat on a table, Figure 31. 2. Fold one corner B in towards the centre. This first fold is

about 1 wide, Figure 32. 3. Turn the silk over and make another fold the same width,

Figure 33. 4. Turn the silk over again and make a third fold, Fig. 34.

5. This operation is continued, until it results in a long narrowstrip 1 wide, Figure 35. The silk thus for has been pleatedaccordion fashion.

6. Bring the bottom corner up onto the narrow strip for adistance of about 1, Figure 36.

7. Turn the silk over and fold it again, Figure 37.

8. Repeat this operation, alternating from one side of the silk to theother until the silk has been folded completely. It now appears asillustrated in Figure 38. Note that corner A is on the top of thepacket.

9. Some performers tie a small knot in corner A. Figure 31. Thismakes it easier to find the corner during the production.

10. A narrow band of tissue paper or thread is placed around the bundle.This can easily be broken with the fingers while being palmed, cornerA taken between the thumb and first finger, and the silk shakenwith a snap into view.

SPIRAL-FOLD Several professionals carry a silk folded in this manner on the coat lapel. The silk, when properly folded, resembles a flower. This is an ideal way to introduce the silk to be used subsequently as a cover for a quantity production. It might also be used to introduce a routine of knot flourishes covered in a later chapter. A small red silk in spiral-fold resembles a half-brown rose. A number of these could be fastened to a potted rose bush, plucked as roses, and changed into silks. The fold is

4. Twist the silk a few times, Figure 44. 5. Roll the silk into a tight and compact coil. Figure 45. 6. The remaining end is either tucked into the folds or is pinned in

place, Figure 46. 7. The finished roll is a spiral packet resembling a rose. 8. Pin the packet to the coat lapel. The head of the pin is under the

lapel flap and the point of the pin pushed up at a slight anglethrough the silk. FINGER-FOLD There are times when, it is necessary to fold a silk quickly; this is accomplished by rolling it around the first finger of either hand, as follows: made as follows: 1. Lay the silk out flat on a table, Figure 39 2. Fold the silk as shown in Figure 40,41,42 and 43. 3. This strip should now measure about 2 wide, Figure 43.

1. Grasp the corner of the silk between the thumb and first

finger, leaving about an inch of the silk extending above thefinger, Figure 47.

2. Wind the silk tightly around the finger until all of the silk isconsumed, Figure 48.

3. Slip the roll from the finger, being careful not to disturb the folds. 4. Tuck the remaining end into the opening on the end opposite the

protruding corner, Figure 49. 5. Conceal it to suit the use to which it is to be put. 6. If the protruding corner is held between the thumb and fingers

and the rolled silk given a snap, the silk will unroll and fall into view.

NEW-FINGER-FOLD * Oscar Weigle When a silk is prepared as is about to be disclosed, it unfoldsinstantly, hanging by a corner at the fingertips. 1. Lay the silk out flat, Figure 50.

2. Bring corner C down so that it falls on top ofD, Figure 51.

3. Bring C-D upward so that it forms a strip 1wide at the base, Figure 52.

4. Now bring C-D down again, making another 1wide strip on top of the first one.

5. Continue this folding process, accordion fashion,until the entire silk is consumed, Figure 53.

6. Fold B over onto A Figure 54. 7. Fold B back to the right to the centre of the

fold, Figure 55.

8.

9.

10

11.

12

When corner A is tucked iand can be easily grasped, Figcan be used instead of the rib Should this added undesirable, a slipknot with can be tied in the silk near the corner and the knot arethe loop remains out where itthe silk is produced the knograsping the silk is easily pusilk at opposite ends and strillustrated in Figure 62 as it wtightened around the loop. Fold the strip in half again, the long way, Figure56. Pick up the silk near corner B between theleft first and second fingers, Figure 57.

. Wrap it around the left first finger until buthalf an inch remains, Figure 58.

Tuck A into the folds of the coiled silk,Figure, 59.

. Remove the silk from the first finger You havea neat compact ball which can be hidden on thebody where it can be easily obtained whenneeded. To produce the silk, the tucked in corner A ispulled from within the folds and grasped by thethumb and first finger. With a shake of thehand holding it, the silk will appear instantly. If it is not feasible to take the time to findcorner A, a small piece of ribbon about Ilong, matching the color of the silk, can be tiedto this corner, Figure 60.

n, the ribbon protrudes ure 61. A loop of catgut bon, if desired.

piece of tape be a large protruding loop the corner, A. When pushed into the folds, is easily grasped. When t is easily pulled out by

lled out by grasping the etching it. The knot is ould appear before it is

HANK BALL-FOLD* Oscar Weigle This clever fold eliminates the use of a hand-kerchief ball for asingle silk. The silk is handled just as though it were loaded in the ball. Itis made as follows:

1. Lay the silk out flat,Figure 63.

2. Fold one corner Conto the diagonal cornerD, Figure 64.

3. Fold C-D upwards toform a strip measuringabout 1 wide at thebase, Figure 64.

4. Now fold C-D downagain, making anotherband on top of the first,Fig..66.

5. Continue this foldingprocess, accordionfashion, until the entiresilk is used up, Figure 67.

6. Now fold the entirestrip in half length wise,farming a new strip about wide, Figure 68.

7. Place o weight on thesilk just to the left of thecentre, Figure 69.

8. Fold corner B over atabout 2 from its end, andthen fold a small tip of

11. Continue rolling, four turns on top, then for on the bottom, four ontop again etc., until but four inches of unrolled silk remains. Wrapthis around the bundle in a final tight roll, and when corner A isreached, tuck it in along the folds, Figure 73.

When about to produce the silk, the bundle is concealed in the right hand,resting across the base of the fingers with the protruding corner B nearestthe thumb, Figure 74. The hand is held at the side of the body. The left hand is shown empty and the performer looks to the left asthough seeing something in the air. Reaching out with the left hand, the leftthumb and first finger appear to catch this something from the air. Nowthe left hand is held motionless and the right hand, cupped into a loose fist,is brought up to it. The left thumb and first finger grasp corner B of the

silk. The right hand, holding the rolled silk rather loosely, moves downward ina quick and continuous motion. Figure 75. The illusion is that the left handcaught the silk from the air and it was invisible until the right hand strokedit. Done properly, the illusion is perfect. This move is credited to the lateGeorge Stillwell. BUBBLE-FOLD Russ Walsh This unique fold has almost unlimited possibilities. It is unique in thatonce the silk is released, it literally bubbles forth and expands immediately,it is recommended for large silks. The male and female sections of a dress-snap are sewn to the silk asfollows: 1. To corner D sew the male section of the snap, Figure 76. 2. Turn the silk over and sew the female half of the snap to the centre

of the silk of E, Figure 77.

Dress-snaps are available in various colors and the one selectedshould match the colors and the one selected should match the color of thesilk used.

The bubble-fold is made as follows:

1. Spread the silk out flat on a table as shown in

Figure 76. 2. Bring corners A,B, and C to the centre of

the silk, Figure 78. 3. Wad all the silk excepting corner D in

towards the centre so that it forms acompact crumpled ball. Do not attempt tofold or pleat the silk. See Figure 79.

4. Corner D is brought over the top of thebundle, acting as a strap, and is snapped tothe other half of the dress-snap underneaththe ball, Fig. 80.

The silk is vested or concealed elsewhere on thebody. When it is stolen into the hand forproduction, open the dress-snap with the thumbnail of the hand holding the ball and the silk willbubble forth on the palm of the outstretchedhand, creating one of the prettiest silk productioneffects in magic.

E-Z-FOLD Ned Rutledge. This new fold appears in print for the first time. It is recommendedfor large silks or flags. The instructions to follow are for a 24 silk. If alarger silk is used, the folds will have to be altered accordingly. The E-Zfold is made as follows:

1. Lay the silk out flat on a table, Figure 81. 2. Fold the silk through its middle, B failing on A and C on D,

Figure 82. 3. Fold D-F up to meet J-H , Figure 83, forming a band about 4

wide at the base of the silk. 4. Now fold the band to the back of the silk, Figure 84. 5. Bring the band to the front of the silk once more, Figure 85. 6. Repeat this accordion pleating until the balance of the silk is

consumed, Figure 86. AT this point separate corners C and D. 7. If the silk is folded properly the band is of six thicknesses and is

4 wide by 12 long. 8. Fold F-G over about 4 to the left, Figure 87. 9. Fold the resultant bundle to the left again, Figure 88. 10. Continue to fold (not accordion pleat) the silk to the left until all

the silk is consumed. 11. If properly folded the silk is now in a bundle measuring about 2 x

4, Figure 89. 12. Now the silk is folded on the diagonal R-S indicated with a dotted

line in Figure 90. 13. After the fold is made the silk appears as shown in Figure 91. 14. Corner T is folded to the right. The silk now appears as showin in

Figure 62. Note corners C and D. 15. Start at the bottom of the folded bundle at point S, roll the silk

up towards corners C and D, Figure 93. 16. This action gives a neat, compact bundle as shown in Figure 94. 17. A rubber band is placed around the silk, Figure 95.

The folded silk is palmed in the right hand just prior to production.

The corners C and D are just to the left of the right thumb. The lefthand approaches the right and takes corner C between the thumb andfirst finger. AT the same time the right thumb and first finger takecorner D. The hands describe two arcs as illustrated with dotted linesin Figure 96, in a downward and outward motion. This sudden action snapsthe silk free of the rubber band and the silk appears, a corner being heldin each hand as seen in Figure 97.

Quantity of Silks 3 ZIG-ZAG FOLD This fold is ideal for loads where a quantity of silks is to be producedsingly. Although the assembled load is a compact unit, the silk can beproduced one at a time, each succeeding silk coming into the proper positionfor continuous production. The load is folded as follows:

1. 2. Lay a

right o3. Fold t

second4. Now a third silk is added. One half of this silk is to the left of the

folded bundle. The other half overlaps the bundle, Figure 101 5. Continue as outlined above until all of the required silks have been folded

into one bundle.

.tTRAP-FOLD This particular fold is similar to that recommended for a single silkAlthough the finished bundle is quite compact, each silk expands in full as iis produced. The fold is made as follows: 1Lay one silk out flat on a table, Figure 98. second on top of the first. Half of the second silk extends to thef the first, Figure 99. he exposed half of the first silk to the right and on top of the silk, Figure 100.

. Lay the silk out flat on a table.

2. Place a second silk near it. 3. Fold the four corners of the second silk to its

centre, Figure 102. 4. This forms a small square. 5. Fold the corners of this smaller square into

their centre, Figure 103. 6. Pick up the small pocket thus folded, turn it

over, and place it in the centre of the first silk. Put a book on the bundle to prevent it from expanding.

7. Place a third silk on the table and fold it in the same manner as the second silk, Figures 102 and 103.

8. Turn this third silk over and place it on top of the folded second silk, which in turn rests in the centre of the first, and replace the book.

9. Continue this folding operation until the desired number of silks have

been folded, one at a time, and placed one on top of the other in thecentre of the first silk which has remained opened out on the table.

10. Remove the book, fold in the corners of the first silk, one corner at atime, and fasten the last corner in place with a pin, Figure 104.

The bundle, prepared as just explained, is eventually loaded into the

piece of apparatus from which the silks are to be produced, When the pin isremoved, the silks will expand so that they fill the apparatus to overflowing. COIL-FOLD This fold is designed for producing a quantity of silks from the barehands, all of the silks appearing at one time. The fold is done as follows:

1. Lay a silk out flat on a table, Figure 105. 2. Fold the diagonal corners A and C to the centre, Fig. 106. 3. Fold the double portions in half again, Figure 107. 4. Repeat this operation until the strip is but 3 wide, Figure 108.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

The ewith tand puThe sreceivFold one half of the strip over on the other, making a long narrow band 1 wide, Figure 109. Treat each silk as explained in the first steps above. Place one silk on top of the other, forming a

neat pile of narrow strips measuring about 1 wide, Figure 110. Treating this packet as one silk, turn about 2 of the right ends back upon the silk and at right angles to the strip, Figure III. Starting at the right end, roll the strip to the left, rolling it astightly and as neatly as possible. After the roll is completed, tuck the remaining left ends into thefolds of the silk, Figure 112, If preferred, the ends can be tuckedinto the end of the coil, opposite the extending right ends, Figure113.

To produce the silks, steal the bundle into the right hand and palm it.xtending corners are downwards but out of sight. Grasp these endshe thumb and first finger of the left hand, which is held stationary,ll downwards with the right hand, which is holding the coil in the palm.

hower of silks of various colors creates a startling effect and is welled.

ACCORDION-FOLD This fold is a variation of the Diagonal-Accordion-Fold describedfor a single silk. It is recommended for use in a production box or pieceof production apparatus containing a large load chamber. Manyperformers merely bunch the silks haphazardly and push them into theapparatus. It is difficult to make a smooth and rapid production whensilks are carelessly loaded and the effectiveness of the production oftensuffers. Silks loaded Accordion Fold should be handled as follows: 1. Grasp one corner of a silk between the thumb

and first fingers of the left hand, Fig. 114. 2. Close the finger and thumb of the right hand

around the silk directly below the left hand,Figure 115.

3. Run the right fist down the silk to the tip(diagonal corner) B, drawing the silk into aroughly pleated strip, Figure 116.

4. Turn the right wrist to the right, bringing theclosed right palm uppermost, Figure 117. Theleft hand drops down to the left.

5. This brings a portion of the silk across themiddle of the backs of the closed right fingers.

6. Open the fingers of the right hand far enoughto allow this fold to enter the palm where itfalls an top of the portion already, retainedthere, Figure 118.

7. Close the fingers of the right hand again. 8. Now turn the right hand back into the position illustrated in Figure

116. The left hand is above the right once more. 9. Turn the right wrist to the right once more, bringing the closed

right palm uppermost again, Figure 117. 10. Again o portion of the silk falls across the closed right fingers.

Open the fingers again and gather in this new fold. 11. Repeat this alternating process until end A is reached. The left

hand releases end A. it will be found that the silk is neatlyaccordion-pleated in the right hand, end A falling across the topof the pleated bundle.

12. With the silk so folded, deposit it in the load chamber with theright hand, end A remaining on top.

13. A second silk is treated in the same manner.

After it is folded, end B of this second silk is twisted into end A of the first, Figure 119. This is done as the second silk is placed on top of the first in the load chamber. End A of the second silk is now on top.

14. This procedure is continued until all the silks have been loaded into the production apparatus.

When the production is made, each silk produced pulls end A of the nextsilk into view, ready for production. The maximum load can be made by theuse of this fold.

use this fold when tucking the silks into the paper cylinder during a silk-dyeing effect. It can be made in a few seconds and the silk takes up lessspace when treated in this manner before it is pushed into the cylinder(and dye-tube). As the left hand holds the paper cylinder, and is notentirely free, the fold is made as follows:

1. Hold the cylinder in the left hand with the thumb and first twofingers of the right hand.

2. Clip end A of the silk under the third and fourth fingers, Figure 120.

3. Now roughly accordion-pleat the silk as just explained under Accordion Fold.

This fold is also often used to form the silk into a small and compact bundle just prior to vanishing it. CLOCK-FOLD Silks prepared with this fold will expand when released and burstforth into a beautiful shower of colors. The fold is recommended for usewhere a quantity of silks are to be produced all at once. To make it:

1. Each silk is folded in half diagonally, Figure 121. 2. The silks are placed one over the other, clock

fashion. The first silk is placed so that the foldA-B runs between 6 and 12 oclock, Figure 121.The second silk has its fold C-D between 1 and7 oclock, Figure 122.

3. Continue with the rest of the silks, the thirdbeing between 2 and 8 oclock, etc.. All of thesilks are treated in this manner, Figure 123.

4. Starting with the first silk, which is now at thebottom of the pile, fold the ends to the middleof the stock of silks.

5. Continue with the next silk, this

being the second from thebottom.

6. This folding process is repeateduntil all of the corners havebeen brought to the centre,resulting in a neat and compactbundle.

7. Tie the bundle with a piece of weak thread, Figure 124.

8. Give the packet a quarter of a turn and tie a second thread around it, the two threads crossing at the top and bottom of the packet, Figure 125.

In producing a bundle of silks such as this, it is advisable to obtain the packet under cover of a large silk produced earlier. Break the threads at the bottom of the packet (this is the side opposite the folded ends) and allow the silks to shower downwards over the palm of the free hand. EN to edispof preVELOPE-ACCORDION-FOLD This fold is designed to release several dozen silks into the hands

nable the performer to apparently multiply the number of silks beinglayed into a much larger quantity. The load is tucked under one side

the vest and is stolen under cover of displaying silks that have beenviously produced. The fold is made as follows:

1. Lay a silk out flat on a table, Figure 126. 2. Each of the remaining silks is accordian

folded as explained in the first elevensteps, pages 51 and 52.

3. Place the first folded silk in the centre ofthe open silk resting on the table, Figure127.

4. Place a book on the silk to hold its foldswhile each of the other silks is treated in

the same manner. Eachnewly folded silk isplaced on top of thepreviously folded one.

When the lost silk is inplace, remove the book.

5. Fold the bottom edge A-B of the flat silk up over the bundle, Figure128.

6. Fold the sides in, one at a time, Figure 129. 7. Finally fold the top edge down, forming an envelope around the pleated

silks as in Figure 130.

The pocket, thus prepared, is tucked under one side of the vest, in the space directly in front of the hip, where it is carried until needed, Figure 131.

Methods of Producing a Single Silk NON-APPARATUS METHODS

Introduction 1 This chapter will be devoted exclusively to methods of producing asingle silk without the aid of magical apparatus. It is not intended to givecomplete routines here as these will be taken up in later chapters. At times it is necessary to pass the silk from one hand to the other inexecuting the production methods about to be described. Before taking upthe actual methods, the reader should acquaint himself with the Change OverPalm. CHANGE OVER PALM A balled or rolled silk obtained by any of the methods to follow can be passed secretly from one hand to the other. The sleight is based on the familiar billiard ball change-over palm. Assume that the silk is properly folded and palmed in the right hand and it is necessary to get it into the left. The left palm is toward the audience and the left fingers extended to the left as in Figure 1.

1. Bring the tips of the right fingers to a position where they touchthe left wrist and swing the body to the right so that the leftshoulder is now nearest the audience.

2. At the same time run the right fingertips down to the leftfingertips. When the fingertips of both hands touch, the rightpalm releases the silk packet and the left hand cups itself to palmit.

3. Now draw the tips of the left fingers along the palm of the righthand until the position

4.

Fr thethetow 1.

2.

3.

4.

illustrated in Figure 2, is reached. The entire action is done in one smooth yet rapid move. The sleight isone of the easiest to master, but should never be done as a sleight.Only use it as a means of showing the hands empty or as a secrettreansfer.

om the Elbow 2

Prior to presentation, Coil-Fold the silk and place it under a fold of coat sleeve at the bend of the left elbow. The folded silk is placed under fold of cloth so that the protruding end of the silk is uppermost, pointingards the left shoulder, Figure 3.

Show the hands empty, keeping the arms slightly bent so the silk will remain in its place of concealment at the left elbow.

Pull up the right sleeve with the left hand, grasping it at the folds in the bend of the elbow.

Pull up the left sleeve with the right hand, grasping it in the same manner.

As the right hand pulls up the left sleeve, it steals the silk from within the folds of cloth. The protruding end of the silk falls directly under the right thumb which presses it against the middle joint of the first finger, Figure 4. The right fingers are cupped around the coiled silk.

5. The hands are brought together in front

of the body, and the protruding end of the silk is taken between the thumb and first finger of the left hand. The hands are separated, which brings the silk into view fully developed, diagonally

opposite corners being held in either hand, Figure 5.

From the Arm Pit 3 The silk, folded with the Coil-Fold, is placed under the left arm pitwith the protruding corner uppermost, the arm being held against the body sothe silk is held in place. The silk is produced in the same manner as From theElbow just described, the right hand grasping the left sleeve under the armpit to pull up the sleeve (instead of at the elbow as in the farmer method).When the right hand is in this position the coiled silk is palmed. Now bringthe hands together and produce the silk. From Under the Vest 4 This is one of the most popular places for secreting a silk. Assumethat the Coil-Fold has been used (any of the other folds could be used). Thesilk can be placed under either side of the vest. The protruding corner shouldpoint either to the left or right, depending on which hand is to make theproduction. Let us assume that the silk is to be produced with the right hand.

1. Load the silk on the right, protruding corner tothe left.

2. To produce it, press the right elbow against theright side and hold the forearm across thefront of the body, Figure 6. The fingers fall atthe point where the silk is vested.

3. Turn the body to the right and reach high intothe air with the left hand as though takingsomething from the air. In the meantime stealthe silk with the right hand. Many performersnearly reach up under the vest and steal theload into the hand with the four fingers, Figure7. This method is satisfactory if there issomething in front of the hand doing the stealso as to hide the move. However when a boldsteal such as this is made without cover, the

misdirection must be better than average.

4. To make the steal from the vest, proceed asfollows: Bring the right hand to a positionjust over the bottom of the vest, palm nextto the body, thumb uppermost, Figure 8.

5. Without moving the fingers, drop the thumbdown to the bottom of the vest so this digitcon be pushed under, Figure 9.

6. Raise the thumb, forcing the bottom point ofthe vest up with it, Figure 10.

7. This exposes the load so that the rightfingers can steal it, yet it is hidden from thespectators by the right hand being in frontof it.

8. After the load is safely in the right palm thethumb is lowered allowing the point of thevest to drop back into position.

9. Bring the hands together in front of thebody and produce the silk.

10. A word or fan can be held in the left hand

and displayed while the right hand steals the silk. The ward taps the hardcontaining the silk (or the hand is fanned) and the silk materializes. If theTrap-Fold is used, the silk will materialize as soon as the hand is opened.

Some performers prefer to have the silk under the vest impaled on thepoint of a long needle or pin. Several silks can be carried under the vest inthis way.

1. Push the needle or pin into the bottom part of the vest, startingon the outside and passing through the material to the inside,point downward.

2. The silk, prepared with the Trap-Fold, is impaled on the point ofthis needle or pin.

3. When placed properly, the silk should be about above theedge of the vest, where it remains out of sight.

4. The silk is stolen and produced as explained above.

From Under the Collar 4 A silk, folded by one of the foregoing methods, is secreted betweenthe collar of the coat and shirt. Figure 11. It can be carried safely in thisposition throughout the performance. As it is necessary to bend the arm sothat the end of the elbow is towards the spectators so as to bring the hand inposition to steal the silk, it is advisable to conclude the previous effect sothat the elbow is brought into this position in a natural manner. Let us assumethat a coin routine is being concluded:

1. Bring the right arm in position so that thefingers fall on the concealed silk. A coin isthumb palmed in the left hand.

2. Without calling attention to the right, bring theleft hand up to the point of the right elbow andproduce the coin, Figure 12.

3. While the coin is being produced, the right handsteals the silk, Fig. 13.

4. Pretend to toss the coin

into the air, really thumb palming it in the left hand.

5. Bring the left hand to the closed right hand and grasp the protruding corner at the bottom of the palm and pull downwards, disclosing the silk, Figure 14. The corner diagonally opposite that in the left hand in detained by the right.

6. Release the corner held in the lefthand; the silk now hangs exposed in theright.

7. The left hand approaches the silk andextracts the thumb palmed coin fromthe folds of the silk.

8.

From the C This isused by profe

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6. This completes the coin routine; after the coin is pocketed thesilk is used in the silk series to follow.

oat Lapel 5

one of the more subtle methods of producing a silk and has beenssionals many times. Prepare as follows:

Fold the silk with the Trap-Fold Coil-Fold or Envelope-Fold. Thread a needle with a piece of thread about four inches long. Tie the ends of the thread together, forming a loop of thread through the eye of the needle. Make the knot large so that it will not pull through the fabric of the suit. Lift the right lapel and pass the needle through the material on the fold. Pull the needle through until the large knot is flush with the spot where the needle entered the coat. Now the needle hongs inside of the coot. Push the needle through the silk to hold the original tight bundle, Figure 15. The performer takes his ward in the left hand, focusing attention on the ward. In the meantime the right his brought

up to the right lapel in a position to steal the silk, Figure

From the Bottom Edge of Coat 6 The pin arrangement suggested in From Under the Vest or the needleand thread attachment suggested in From the Coat Lapel can be used withequal success along either or on both sides of the coat. The silks areproduced one at a time; one from the left, then one from the right. This isdone much in the same manner as cigarettes are produced from clips holdingthem under the edge of the coat. The silks should be within half on richfrom the bottom edge of the coat. From Within the Sleeve 7 If the shirt sleeves are rolled back, a silk prepared with the Coil-Foldcan be dropped into the coat sleeve where it remains out of sight. Assumingthat the silk is in the left sleeve:

1. Show the left hand empty. Right arm hangsby the side.

2. Now bring up the right hand and show itempty, dropping the left arm slowly to theside. The back of the left hand is towardsthe audience and the fingers are cuppedslightly to catch the silk.

3. As the arm is lowered the silk will fall into thepalm of the left hand. The fingers should bemotion less until the silk lands in the palm. Fig17. They are closed around the silkimmediately. Then the left arm is brought upin front of the body again. In the meantimethe right hand has been shown empty.

4. Now bring both hands together, obtain the protruding corner from the left hand with the right and develop the silk, one corner in each hand, Fig. 18.

By Misdirection 8 A silk prepared by the Coil-Fold can be hidden behind any one of anumber of objects and palmed while attention is being called to some otherobject. For example, another silk, crumpled into a loose ball, is on the table.The coiled silk is directly behind it. The left hand picks up the balled silkbetween the thumb and first finger, the other three fingers stealing the coiland palming it.

1. The right hand takes the silk from theleft, holding it at one corner.

2. The left hand (holding the palmedcoiled silk with the protruding corneruppermost) goes to the right. The rightthumb and first finger take this cornerand add it to the one already held there,Fig. 19.

3. The fingers of the left hand opensufficiently to encircle the visible silkdirectly below the right hand, but stillretaining the coil, Figure 20.

4. The left hand strokes the visible silk,moving downward, and the second puts inits appearance during this action. Theright hand now holds the tips of bothsilks.

The object hiding the coiled silk need not be another silk. Any smallobject such as a book, deck of cards, fan, or ward can be used. The object ispicked up in the same manner as the silk, the coil being palmed at the sametime. The object is transferred to the right hand and passed over the closedleft fist. Finally the object is laid aside and the silk developed between thehands.

The silk can rest on a servant at the back of a table, or be held inreadiness on a pin (point upward at a 45 angle) affixed to a chair back. Toobtain the silk, merely move the table or chair, grasping it with both hands,

one hand over the secret load, stealing it. Or, it may be stolen with one handas the other places an object on the chair seat.

From the Hip Pocket 9 This method, properly presented, is one of the prettiestproductions ever devised for the introduction of a silk. The silk isprepared with a Coil-Fold, and tucked into the top of the right hip packetjust for enough to hold it in place, Figure 21. The protruding corner isuppermost, a small knot tied in the corner if desired. The roll must be avery tight one as the silk is to be handled by the protruding corner and itmust not unroll prematurely.

1. The left hand reaches high into the air asthough obtaining something from it. Theleft hand is now closed around thisnothingness.

2. At the same time the right hand is held onthe right hip. It is then moved back intosuch a position that the protruding end ofthe roll can be clipped between the thumband first finger, Figure 22. As att