III.Pepper eventually brought out a new illusion called “Metempsychosis,” the joint invention of himself and a Mr. Walker. It is a very startling optical effect, and is thus described by me in my American edition of Stanyon’sMagic: “One of the cleverest illusions performed with the aid of mirrors is that known as the ‘Blue Room’, which has been exhibited in this country by Kellar. It was patented in the United States by the inventors. The object of the apparatus is to render an actor, or some inanimate thing, such as a chair, table, suit of armor, etc., visible or invisible at will. ‘It is also designed,’ says the specification in the patent office, ‘to substitute for an object in sight of the audience the image of another similar object hidden from direct vision without the audience being aware that any such substitution has been made.’ For this purpose employ a large mirror—either an ordinary mirror or for some purposes, by preference, a large sheet{101}of plate-glass—which is transparent at one end and more and more densely silvered in passing from this toward the other end. Mount this mirror or plate so that it can, at pleasure, be placed diagonally across the stage or platform. As it advances, the glass obscures the view of the actor or object in front of which it passes, and substitutes the reflection of an object in front of the glass, but suitably concealed from the direct view of the audience.FIG.1.APPARATUS.FIG.2.ARMORSCENE.DIAGRAMOFBLUEROOM.“When the two objects or sets of objects thus successively presented to the view are properly placed and sufficiently alike, the audience will be unaware that any change has been made. In some cases, in place of a single sheet of glass, two or more sheets may be employed.”By consulting Fig. 1, the reader will understand the construction of the illusion, one of the best in the repertoire of the{102}conjurer. The shaded drawing in the left upper part, represents a portion of the mirror, designed to show its graduated opacity.“ais a stage. It may be in a lecture-room or theatre.bb, the seats for the audience in front of the stage.ccis a small room—eight or ten feet square and eight high will often be sufficiently large; but it may be of any size. It may advantageously be raised and approached by two or three steps from the stagea.“dis a vertical mirror, passing diagonally across the chambercand dividing it into two parts, which are exact counterparts the one of the other. The mirrordis so mounted that it can be rapidly and noiselessly moved diagonally across the chamber in the path represented by the dotted lined1,and be withdrawn whenever desired. This can conveniently be done by running it in guides and upon rollers to and from a position where it is hidden by a screen,e, which limits the view of the audience in this direction.“In consequence of the exact correspondence of the two parts of the chamberc, that in front and that behind the mirror, the audience will observe no change in appearance when the mirror is passed across.“The front of the chamber is partially closed atcxby a shield or short partition-wall, either permanently or whenever required. This is done in order to hide from direct view any object which may be at or about the positionc1.“The illusions may be performed in various ways—as, for example, an object may, in the sight of the audience, be passed from the stage to the positionc2,near the rear short wall or counterpart shieldf, diagonally opposite to and corresponding with the front corner shieldcx, and there be changed for some other. This is done by providing beforehand a dummy atc1,closely resembling the object atc2.Then when the object is in its place, the mirror is passed across without causing any apparent change. The object, when hidden, is changed for another object externally resembling the first, the mirror is withdrawn, and the audience may then be shown in any convenient way that the object now before them differs from that which their eyesight would lead them to suppose it to be.{103}“We prefer, in many cases, not to use an ordinary mirror,d, but one of graduated opacity. This may be produced by removing the silvering from the glass in lines; or, if the glass be silvered by chemical deposition, causing the silver to be deposited upon it in lines, somewhat as represented in Fig. 1. Near one side of the glass the lines are made fine and open, and progressively in passing toward the other side they become bolder and closer until a completely-silvered surface is reached. Other means for obtaining a graduated opacity and reflecting power may be resorted to.“By passing such a graduated mirror between the object atc2and the audience, the object may be made to fade from the sight, or gradually to resolve itself into another form.”Hopkins in his fine work onMagic, stage illusions, etc., to which I contributed the Introduction and other chapters, thus describes one of the many effects which can be produced by the Blue Room apparatus. The curtain rises, showing “the stage set as an artist’s studio. Through the centre of the rear drop scene is seen a small chamber in which is a suit of armor standing upright. The floor of this apartment is raised above the level of the stage and is approached by a short flight of steps. When the curtain is raised a servant makes his appearance and begins to dust and clean the apartments. He finally comes to the suit of armor, taking it apart, cleans and dusts it, and finally reunites it. No sooner is the armor perfectly articulated than the soulless mailed figure deals the servant a blow. The domestic, with a cry of fear, drops his duster, flies down the steps into the large room, the suit of armor pursuing him, wrestling with him, and kicking him all over the stage. When the armor considers that it has punished the servant sufficiently, it returns to its original position in the small chamber, just as the master of the house enters, brought there by the noise and cries of the servant, from whom he demands an explanation of the commotion. Upon being told, he derides the servant’s fear, and, to prove that he was mistaken, takes the suit of armor apart, throwing it piece by piece upon the floor.”It is needless, perhaps, to explain that the armor which becomes endowed with life has a man inside of it. When the{104}curtain rises a suit of armor is seen in the Blue Room, at H, (Fig. 2). At I is a second suit, concealed behind the proscenium. It is the duplicate of the visible one. When the mirror is shoved diagonally across the room, the armor at H becomes invisible, but the mirror reflects the armor concealed at I, making it appear to the spectators that the suit at H is still in position. An actor dressed in armor now enters behind the mirror, removes the suit of armor at H, and assumes its place. When the mirror is again withdrawn, the armor at H becomes endowed with life. Again the mirror is shoved across the apartment, and the actor replaces the original suit of armor at H. It is this latter suit which the master of the house takes to pieces and casts upon the floor, in order to quiet the fears of the servant. This most ingenious apparatus is capable of many novel effects. Those who have witnessed Professor Kellar’s performance will bear witness to the statement. When the illusion was first produced in England a sketch entitled Curried Prawns was written for it by the famous comic author, Burnand, editor ofPunch.An old gentleman, after having partaken freely of a dish of curried prawns, washed down by copious libations of wine, retires to bed, and very naturally “sees things.” Who would not under such circumstances? He has a dreadful nightmare, during which ghosts, goblins, vampires and witches visit him. The effects are produced by the mirror.
Pepper eventually brought out a new illusion called “Metempsychosis,” the joint invention of himself and a Mr. Walker. It is a very startling optical effect, and is thus described by me in my American edition of Stanyon’sMagic: “One of the cleverest illusions performed with the aid of mirrors is that known as the ‘Blue Room’, which has been exhibited in this country by Kellar. It was patented in the United States by the inventors. The object of the apparatus is to render an actor, or some inanimate thing, such as a chair, table, suit of armor, etc., visible or invisible at will. ‘It is also designed,’ says the specification in the patent office, ‘to substitute for an object in sight of the audience the image of another similar object hidden from direct vision without the audience being aware that any such substitution has been made.’ For this purpose employ a large mirror—either an ordinary mirror or for some purposes, by preference, a large sheet{101}of plate-glass—which is transparent at one end and more and more densely silvered in passing from this toward the other end. Mount this mirror or plate so that it can, at pleasure, be placed diagonally across the stage or platform. As it advances, the glass obscures the view of the actor or object in front of which it passes, and substitutes the reflection of an object in front of the glass, but suitably concealed from the direct view of the audience.
FIG.1.APPARATUS.FIG.2.ARMORSCENE.DIAGRAMOFBLUEROOM.
FIG.1.APPARATUS.FIG.2.ARMORSCENE.DIAGRAMOFBLUEROOM.
FIG.1.APPARATUS.FIG.2.ARMORSCENE.
DIAGRAMOFBLUEROOM.
“When the two objects or sets of objects thus successively presented to the view are properly placed and sufficiently alike, the audience will be unaware that any change has been made. In some cases, in place of a single sheet of glass, two or more sheets may be employed.”
By consulting Fig. 1, the reader will understand the construction of the illusion, one of the best in the repertoire of the{102}conjurer. The shaded drawing in the left upper part, represents a portion of the mirror, designed to show its graduated opacity.
“ais a stage. It may be in a lecture-room or theatre.bb, the seats for the audience in front of the stage.ccis a small room—eight or ten feet square and eight high will often be sufficiently large; but it may be of any size. It may advantageously be raised and approached by two or three steps from the stagea.
“dis a vertical mirror, passing diagonally across the chambercand dividing it into two parts, which are exact counterparts the one of the other. The mirrordis so mounted that it can be rapidly and noiselessly moved diagonally across the chamber in the path represented by the dotted lined1,and be withdrawn whenever desired. This can conveniently be done by running it in guides and upon rollers to and from a position where it is hidden by a screen,e, which limits the view of the audience in this direction.
“In consequence of the exact correspondence of the two parts of the chamberc, that in front and that behind the mirror, the audience will observe no change in appearance when the mirror is passed across.
“The front of the chamber is partially closed atcxby a shield or short partition-wall, either permanently or whenever required. This is done in order to hide from direct view any object which may be at or about the positionc1.
“The illusions may be performed in various ways—as, for example, an object may, in the sight of the audience, be passed from the stage to the positionc2,near the rear short wall or counterpart shieldf, diagonally opposite to and corresponding with the front corner shieldcx, and there be changed for some other. This is done by providing beforehand a dummy atc1,closely resembling the object atc2.Then when the object is in its place, the mirror is passed across without causing any apparent change. The object, when hidden, is changed for another object externally resembling the first, the mirror is withdrawn, and the audience may then be shown in any convenient way that the object now before them differs from that which their eyesight would lead them to suppose it to be.{103}
“We prefer, in many cases, not to use an ordinary mirror,d, but one of graduated opacity. This may be produced by removing the silvering from the glass in lines; or, if the glass be silvered by chemical deposition, causing the silver to be deposited upon it in lines, somewhat as represented in Fig. 1. Near one side of the glass the lines are made fine and open, and progressively in passing toward the other side they become bolder and closer until a completely-silvered surface is reached. Other means for obtaining a graduated opacity and reflecting power may be resorted to.
“By passing such a graduated mirror between the object atc2and the audience, the object may be made to fade from the sight, or gradually to resolve itself into another form.”
Hopkins in his fine work onMagic, stage illusions, etc., to which I contributed the Introduction and other chapters, thus describes one of the many effects which can be produced by the Blue Room apparatus. The curtain rises, showing “the stage set as an artist’s studio. Through the centre of the rear drop scene is seen a small chamber in which is a suit of armor standing upright. The floor of this apartment is raised above the level of the stage and is approached by a short flight of steps. When the curtain is raised a servant makes his appearance and begins to dust and clean the apartments. He finally comes to the suit of armor, taking it apart, cleans and dusts it, and finally reunites it. No sooner is the armor perfectly articulated than the soulless mailed figure deals the servant a blow. The domestic, with a cry of fear, drops his duster, flies down the steps into the large room, the suit of armor pursuing him, wrestling with him, and kicking him all over the stage. When the armor considers that it has punished the servant sufficiently, it returns to its original position in the small chamber, just as the master of the house enters, brought there by the noise and cries of the servant, from whom he demands an explanation of the commotion. Upon being told, he derides the servant’s fear, and, to prove that he was mistaken, takes the suit of armor apart, throwing it piece by piece upon the floor.”
It is needless, perhaps, to explain that the armor which becomes endowed with life has a man inside of it. When the{104}curtain rises a suit of armor is seen in the Blue Room, at H, (Fig. 2). At I is a second suit, concealed behind the proscenium. It is the duplicate of the visible one. When the mirror is shoved diagonally across the room, the armor at H becomes invisible, but the mirror reflects the armor concealed at I, making it appear to the spectators that the suit at H is still in position. An actor dressed in armor now enters behind the mirror, removes the suit of armor at H, and assumes its place. When the mirror is again withdrawn, the armor at H becomes endowed with life. Again the mirror is shoved across the apartment, and the actor replaces the original suit of armor at H. It is this latter suit which the master of the house takes to pieces and casts upon the floor, in order to quiet the fears of the servant. This most ingenious apparatus is capable of many novel effects. Those who have witnessed Professor Kellar’s performance will bear witness to the statement. When the illusion was first produced in England a sketch entitled Curried Prawns was written for it by the famous comic author, Burnand, editor ofPunch.
An old gentleman, after having partaken freely of a dish of curried prawns, washed down by copious libations of wine, retires to bed, and very naturally “sees things.” Who would not under such circumstances? He has a dreadful nightmare, during which ghosts, goblins, vampires and witches visit him. The effects are produced by the mirror.