THE NEST OF BOXES

By Eugene Laurant


This method for performing the rings and nest of boxes is entirely original. It has saved me plenty of trouble and extra weight in my show. I have found the effect upon the audience of this method even more striking than the old method with the bottomless box and the special table, because it all seems so fair and is so free from fussing about.
The effect is the same as the old favorite. Several rings are borrowed from members of the audience and they are pounded up and pushed into a pistol. The pistol is fired at a box which has been in plain sight from the beginning of the performance. The box is tied with ribbon. It is an attractive lacquer box. The box is opened and another is found inside. That, too, is opened only to find a third box. The number of boxes in the nest may be left to the wishes of the magician. The last box is opened and the magician reaches inside and picks up the end of a ribbon. He lifts this up and the rings are seen to be tied, one under another, to this ribbon. The ribbon is about two feet long and the rings are tied about four inches apart on the ribbon. This idea of the rings all being found tied on one ribbon is where the trick begins to be different.
The magician says to the audience that be is in a quandary for if he gives the ribbon to the first lady he also gives her the three other rings. He suddenly gets an idea and he calls for a pair of scissors. The assistant brings the scissors in a small basket. The magician takes the scissors and cuts the ribbon--about midway between the two lower rings--and the bottom ring falls into the basket. He then cuts the ribbon twice more and lets each ring fall into the basket. He then hands the scissors to the assistant and takes the basket down to the audience so that each lender may take back her ring still tied to the little length of ribbon. It will be plain that except when the magician pounds the rings into the bullets to load the pistol, he never actually touches the rings.
That is the effect and this is the method I use. When I borrow the rings I collect them upon the end of my wand. I have four duplicates concealed at the other end of the wand by my hand. This is most natural a concealment for that hand seems merely to be holding the wand. The exchange is easily made on my way back to the stage and after I have slipped the four duplicates off the wand onto a plate, I drop the four original rings into a small basket on my table, as I pick up a hammer which I use to pound the "rings" into bullets to fit the pistol. As soon as the pistol is loaded the assistant has taken the originals off the stage.

Once back stage, the assistant ties a short piece of ribbon--about four inches long--with a single knot on each ring. The rings and their ribbons then are placed in the side flaps of a changing basket--two rings on each side. A pair of scissors is now put in the basket and the assistant is ready to enter with the basket and scissors the moment he is called.

The nest of boxes has been in full view of the audience from the start of the performance. There is nothing at all out of the ordinary about the boxes except that I use, and suggest should be used, an exceedingly handsome set of decorated lacquer boxes. I feel that beautiful boxes add materially to the effect from the standpoint of the audience. In the innermost box is the two foot long piece of ribbon (need I mention of the same kind and color as those small pieces now hidden in the changing basket) and on this ribbon are tied four rings. I use four good looking rings of the usual size and designs. Incidentally I overlook exceedingly large or odd looking rings when I originally borrow them. As soon as I take this ribbon from the box I swing it slowly back and forth. This keeps even the eagle eyed person from being certain of his identification.

After the pistol has been discharged, I go over to the nest of boxes and open each in turn until I find the ribbon and the rings. The scissors are then called for and are brought out in the basket by the assistant, which is proper. The assistant should always offer the magician on a tray or basket, whatever is called for, never with his hands. An assistant should follow the same rules as a waiter in handing anything to the magician. The scissors are taken and the ribbon cut. It is perfectly natural for the magician to hold the ribbon over the basket for otherwise the ring would drop on the floor. The ribbon is cut again and again. Each ring goes into the basket. The scissors are then handed to the assistant and at the same time I take the basket by the handle. Taking the basket by the handle releases the flaps holding the borrowed rings and as those rings come into view, the flaps cover the duplicate set. I then step into the audience and let each person pick out her own ring.

It is unnecessary to describe the construction of the changing basket minutely for it is a stock item with the dealers. It is a tricky thing to make and besides the ones offered for sake are very well made and attractive looking. At times in performing this trick I find only three rings in the nest of boxes and finally discover the missing fourth ring in some unexpected place. According to the show you do, this addition may or may not be worthwhile.

With this method everything is so simple that it cannot fail to work. There are no mechanical traps nor heavy tables. The trick has been a great favorite of mine for years and largely because it has been such a favorite of my audiences. It has never before been released for publication and would not now be let out except for the fact that it is to be in this blog.