THE BROKEN AND RESTORED
MATCH
EFFECT: The magician displays a wooden kitchen match and gives it to
a spectator for examination. The performer then spreads out his pocket handkerchief on the
table and places the match on the handkerchief near the center. He now folds the four
corners of the handkerchief over the match so it is hidden from view. The magician asks
the spectator to grip the match in both hands, through the folds of cloth, and break it
into a number of pieces. Without any suspicious moves, the performer unfolds the
handkerchief revealing the match completely unharmed —
fully restored to its original condition!
| SECRET AND
PREPARATION: The secret to this
mystery depends on the use of a certain type of handkerchief. It must be the kind which
has a wide hem around the sides. This enables you to secretly conceal a duplicate match
inside the hem. The audience is never aware of the duplicate match. NOTE: Toothpicks
may also be used quite effectively in this trick instead of matches. |
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(A) To prepare, carefully insert the match into the
open end of the hem of the handkerchief. Push it just far enough inside so that it is
completely hidden from view. In the illustrations, the corners of the handkerchief have
been labeled A, B, C, and D with the match inside the hem at Corner A. Fold the
handkerchief and place it in your pocket and have a box of duplicate matches handy for the
presentation.
| METHOD: |
| 1. Display
the box of matches and open it,
requesting that a spectator select one match to use in the trick. This done, remove your
handkerchief (with the secret match hidden in the hem) and spread it on the table in front
of you. Place the handkerchief so that the hidden match is in the lower right-hand
comer (A) nearest you. Now, take the match from the spectator and place it in the
center of the handkerchief as shown. Note that both matches are running parallel to one another at the start. |
 |
2. Now, fold Corner A up and over the
center of the handkerchief placing the secret match by the selected match. Notice that the
selected match and the secret match are now perpendicular to each other.
This way, it will be easy for you to distinguish which match is which without having
to see them. Now you can rely upon your sense of touch to tell them apart. |
 |
3. Next, fold the top left Corner over
the selected match and over Corner A as shown.
|
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4. Then fold Corner B over Corners A
and C as in the illustration. |
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5. Finally, bring Corner D over Corners
A, B, and C as shown. |
 |
6. Now, openly and deliberately grasp
the secret match through the folds of the handkerchief and hold it between the
thumb and fingers of both hands. You can be sure to grasp the secret match easily by simply "feeling" for the match that runs
parallel to the edge of the table nearest you. NOTE: The selected match remains within the handkerchief. |
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7. Now, hand the match to the
spectator. |
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8. Instruct him to break it several
times through the fabric of the handkerchief. He believes he is breaking the same match
which he just selected and watched you fold inside the handkerchief. |
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| 9. When the spectator is quite satisfied that the match has
been completely destroyed, slowly and deliberately unfold each corner of the handkerchief
one at a time. |
 |
| 10. As you unfold Corner C with your left hand, keep your right
hand over Corner A to conceal any possible bulge or disconfiguration of the hem, due to
the broken shape of the secret match. When you have completely opened the handkerchief,
the audience will be amazed to see that the broken match is now completely restored. |
 |
| 11. Immediately give the match to the spectator for examination.
Hold up the handkerchief, shake it, and show it on both sides so that all can see that it
is completely empty before you casually replace it in your pocket. |
|
HAVE FUN WITH IT
!
Reproduced with permission from Mark
Wilson's Complete Course in Magic
Copyright © 1975, 1981, 1988 by Mark Wilson, Mark Wilson Course in Magic
published by Running Press,
Philadelphia and London.
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