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Home / Exhibits / Special Exhibits
Magic!
Top Artifacts
Magic! explores the history of illusion through an array of spectacular
artifacts as well as live performances and video presentations from some of today’s top magicians. Explore Guest Curator Scott
Cervine’s picks for the top artifacts in the exhibition – then, be sure to visit the exhibit and choose your own!
See these fascinating artifacts in the exhibition – purchase tickets today!
Tayade Indian Cups
These 20th Century wooden cups, by the Indian maker D. A. Tayade, are based on an ancient, traditional design. Unlike
Western traditional conical cups, these do not stack and the knob on top is used to lift and manipulate the cups. Despite the
technical differences, the structure of such routines is similar in that small cork balls appear, vanish and transpose between the
cups, ultimately leading to the surprising revelation of something other than small balls (larger balls or fruit) under the cups. The
traditional Indian performers, known in Hindi as “Jadoo Wallah,” perform the cups seated on the ground, rather than sitting at or
standing behind a table.
Doll’s House Illusion
This classic illusion was invented by British music hall performer Fred Culpitt (1877 – 1944) circa 1927 and quickly became
popular worldwide due to its practicality and deceptiveness; it remains popular to the present day. The doll house is opened and
shown to be empty (the magician often removes the toy furniture in the process of displaying the house). However, when the
door is closed, the roof immediately pops open in the center and a full-sized (generally adult) female doll too large to have been
hidden within the empty doll house steps out.
Rapping Hand
This hand was the centerpiece of a popular late 19th and early 20th Century spiritualistic stage effect. The carved wooden hand,
resting on a sheet of clear glass held by audience members, would rap out answers to questions. Traditionally, the hand would
rap once for “yes” and twice for “no,” but it could also respond with numerical answers to personal questions, such as “How
many children will I have?” and “How old will I be when I marry?” The effect could be played straight or tongue-in-cheek,
depending on the performer and audience.
Houdini Milk Can
Harry Houdini (1874 – 1926) remains one of the most famous magicians of all time, though in his career he was chiefly noted for
his spectacular escapes more than his magic. Born Ehrich Weiss in Budapest in 1874, he immigrated with his family to America
at an early age and adopted the stage name “Harry Houdini” in homage to his idol, the great French magician Robert-Houdin
(1805-1871). He invented the Milk Can escape in 1908 and it became his signature piece for several years.
In this illusion, an oversized “milk can” would be filled to the brim with warm water. Houdini would enter the can, barely large
enough to hold him, displacing much of the water in so doing. Submerged in the can, the lid would be padlocked in place and
enclosed in a curtain to preserve the secret of his escape. Houdini had just a few minutes in which to make his escape or suffer
death by drowning. On one occasion, in which the water was replaced with beer as a challenge from a brewery, Houdini, a
teetotaler, almost succumbed to the fumes of the beer before making his escape.
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The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584)
by Reginald Scot
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The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584) by Reginald Scot
In 1563, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a law was passed making the practice of witchcraft a felony. This led to the
persecution of many innocents and so outraged a gentleman farmer, Reginald Scot, Esquire (1538-1599) that he decided to
publish an exposé of the fallacies of such superstitious thinking. In 1584, his self-published The Discoverie of
Witchcraft became the first book in English “debunking” such superstitions. But it was regarded by many as heretical,
since it countered the teachings of the Church of England at the time.
Scot chiefly discussed tricks with balls, coins and cards, but also apparent feats of self mutilation and even decapitation. In doing
so, he gave us an intimate portrait of the 16th century conjuring repertoire and its technical basis. Although Scot’s intent was to
expose—rather than teach—magic, his book formed the basis of conjuring literature in English and several other languages (it
was quickly translated into Dutch and German) for more than 200 years. It is also said to have been used by Shakespeare as a
source for his plays when dealing with the themes of witchcraft.
Water Escape Trunk
Houdini’s career was based on his spectacular challenge escapes, in which a local company would challenge him to escape from
their devices. One of the most popular and spectacular of these was the challenge underwater escape. For this feat, a local
company would build a simple wooden box in which Houdini, handcuffed and shackled, would be sealed. This box would be
cast from a bridge or a boat into a local river or lake and the box would quickly sink beneath the water. Invariably, Houdini
would emerge free of the box, handcuffs and shackles within a few minutes time.
The Crystal Clock Dial
A classic stage effect that dates to the 19th century and remained popular into the early 20th century, but is seldom seen today.
In this spiritualistic feat, a number from 1 to 12 – merely thought of by an audience member – is divined by the spirits when the
freely spinning clock hand mysteriously slows and stops on the spectator’s number.
Penn & Teller’s Lighter, Pen and Flashlight
These simple props form the basis of a profound sleight of hand performance by Teller, which is narrated by his performing
partner, Penn Jillette. Teller never speaks on stage, though he is among the most articulate of all contemporary performers and
arguably one of the six most gifted and knowledgeable magicians actively performing today. While their performances feature
outstanding solo pieces by each, it is their ensemble pieces - such as the aforementioned lighter, pen and flashlight piece (which
would be meaningless without Penn’s narration) and their Bullet Catch – among many others, that have made the long performing
partnership so successful.
Come Along Cuffs
A “come along” cuff, such as these, secures only one hand, but has a handle to keep the cuffed prisoner under control. These
cuffs were used by Harry Houdini in one of his breathtaking escapes.
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