Ball Magic Trick

Multiplying billiard balls (Excelsior Ball Trick, August Roterberg, 1898) is a magic routine that is popular with both amateur and advanced conjurors but still rarely seen. As its name implies, the magician uses sleight of hand to manipulate a number of billiard balls (the balls are often smaller than actual billiard balls), giving the impression that he is making them appear and vanish at his command.

Effect

In this presentation, the magician will hold a single ball in his hand. The ball suddenly becomes two balls, in plain view of the audience. He then proceeds to produce a third and fourth ball, all in the same hand. The magician will then vanish the balls, one at a time, until only one remains. Often, part of the routine involves the magician giving the impression that he is "passing" the balls through his body, in and out of his mouth, fingertips, and pockets.

Sets of multiplying billiard balls are available from magicians' supply stores. The quality, size, material, and price of the balls can vary greatly and are dependent on the magician's personal taste. The balls are most frequently made of wood, plastic, or metal.

Method

Sleight of hand and misdirection are the principal techniques that make multiplying billiard balls a convincing effect. The set of three balls also employs a secret gaff: a hollow, half-ball shell that can be made to fit over any of the three solid balls. The magician holds this shell, filled with a solid ball, facing the viewer and then use his fingers to flip the solid ball out of the shell. To the viewer it appears that the magician now holds two balls. The trick relies on that the shell can represent a real ball before the real ball secretly has been added. Likewise, after stealing away a ball, the shell can "prove" that the ball is still there.

Credits

From an article by Tom Stone in the Swedish magazine Trollkarlen (No 152 - 2003):

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