CHAPTER THREE A CHINESE CLASSIC
This was one of the first tricks that I had the pleasure of seeing Dai Vernon perform. Seated
in London's Victoria Hall amongst two hundred magicians who had come from all parts of
the British Isles to see and hear a lecture-demonstration by the Professor, we watched
carefully for those beautiful moves over which magicians enthuse-we saw none! He did
exactly what he told us he was going to do-made three coins pass through a solid table-top ;
what is more, he repeated the penetration and still gave no clue as to how it was
accomplished.
The volume of spontaneous applause from his audience indicated their appreciation of his
skill in making his trickery appear to be real magic. Every gesture he made was perfectly
natural ; he emphasized the fairness of his actions and invited our closest scrutiny, but still
there was no apparent explanation.
The majority of the members of his audience were familiar with the fine Han Ping Chien
effect ; many of us had performed it ourselves and knew of certain variations, but here was
something that only a few of the magicians present had experienced previously-we were
having the privilege of witnessing THE VERNON TOUCH.
During his stay in this country I watched him perform this routine on several occasions
before magicians and lay audiences. The applause he received was always preceded by a
genuine gasp of astonishment-music to the ears of a magician.
At his lectures he explained and demonstrated his presentation most carefully. He was sincere
in his wish that the magicians who had journeyed from near and far should benefit by
knowing and appreciating every small detail. In preparing the material for this book he has
demonstrated the moves over and over again in order that there should be no doubt as to the
EXACT actions necessary for duplicating the effect he obtains.
To enable the reader to visualize the effect, it is proposed to give a true and detailed
description of the sequence of actions as seen by the audience then, so that the method can be
learnt thoroughly, to explain the routine stage by stage.
WHAT THE AUDIENCE SEES.
The performer is seated at a table upon which he places six half crowns and a ring. The half
crowns are placed in two rows (three in each), one row to the left and the other to the right.
The rows are about a foot apart and extend away from the performer. The ring is placed
between the two rows of coins. That is the STARTING POSITION.
Picking up the ring in his right hand, then holding both hands palms upwards, the performer
losses the ring from hand to hand slowly and deliberately, leaving it eventually in his right
hand. Except for the ring, both hands are seen to be empty and are then closed into fists.
With his right hand the performer picks up each coin in the row to the right, counting them
"
One, two, three "
as he does so. He then picks up the coins in the left hand row with his left
hand, counting
" One, two, three coins ".
Now the performer brings both hands together
rather quickly as if he were doing some manipulative movement, and asks a spectator to
name which hand holds the ring. Should he name the right hand, then the performer asks him
if he is willing to wager, when, usually, he will be doubtful. Nevertheless, the performer
stresses that he wants everyone to be certain where the ring and the coins are before he
proceeds. He gestures with his left hand and asks how many coins it contains. Regardless of
the answer, he turns the hand with the fingers downwards and lightly slaps the three coins
down on to the table. Again he picks them up with the left hand, then, gesturing with the
right hand, he says :
" The ring is here, of course, with the other three coins,"
and slaps the
ring and coins down on to the table to prove his statement. Once again he picks up the three
coins and the ring with his right hand and holds both hands well apart, then he slowly places
the right hand UNDERNEATH the center of the table. Fixing his gaze firmly on his left
hand, he says-" Watch ", then he moves his closed left hand (back upwards) OVER the center
of the table and brings it down sharply on to the table-top, his fingers opening as the hand
reaches the table. The coins are heard to strike the table and his hand presses down firmly,
then swivels backwards and forwards a little, as if rubbing the coins through the solid
material. When he lifts his hand it is seen that the coins have gone-apparently right through
the solid wood, as he now brings his right hand from underneath and pours SIX COINS AND
THE RING on to the table!
This is first surprise, but when the effect is repeated with the audience watching every move
very intently (as they are invited to do), then the climax is terrific.
Only the visible moves of the first penetration have been described above. Magicians will
appreciate that for the repeat a slightly different sequence of moves is employed, which
throws the audience off the scent. These moves will be given in detail as we proceed. The
purpose of the description is to paint a true picture of what the performer is SEEN to do ;
slowly, deliberately and apparently perfectly fairly. Apart from the fake manipulative move
which is made openly and purposely, apparently to provide an excuse for emphasizing the
exact location of the coins and ring, every action is natural and necessary, giving no cause for
suspicion.
When studying the method of performance the reader is urged to keep in his mind a mental
picture of the actions that should be seen by the audience. NATURALNESS OF ACTION is
the important factor. The sequence of moves has been evolved to give the impression that the
performer is emphasizing the fairness of the whole operation. It is essential that the routine be
learnt thoroughly so that the moves can be made without having to think, the performer being
able to concentrate his attention on the presentation.
There is a basic move to be learnt ; it is not a difficult one, but it is necessary for the
performer to practice it until it is second nature. It is a subtle move which looks perfectly
natural when performed smoothly, but the whole effect depends upon its mastery. It will be
described in the description of the performance.
PERFORMANCE.
STAGE 1
. The reader will remember that the performer should be seated at a table and places
six half-crowns in two rows (three in each row), about a foot apart. The ring is placed
between the rows. If preferred, a coin of contrasting colors can be used instead of the ring.
With this as your starting point, pick up the ring in your right hand and, with both hands held
palm upwards, toss it deliberately from hand to hand, leaving it eventually in the right hand.
Notice the position of the ring on the fingers in Fig. I ; it rests on the third and little fingers,
which enables it to be held by these fingers when the hand is closed. Close both hands.
The actions you have made so far have drawn attention to the fact that SIX coins and one ring
are employed, and that, except for the ring which you now hold in your right hand, the hands
are empty.
STAGE 2
. Pick up the coins in the row on the right with the right hand, counting as you do so
: " One, two, three coins and the ring." Fig.
2
shows an exposed view of the position of the
ring in the right hand ; notice how the third and little finger hold it, leaving the thumb and
first and second fingers free to pick up the coins. It is necessary that the three coins are held
together in a stack at the thumb end of the fist, where they can be gripped secretly between
the side of the thumb and the top of the palm.
This grip can be seen in Fig.
3
, which purposely exposes the manner in which the coins are
held. In performance, of course, the coins are further down in the fist and out of sight. Now
pick up the coins in the row on the left with the left hand, counting " One, two, three coins ".
Both hands are closed at this point (Fig.
3
).
STAGE 3
. Now you make a feint by bringing both hands together quickly so that they just
touch, then move apart again, just as if you were doing some manipulative movement.
Actually no trickery is involved, but you look at one of the spectators and say :"Which hand
contains the ring ? " If he names the right hand, ask him if he would be willing to wager and,
usually, he will be doubtful. His answer is immaterial, as what you have done is to provide an
excuse to say : " I want you all to be quite certain of the position of the coins and the ring
before I proceed . I have three coins here . . . With the left hand lightly slap down the three
coins on to the table and move the hand back towards the body to allow a clear view of the
three coins (Fig.
4
). After a slight pause to allow the coins to be seen, pick them up with the
left hand again. Now comes the basic move, which is made as you continue your patter with "
and three coins and the ring here".
BASIC MOVE
. After the left hand picks up its coins, it is closed into a fist and rests on the
table, thumb upwards. The coins (in a sideways stack) are allowed to slide down the fist until
their edges actually touch the table top. The left fingers, although closed into a fist, are held
loosely, but there must be no movement of the fingers as the next action is made. A
simultaneous movement of both hands now takes place ; the right hand moves to the left and
over the left hand in a slapping action, and as it almost touches the left hand the latter moves
to the left, which, because the edges of the coins it holds are touching the table and the left
fingers are held loosely, causes the stack to tilt to the left and remain behind on the table as
the left hand moves away. The coins leaving the left hand are covered by the right hand,
which opens and RELEASES THE RING ONLY, which falls on. top of the three coins on
the table. Fig.
5
exposes this action ; notice the stack of coins leaving the bottom of the left
fist (the fist is NOT lifted from the table) as the left fist moves to the left. In the photograph
the right hand has opened to release the ring and covers the coins leaving the left fist.
Remember that three coins are held by the right thumb against the side of the palm. Fig.
6
shows the completion of the move ; the right hand (with three coins in the thumb-palm
position) has moved back towards the body and rests on the table in a relaxed position ; the
left fist has moved to the left and three coins and the ring are in view on the table.
The move depends upon timing and confidence. All the actions should flow together
smoothly with no pauses, then the illusion of the coins and ring being slapped down on to the
table from the right hand is perfect. It is over in a second as you say : " . . . and three coins
and the ring here ".
STAGE 4
. Keeping the hands apart and the left fist closed, of course, slowly pick up the
coins and ring with the right hand. This hand now contains six coins and the ring, but due to
the subtle basic move the spectators believe that there are three coins in the left hand and
three coins and the ring in the right-they have just seen you slap three coins down from the
left hand and pick them up again with the same hand, then you slapped down three coins and
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