How to do paper magic
In this article you will learn how to do easy but effective paper magic tricks.
There are different types of paper magic tricks.
The first type, dealing with Toys, Models, Puzzles, etc. made entirely from paper, can provide a fascinating and at the same time, inexpensive form of amusement for the younger members of the home circle.
The first type will also be found useful to adults for the amusement of children at a private party, and with a little pre-practice in folding the children could be interested and entertained, by showing them how to make up some of the models. It will be found that this innovation will be gladly welcomed by the little visitors and in most cases prove a strong rival to the older forms of amusement usually arranged.
The following trick is an example of that kind of paper magic.
Saucepan
A novel and surprising use to which the pin tray may be put is to boil water. This is best effected over the flame of a candle. The tray, or saucepan as it should now be called, being supported on the top of a candle shade holder, as shown in Fig:
The water must be put into the paper saucepan before the candle is lighted, otherwise the paper will ignite. There is an interesting scientific reason why the paper will not burn while the water is inside: the water cannot, of course, get hotter than boiling point, and
as it will not, or cannot allow the paper to get above that point also, it will be seen that there is not, sufficient heat for combustion to take place.
The second type deals with some effective conjuring tricks, in which paper is the only or principal article employed, and some important remarks on this branch of paper magic will be found on these pages.
This trick is an example of the second type.
Thought Reading
Effect
A member of the audience writes a question upon a piece of paper which is sealed in an envelope, A blank piece of paper is placed in an envelope and given to a gentleman to hold. The performer now calls out the question, which is found to agree with the one written upon the paper in the first envelope. Upon the second envelope being opened, an answer to the question is found written upon the blank slip of paper.
Working
A gentleman is asked to write a question on paper. This may be done on a small writing pad with an interleaved carbon sheet, or a single piece of paper, the back of which has been previously rubbed with a candle or piece of soap, is handed out on a piece of glass or small photograph frame. The latter is certainly the better, as it appears quite free from any prearrangement. If a hard pencil is provided, a faint impression of the question will be found on the glass, or, if a pad is used, the impression will be found under the
carbon sheet. The performer hands an envelope to the writer of the question, requesting that the message be folded and placed therein.
