August 19, 2025 • 29 mins
In Unmasking of Robert-Houdin, Harry Houdini embarks on a provocative journey to challenge the legacy of the man he once idolized, the esteemed magician Robert-Houdin. Initially inspired by Houdins brilliance, Houdini adopted his name, adding an i to pay homage. However, feeling slighted by the Robert-Houdin family, he penned this work as a means to dismantle their revered image. Ironically, Houdinis efforts to discredit his predecessor backfired, leading to unexpected revelations. Join us as we explore the intricate relationship between two of magics greatest figures. - Summary by Cavaet
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section three of The Unmasking of Robert Houdin. This is
a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Recording by Caveat The Unmasking of A. Robert Houdin by
Harry Houdini, Chapter two, The Orange Tree Trick. Robert Houdin,
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on page one hundred seventy nine of the American edition
of his memoirs, thus describes the orange tree trick, which
he claims as his invention. The next was a mysterious
orange tree on which flowers and fruit burst into life
at the request of the ladies. As the finale, a
handkerchief I borrowed was conveyed into an orange purposely left
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on the tree. This opened and displayed the handkerchief, which
two butterflies took by the corners and unfolded before the spectators.
On page two hundred and forty five of the same volume,
he presents the programme given the first public performance in
the theater Robert Houdin, stating the performance will be composed
of entirely novel experiments invented by Monsieur Robert Houdin, among
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them being the orange Tree, et cetera. Now to retrace
our steps in the history of magic, as set forth
in handbills and advertisements of earlier and contemporaneous newspaper clippings
describing their inventions. Under the title of the Apple Tree,
this mechanical trick appeared on a Forks program dated seventeen thirty.
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This was one hundred and fifteen years before Robert Houdin
claimed it as his invention. In seventeen thirty two, just
before Pinchbeck's death, it appeared in a programme used by
Christopher Pinchbeck Senior and the younger FORX. In seventeen eighty four,
it was included in the repertoire of the Italian conjurer
Pinetti in the guise of Le Bouquet Philosophique. In eighteen
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twenty two, the same trick, at this time called an
enchanted garden, was featured by Monsieur Cornelow, who appeared in
England as the pupil and successor of Pinetti. The trick
was first explained in public print by Henry de Crome
in seventeen eighty four, when his famous expose of Pinetti
was published. Under the title of La Magique blanche du Voillais,
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and in seventeen eighty six eighty seven both Halley and
Whiglib exposed the trick completely in their respective works on magic.
That Robert Houddain was an omnivorous reader is proven by
his own writings. That he knew the history and tricks
of Pinetti is proven by his own words. In chapter
four of his memoirs, he devoted fourteen pages to Pinetti
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and the latter's relations with Tourini. Now to prove that
the tree tricks offered by Forks, Pinchbeck, Pinetti, Connolo, and
Robert Houdain were practically one and the same, and to
tell something of the history of the four magicians who
featured the trick before Robert Houdin had been heard of. Unquestionably,
the real inventor of the mysterious tree was Christopher Pinchbeck,
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who was in England's leading mechanical genius at the close
of the seventeenth century. At the beginning of the eighteenth
he was a man of high repute whose history is
not that of the Charlatan, compiled largely from tradition, but
it can be corroborated by court records, biographical works and encyclopedias,
as well as by contemporaneous newspaper clippings. According to volume
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forty five the Dictionary of the National Biography, edited by
Sidney Lee and published in eighteen ninety six by Smith,
Elder and Company, fifteen Waterloo Place, London. Christopher Pinchbeck was
born about sixteen seventy, possibly in Clarkenwell, London. He was
a clockmaker and inventor of the copper and zinc alloy
called after his name. He invented and made famous the
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astro Nomichio musical clock. In Appleby's Weekly Journal of July eighth,
seventeen twenty one, it was announced that Christopher Pinchbeck, inventor
and maker of the astro Nomichio musical clock, is removed
some Charges Court now Albion Place, to the side of
the Astronomico musical clock in Fleet Street, near the Lake Tavern.
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He maketh and sells watches of all sorts and clocks,
as well as for the exact indication of the time,
only as astronomical for showing the various motions of phenomena
of planets and fixed stars. Mention is also made in
the musical automator in imitation of singing birds and barrel
organs for churches. As among Pinchbeck's manufacturers, Pinchbeck was in
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the habit of exhibiting collections of his automator affairs, sometimes
in conjunction with a juggler named Forks, and he entitled
his stall the Temple of the Muses, Grand Theater of
the Muses or multum inn pavo. The Jail Journal of
August the twenty seventh, seventeen twenty nine announced that the
Prince and Princess of Wales went to the Bartholomew Fair
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to see his exhibition, and there were brief advertisements in
the Daily Posts of June twelfth, seventeen twenty nine, and
the Daily Journal of August twenty second and twenty third,
seventeen twenty nine. There is still a large broadside in
the British Museum eighteen seventy headed moltam In Pavo, relating
to Pinchbeck's exhibition, with a blank left for place and date,
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evidently intended for use as a poster. He died November eighteenth,
seventeen thirty two was buried November twenty first in Saint
Denison's Church Fleet Street. In a copy of The Gentleman's
Magazine printed seventeen thirty two, page one thousand eighty three,
there is an engraved portrait by Eye Favor after a
painting by Isaac Wood, a reproduction of which appears in
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Britain's Clock and Watchmaker, page one hundred twenty two. His will,
dated November tenth, seventeen thirty two, was proved in London
on November eighteenth. During one of his engagements at the
Bartholomew Fair, Pinchbeck probably met Forks, the cleverest sleight of
hand performer that magic has ever known, and the two
joined forces. Pinchbeck made all the automator and apparatus thereafter
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used by Forks, and in Forks he had a master
producer of his tricks. Christopher Pinchbeck never appeared on the
programme used by Forks, save as the maker of his
automator or apparatus, but directly after the death of the
Elder Hawks, and a few months before his own, the
Elder Pinchbeck appeared with the son of his deceased partner
and was advertised as doing the dexterity of hand performance.
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This indicates that he was inducting young forks into all
the mysteries of the profession at which the two elder men,
as friends and business partners, had done so well. Christopher
Pinchbeck was survived by his two sons, Edward and Christopher Junior.
Edward the elder succeeded to his father's shop and regular business.
He was born about seventeen o three and was well
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along in years when he entered into his patrimony, which
he advertised in the Daily Post of November twenty seventh,
seventeen thirty two, as follows, the toys made of the
late mister Pinchbeck's curious metal and now sold only by
his son and sole executor, mister Edward Pinchbeck. This announcement
settles forever the oft disputed question as to were the
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galloy of copper and zinc which bears the name of Pinchbeck,
was invented by Christopher Pinchbeck's senior or by his son,
Christopher Junior. All newspapers and magazine descriptions of the automata
invented by the older Pinchbeck indicated that his hand was
as cunning as his brain was inventive, but they showed
the most delicate mechanism, and included entire landscapes with figures
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of rare grace and motion. Christopher, the second son of
Christopher Pinchbeck, the elder, continues the biographical sketch, was born
about seventeen ten and possessed great mechanical ingenuity. While the
elder son, Edward, was made executor and continued his father's
trade in a quiet conservative fashion, the younger son struck
out along new lines and became even more famous as
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an inventor than his brilliant father had been. He was
a member and at one time president of the Smeetonian Society,
the precursor of the Institution of Civil Engineers. In seventeen
sixty two he devised a self acting pneumatic brick for
permitting an accidents to the men employed in working wheel cranes.
In the Gentleman's Magazine for June seventeen sixty five, page
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two hundred ninety six, it is recorded that Mesus, Pinchbeck
and Norton had made a complicated astronomical clock for the
Queen's House, some of the calculations of the wheel having
been made by James Ferguson, the astronomer. There is no
proof that Pinchbeck and Norton were ever in partnership, and
there are now two clocks entering to the description in
Buckingham Palace, one by Pinchbeck with four dials in a
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very complicated construction, and another by Norton. Pinchbeck took out
three patents. The first, number eight hundred ninety two, granted
seventeen sixty eight, was for an improved candlestick with a
spring sprocket for holding the candle firmly, and an arrangement
whereby the candle always occupied an upright position, however the
candlestick might be held. In seventeen sixty eight patent eight
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hundred ninety nine, he patented his Nocturnal Remembrancer, a series
of tablets with notches to serve as guide were writing
in the dark. His snuffers number one thousand, one hundred
and nineteen, painted seventeen seventy six, continued to be made
in Birmingham until the last forty years or so, when
snuffers began to go out of use. In seventeen seventy
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four he presented to the Society of Arts a model
of a plow for mending roads. Pinchbeck's name first appears
in the London Directory of seventeen seventy eight, when it
replaced that of Richard Pinsbeck, toyman of whom nothing is recorded.
Christopher Pinchbeck Junior was held in considerable esteem by George
the Third, and he figures in Wilkes's London Museum in
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seventeen seventy in a list of the party who called
themselves the King's Friends. He died March seventeenth, seventeen eighty three,
aged seventy three, and was buried into Martins in the Fields.
His will, which was very curious, is printed in full
in the Herolgical Journal of November eighteen ninety five. One
of his daughters married William Hebb, who was described as
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son in law and successor of the late mister Pinchbeck
at his shop in Cockspur Street, imprinted on the Pinchbeck's portrait,
whose son, Christopher Henry Hebb seventeen seventy two eighteen sixty one,
practiced as a surgeon in Worcester. There is in existence
a portrait of Christopher Pinchbeck the Younger by Cunningham, engraved
by W. Humphrey. The mezzo tints of the Pinchbeck's father
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and son herewith reproduced, are extremely rare, and when I
unearthed them in Berlin, I felt myself singularly favored in
securing two such treasures of great value to the history
of magic. S Wall, the antiquarian and dealer for whom
they were purchased, acquired them during a tour of old
books and prit shops in England, and thought them portraits
of one of the same person. But by studying the
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names of the artists engravers on the two pictures, it
will be seen that they were set forth the features
of father and son, as indicated by the biographical notes
quoted above. Of the early history of Fors whose brilliant
stage performance led to the Pinchbeck Automator and New life luster,
little is known. It is practically impossible to trace his
family history. His Christian name was never used in on
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the billing, nor published in papers or magazines, and after
repeated failures, I was about to give up the task
of discovering it, when, in nineteen o four hid by R. Bennett,
the clerk of Saint Martin's in the Fields Parish Church
to Falve Square, London, England, I came upon the record
of his burial. This record, which I found after many
days search among musty faded parchments, showed that his Christian
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name was Isaac, and that he died in May twenty
fifth or twenty ninth, seventeen thirty one, and was buried
in Saint Martyrs in the field of Paris Church. The
records further showed that he was buried in the church vault,
the coffin being carried by six men. Prayers were said
in the church, candles were used, and the great bowel
was told. As The fees amounted as six pounds and
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twelve shillings, are goodly sum for those days. All sciens
indicate that the funeral was on a scale more costly
and impressive than the ordinary. Forkes was worth at his
death ten thousand pounds, which was considered an enormous sum
in those days. Every penny of this he made performing
at the affairs. The earliest announcements of Forkes's performances in
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my collection are dated seventeen o two and included advertisements
headed Forks and Powell, Forks and Phillips and Forx and Pinchbeck.
Powell was the famous puppet Man Phillips, a famous posture
master known today as a contortionist, and Pinchbeck was the
greatest of the mechanicisms. Fork seemed to have possessed a
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singular gift picking out desirable partners. From this massive evidence,
I am producing various clippings by a peculiar coincidence. One
of these I believe offers the most authentic and earliest
record of two a night performances in England. In my
collection are a number of other clippings from the press
of the same year, in April and May seventeen twenty eight,
but none of them says twice a night. Therefore, I
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judge that the customer giving two performances in a night
was tried previously in April seventeen twenty eight, and then
abandoned or after the first of May. In the London
Post of February seventh, seventeen twenty four, FX announced an
exhibition in the long room over the piazza of the
Opera House in the Hay Market, and this time he
also advertised the fact he was about to retire was
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exposing all of his tricks. The clipping of that date
from my collection has the following footnote. Likewise, he designs
to follow this business no longer than this season. So
he promises to learn any lady or gentleman his fancies
and dexterity of hand for their own diversion. When Forx
was not in partnership with some puppet showmen, he always
advertised his own puppets as a court of the richest
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and largest figures ever shown in England, being as big
as men and women. His admission charges varied, but twelve
pence seems to be his favorite figure. About six years
before his death, he had his own theater in James Street,
near the Haymarket, in which he exhibited for months at
a time, before and after affairs. I reproduce a clipping
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for my collection showing Hawk's last program. Here it will
be seen his first trick was to cause a tree
to grow up in a flower pot on the table
and bear fruit in a minute's time. In the Gentleman's
magazine that often quoted a most reliable periodical of February fifteen,
seventeen thirty one, readers were informed that the Algerian ambassadors
witnessed Hawk's performance at their request. He showed them a
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prospect of algiers and raised up an apple tree which
bore ripe fruit in less than a minute's time, which
several of the company tasted. Of. Fkes too had a son,
and thus the partnership and the friendship which had existed
between the elder Forks and the elder Pinchbeck were carried
on in the second generation. All of the marbler's apparatus
made by Pinchbeck the elder for Forks may have been
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bequeathed by the latter to his son. But in seventeen
thirty two Pinchbeck the elder and Forx the younger were
in a booth together, and Pinchbeck was advertised as doing
the dexterity of hand performances. After Christopher Finchbeck's senior died,
young fok'st utted out on his own account in seventeen
forty six, according to an advertisement in my collection, a
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Forkes and a Pinchbeck were together, so the son of
Pinchbeck must have joined the younger Forks for exhibition purposes.
The accompanying clippings from contemporary publications traced the history of
young Forks and proved the tree which bore fruit in
a minute's time was still on his program. For many
years it was supposed that the only one portrait of
Forks was in existence, but it now seems that three
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were made. I published them all as something which no
one had ever been able to do. One was taken
from a Satchel's Fan, published about seventeen twenty eight, although
some authorities say seventeen twenty one. It appeared in Holmes's
Everyday Book page one, two hundred and twenty six. Another,
I believe was engraved by Sutton Nichols, as Hone mentions
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it in his description of Forks. In the fan engraving,
we noticed there appears a man wearing a star on
his left breast. It is said that this is Sir
Robert Walpole, who was Prime Minister while Fukes was at
the height of success, and who was one of the
Conjurer's great admirers. Hogarth also placed Fork in one of
his engravings, at the frontispiece of a most diverting brochure
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on Taste, in which he belittles Burlington Gate. This makes
the third portrait for my collection herewith reproduced. According to
an article contributed by Monseigneur Irelani in the Illusionist of
June nineteen o three. The orange tree next appeared in
the repertoire of a remarkable peasant conjurer, whose building Monseigneur
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granallis found among Afiche di ro Peris. This performer was
billed as the Peasant of North Holland and gave hourly
performance at the yearly affairs at chan Germaine. It is
more than possible that he purchased the strip from Forkes
or Pinchbeck, having ceded at the Bartholomew Fair in England.
He featured the orange tree as follows. He has a
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philosophical flower pot in which he causes to grow on
the table in the presence of the spectators, trees which flower,
and then the flowers fall, and fruit appears absolutely ripe,
ready to be eaten. His posters are dated seventeen forty six,
forty seven and seventeen fifty one. The next program on
which the mysterious tree appears is a Pinetti handbill dated
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in London seventeen eighty four. When the following announcement was made,
Signor Pinetti will afterwards present the assembly with a tree
called le bouquet philosophique, composed of small branches of an
orange tree. The leaves being green and natural, he will
put it under a bottle, and at some distance, by
throwing some drops of water over his own composition, the
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leaves will begin to change, and the bouquet will produce
natural flowers and of various fruits. Pinetti is one of
the most fascinating and picturesqueity of figures in the history
of magic. His full name was Joseph Pinetti de willandaal And,
like Pinchbeck and Forks, he was a man of parts,
readily made friends with the nobility. In fact, there are
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some question as to whether or not he did not
come of a noble family. He was born in seventeen
fifty in Orbital, a fortified town once claimed by Tuscany.
What can be gleaned regarding his early history goes to
prove that his family connections were excellent and his education
was of the best. One of his portraits produced herewith
shows a half crown of Laurel decorating the frame, and
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on one side of the bust is a globe, while
in the rear of the picture is a stack of books.
This would establish claim that he was once a professor
of physics and geography. In fact, the legend beneath the
portrait being translated from the French runs I Pinetti Willendal
de Merci, Professor and demonstrator of physics, Chevalier of the
Order of Saint Philippe, geographical engineer, Financial Chancellor of His
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Royal Highness, Prince Lindburg Holstein, born in Orbital in seventeen fifty.
As it has so often happened in the history of
savants and students, the ran in Pinnetti's blood love of
the mysterious, with that peculiar strain of Charlatanism which went
to make up the clever performer in old time magic. Evidently,
he resigned his duties as professor for the more picturesque
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life of the traveling magician, and it is first heard
from this capacity in the French provinces in seventeen eighty three.
His fame quickly carried him to Paris, where in seventeen
eighty four he appeared before the court of Lous the sixteenth.
His arrival was most opportune for just then all Paris,
and for that matter, all Europe, had been aroused to
a new interest in magic by the brilliant Cagliostro. From
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Paris he went to London, playing at the Haymarket, creating
a sensation equal to that which he made in France.
Later he taught Germany, playing in Berlin and Hamburg. Next
he went to his native land, Italy, but later returned
to Germany for second engagement. In seventeen eighty nine he
appeared in Russia and never left that country. There he
married a Russian girl, daughter of the carriage manufacturer. They
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had two children. Paddetti would have left enormous wealth, but
his later years became interested in ballooning the sensation of
the hour, and spent his entire fortune on balloon experiments.
He died in Batuscheff Follini, aged fifty years. Bennetti was
a man of rare, invented genius, and almost reconstructed the
art of conjuring, so numerous were his inventions. For half
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a century after his death, his successors drew upon Parnetti's
inventions and repertoire for their programmes. Naturally, such ability aroused
bitter jealousies, especially as Parnetti made no attempt to conciliate
his contemporaries, either magicians or writers on magic. He issued
one book whose title page reads Amusement's physique et de
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France experience de verertisment compossee et excutis tante e parisque
d'in de vers courte derrieup par Monsieur Joseph Panetti del
le Guenendal Roman chevalier de u de la merie de
Saint Phelipe, Professieur de mathematiques eti du physiques protege partour
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la meisson guyls d'a france, Pensionard de la Cote de Bruche, etc.
Seventeen eighty five. The work, however, was not a clear
and lucid expedition of his methods and tricks. In fact,
some of its contemporaries claim that he deliberately misrepresented his
methods of performing tricks. Among these writers was Henry de Cramp,
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a brilliant professor of mathematics and physics, and Paris proceeded
to expose all the Penettes's tricks in the book referred
to in the preceding chapter, La Magique buche de Foilli.
This work was in five volumes, and so popular in
its day that it was translated into nearly every modern language.
The following explanation of the trick has taken from page
fifty six the English translation entitled The Conjurer Unmasked. The
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branches of the tree may be made of tin or paper,
so as to be hollow from one end to the other,
in order that air may be entered at the bottom
may find its exit at the top of the branch.
These branches are so adjusted that at intervals there appeared
twigs made from brass wire, but the whole so decorated
with leaves made from parchment that they under ensemble closely
resembles nature. The end of each branch is dilated to
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contain small pieces of gum, silk or very fine gold
beater's skin, which are to catch the figures of the
flowers and fruit when the latter expanded by the air
driven through the branches to which they were fastened by
a silk thread. The tree or nosegay is then placed
on a table through which runs a glass tube to
supply air from beneath the stage, where a confederate works
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this end of the trick and causes the tree to
grow at the pre arranged signal. Later, it was described
as being accomplished entirely by springs, and real oranges were
first struck on the tree by means of pegs or pins,
and the leaves were so execured around them that at
the first appearance they could not be seen. Then a
piston was used to spread all the leaves, and another
that forced the blossom up through the hollow branches, et cetera.
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Benetti's personality was almost as extraordinary as his talents. A
handsome man who knew how to carry himself, acquiring the
graces in the dress of nobility, became rather haughty, if
not arrogant, in his bearing. He so antagonized his contemporaries
in the fields of magic and literature that he was
advertised as much by his bittery enemies as by his
loving friends. Many of his methods of attracting attention to
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himself was singularly like those employed by modern press agents
of theatrical stars. He never trusted to his performances in
theaters and drawing rooms to advertise his abilities, but demonstrated
his art wherever he appeared, from barbershop to cafes. Perhaps
the best pen pictures of Pinetti and his methods were
furnished by E. G. Robertson in his memoirs. Robinson was
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a contemporary of Pinetti, and like him, a pioneering and ballooning.
His memoirs, written in the French language, were published in
eighteen thirty one. The following extract from this interesting book
tell much of Pinnette's life in Russia and of his
professional history. As tradition and actual acquaintance had presented itself
to mister Robertson. Panetti had traveled a great deal, and
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for a long time had enjoyed a great European reputation.
He had done everything to attain it. There was never
a man that carried further the art of Charlatanism. When
he arrived in town where he was intended to give
a show, he took good care to prepare his public
by speeches which would keep up the suspense. Sir Petersburg,
great and incredible examples of mystification and of pressed agitation
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were told about him. One day he went to a
barbershop to get shaved, sat down in a chair, had
the towel tied around his neck, and laid his head back,
ready for the larva. The barber left him in his
position to get hot water, and when he returned, guided
by force of habit, he applied the larva where the
chin should be. But he found feet, arms, hands and body,
and a coat, but no head. Such lamentations, no more head,
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what could it mean? He opened the door, and frightened
the death ran away. Benetti then went to the window
and called the barber back. He had put his head
in his coat in such a clever way of covering
it with his handkerchief that the surprise in the fright
of the barber quite natural. Of course, this barber did
not fail to spread over the whole town that he
had shaved man who could take his head off and
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on to his wish. Pinnetti met in a summer gardener,
young Russian who sold small cakes. He bought a few cakes,
bit into them, and complained of finding a hard substance.
The youth protested, but Pinetti opened the cake before him
and found inside a gold piece. The magician pocketed the
gold piece, bought another cake, then a third cake, and
in each case he found a new gold piece inside.
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He tried to buy the rest of the cakes. The
passers by had, in the meantime come round the cellar,
and everybody wanted to buy as well. The market seemed
to be all right, and duck it for a copek
twelve francs for a cent. The young man refused to
sell any more and hurried away, And when alone opened
the cakes to the left, he found only the substances
which the cakes were made, nothing else. He had two lefts,
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so he hurried back to offer these to Pinnetti. Pinnetti
brought them from him, opened them, and showed in each
one the gold piece which the young men could not
find in the two dozen cakes which he had spoiled.
The poor boy bit his lips and looked at Pennetti
with wondering, frightened eyes. This little adventure was advertised here, there,
and everywhere, and was told in the clubs and society gatherings,
and very soon the name of Pinetti gave the key
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to the enigma, and Panetti was in demand by everybody.
When Petti came on stage, he had the knack of
attracting members of the nobility around his table by letting
them learn some small secrets. This would render them confederates
in working his tricks. He would appear in rich suits
embroidered in gold, which he changed three or four times
in the evening. He would not hesitate to deck himself
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in a quantity of foreign decorations in Berlin was told
how Pinetti would go through the streets in a carriage
drawn by four white horses. He was clad in fine
embroidery and decorated with medals all nations. Several times it
happened that as he passed by, the soldiers would call
arms and salute, taking him for a prince. One day,
the King of Prussia rode out in his modest carriage
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drawn by two horses. Ahead of him drove the supposed prince.
When the King witnessed the mistake made by a soldiers,
he made inquiries as to what rank this man, to
whom the men were paying such great honor, then gave
the cavalier Pinetti twenty four hours to get beyond Prussia's borders.
Whatever may be said of pinetti Charlatanism, it must be
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admitted that he gave to the art of country a
great impetus, which was felt for several generations. It is
not remarkable, therefore, that when the French condition Cornillo appeared
in London in eighteen twenty two, he announced himself as
the pupil and successor of Pinetti. This was when Robert
Houdin was seventeen years old, twenty three years before he
made his professional debut, and on Cornelia's programme, we find
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another version of the now famous and almost familiar tree trick,
as will be seen for the accompanying reproduction of a
Corneliou handbill. The tree now appears as an enchanted garden,
and if the wording of the bill is to be believed,
Cornelou had improved the trick and was using more than
one tree or plant. Cornilleou remained in England for some
time and is classed among the conjurers of good repute.
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Another bill in my collection showed that he played the
Theater of Variety, Catherine Street Strand in October eighteen twenty three.
He was then assisted by several singers and dancers, including
the famous Missus Hamilton and how pupils of Messia Koi.
In his company was also an Anglo Chinese juggler, who,
in addition to feats of juggling, swallows an egg, a
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sword and a stone Alla Roman samis to sum up
the evidence against Robert Houddin in this particular trick, Four
magicians of high repute gave public performances before Robert Houdin
knew and operated the Orange treet trick. Three eminent writers
exposed it clearly and accurately. Robert Houdan, as an indefatiable
student of the history of magic, must have known of
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the trick and its modus operandum. He may have purchased
it from Cornellow, or as a clever mechanician. He had
only to reproduce the trick invented by his predecessors, Train's
confederate in its operation, and by his cleverly written autobiography
attempt to establish his claim to its invention. End of
Section three two
Section three of The Unmasking of Robert Houdin. This is
a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
Recording by Caveat The Unmasking of A. Robert Houdin by
Harry Houdini, Chapter two, The Orange Tree Trick. Robert Houdin,
(00:26):
on page one hundred seventy nine of the American edition
of his memoirs, thus describes the orange tree trick, which
he claims as his invention. The next was a mysterious
orange tree on which flowers and fruit burst into life
at the request of the ladies. As the finale, a
handkerchief I borrowed was conveyed into an orange purposely left
(00:46):
on the tree. This opened and displayed the handkerchief, which
two butterflies took by the corners and unfolded before the spectators.
On page two hundred and forty five of the same volume,
he presents the programme given the first public performance in
the theater Robert Houdin, stating the performance will be composed
of entirely novel experiments invented by Monsieur Robert Houdin, among
(01:11):
them being the orange Tree, et cetera. Now to retrace
our steps in the history of magic, as set forth
in handbills and advertisements of earlier and contemporaneous newspaper clippings
describing their inventions. Under the title of the Apple Tree,
this mechanical trick appeared on a Forks program dated seventeen thirty.
(01:32):
This was one hundred and fifteen years before Robert Houdin
claimed it as his invention. In seventeen thirty two, just
before Pinchbeck's death, it appeared in a programme used by
Christopher Pinchbeck Senior and the younger FORX. In seventeen eighty four,
it was included in the repertoire of the Italian conjurer
Pinetti in the guise of Le Bouquet Philosophique. In eighteen
(01:54):
twenty two, the same trick, at this time called an
enchanted garden, was featured by Monsieur Cornelow, who appeared in
England as the pupil and successor of Pinetti. The trick
was first explained in public print by Henry de Crome
in seventeen eighty four, when his famous expose of Pinetti
was published. Under the title of La Magique blanche du Voillais,
(02:15):
and in seventeen eighty six eighty seven both Halley and
Whiglib exposed the trick completely in their respective works on magic.
That Robert Houddain was an omnivorous reader is proven by
his own writings. That he knew the history and tricks
of Pinetti is proven by his own words. In chapter
four of his memoirs, he devoted fourteen pages to Pinetti
(02:36):
and the latter's relations with Tourini. Now to prove that
the tree tricks offered by Forks, Pinchbeck, Pinetti, Connolo, and
Robert Houdain were practically one and the same, and to
tell something of the history of the four magicians who
featured the trick before Robert Houdin had been heard of. Unquestionably,
the real inventor of the mysterious tree was Christopher Pinchbeck,
(02:59):
who was in England's leading mechanical genius at the close
of the seventeenth century. At the beginning of the eighteenth
he was a man of high repute whose history is
not that of the Charlatan, compiled largely from tradition, but
it can be corroborated by court records, biographical works and encyclopedias,
as well as by contemporaneous newspaper clippings. According to volume
(03:22):
forty five the Dictionary of the National Biography, edited by
Sidney Lee and published in eighteen ninety six by Smith,
Elder and Company, fifteen Waterloo Place, London. Christopher Pinchbeck was
born about sixteen seventy, possibly in Clarkenwell, London. He was
a clockmaker and inventor of the copper and zinc alloy
called after his name. He invented and made famous the
(03:44):
astro Nomichio musical clock. In Appleby's Weekly Journal of July eighth,
seventeen twenty one, it was announced that Christopher Pinchbeck, inventor
and maker of the astro Nomichio musical clock, is removed
some Charges Court now Albion Place, to the side of
the Astronomico musical clock in Fleet Street, near the Lake Tavern.
(04:07):
He maketh and sells watches of all sorts and clocks,
as well as for the exact indication of the time,
only as astronomical for showing the various motions of phenomena
of planets and fixed stars. Mention is also made in
the musical automator in imitation of singing birds and barrel
organs for churches. As among Pinchbeck's manufacturers, Pinchbeck was in
(04:28):
the habit of exhibiting collections of his automator affairs, sometimes
in conjunction with a juggler named Forks, and he entitled
his stall the Temple of the Muses, Grand Theater of
the Muses or multum inn pavo. The Jail Journal of
August the twenty seventh, seventeen twenty nine announced that the
Prince and Princess of Wales went to the Bartholomew Fair
(04:49):
to see his exhibition, and there were brief advertisements in
the Daily Posts of June twelfth, seventeen twenty nine, and
the Daily Journal of August twenty second and twenty third,
seventeen twenty nine. There is still a large broadside in
the British Museum eighteen seventy headed moltam In Pavo, relating
to Pinchbeck's exhibition, with a blank left for place and date,
(05:11):
evidently intended for use as a poster. He died November eighteenth,
seventeen thirty two was buried November twenty first in Saint
Denison's Church Fleet Street. In a copy of The Gentleman's
Magazine printed seventeen thirty two, page one thousand eighty three,
there is an engraved portrait by Eye Favor after a
painting by Isaac Wood, a reproduction of which appears in
(05:33):
Britain's Clock and Watchmaker, page one hundred twenty two. His will,
dated November tenth, seventeen thirty two, was proved in London
on November eighteenth. During one of his engagements at the
Bartholomew Fair, Pinchbeck probably met Forks, the cleverest sleight of
hand performer that magic has ever known, and the two
joined forces. Pinchbeck made all the automator and apparatus thereafter
(05:57):
used by Forks, and in Forks he had a master
producer of his tricks. Christopher Pinchbeck never appeared on the
programme used by Forks, save as the maker of his
automator or apparatus, but directly after the death of the
Elder Hawks, and a few months before his own, the
Elder Pinchbeck appeared with the son of his deceased partner
and was advertised as doing the dexterity of hand performance.
(06:21):
This indicates that he was inducting young forks into all
the mysteries of the profession at which the two elder men,
as friends and business partners, had done so well. Christopher
Pinchbeck was survived by his two sons, Edward and Christopher Junior.
Edward the elder succeeded to his father's shop and regular business.
He was born about seventeen o three and was well
(06:41):
along in years when he entered into his patrimony, which
he advertised in the Daily Post of November twenty seventh,
seventeen thirty two, as follows, the toys made of the
late mister Pinchbeck's curious metal and now sold only by
his son and sole executor, mister Edward Pinchbeck. This announcement
settles forever the oft disputed question as to were the
(07:02):
galloy of copper and zinc which bears the name of Pinchbeck,
was invented by Christopher Pinchbeck's senior or by his son,
Christopher Junior. All newspapers and magazine descriptions of the automata
invented by the older Pinchbeck indicated that his hand was
as cunning as his brain was inventive, but they showed
the most delicate mechanism, and included entire landscapes with figures
(07:22):
of rare grace and motion. Christopher, the second son of
Christopher Pinchbeck, the elder, continues the biographical sketch, was born
about seventeen ten and possessed great mechanical ingenuity. While the
elder son, Edward, was made executor and continued his father's
trade in a quiet conservative fashion, the younger son struck
out along new lines and became even more famous as
(07:45):
an inventor than his brilliant father had been. He was
a member and at one time president of the Smeetonian Society,
the precursor of the Institution of Civil Engineers. In seventeen
sixty two he devised a self acting pneumatic brick for
permitting an accidents to the men employed in working wheel cranes.
In the Gentleman's Magazine for June seventeen sixty five, page
(08:06):
two hundred ninety six, it is recorded that Mesus, Pinchbeck
and Norton had made a complicated astronomical clock for the
Queen's House, some of the calculations of the wheel having
been made by James Ferguson, the astronomer. There is no
proof that Pinchbeck and Norton were ever in partnership, and
there are now two clocks entering to the description in
Buckingham Palace, one by Pinchbeck with four dials in a
(08:29):
very complicated construction, and another by Norton. Pinchbeck took out
three patents. The first, number eight hundred ninety two, granted
seventeen sixty eight, was for an improved candlestick with a
spring sprocket for holding the candle firmly, and an arrangement
whereby the candle always occupied an upright position, however the
candlestick might be held. In seventeen sixty eight patent eight
(08:53):
hundred ninety nine, he patented his Nocturnal Remembrancer, a series
of tablets with notches to serve as guide were writing
in the dark. His snuffers number one thousand, one hundred
and nineteen, painted seventeen seventy six, continued to be made
in Birmingham until the last forty years or so, when
snuffers began to go out of use. In seventeen seventy
(09:14):
four he presented to the Society of Arts a model
of a plow for mending roads. Pinchbeck's name first appears
in the London Directory of seventeen seventy eight, when it
replaced that of Richard Pinsbeck, toyman of whom nothing is recorded.
Christopher Pinchbeck Junior was held in considerable esteem by George
the Third, and he figures in Wilkes's London Museum in
(09:37):
seventeen seventy in a list of the party who called
themselves the King's Friends. He died March seventeenth, seventeen eighty three,
aged seventy three, and was buried into Martins in the Fields.
His will, which was very curious, is printed in full
in the Herolgical Journal of November eighteen ninety five. One
of his daughters married William Hebb, who was described as
(10:00):
son in law and successor of the late mister Pinchbeck
at his shop in Cockspur Street, imprinted on the Pinchbeck's portrait,
whose son, Christopher Henry Hebb seventeen seventy two eighteen sixty one,
practiced as a surgeon in Worcester. There is in existence
a portrait of Christopher Pinchbeck the Younger by Cunningham, engraved
by W. Humphrey. The mezzo tints of the Pinchbeck's father
(10:23):
and son herewith reproduced, are extremely rare, and when I
unearthed them in Berlin, I felt myself singularly favored in
securing two such treasures of great value to the history
of magic. S Wall, the antiquarian and dealer for whom
they were purchased, acquired them during a tour of old
books and prit shops in England, and thought them portraits
of one of the same person. But by studying the
(10:45):
names of the artists engravers on the two pictures, it
will be seen that they were set forth the features
of father and son, as indicated by the biographical notes
quoted above. Of the early history of Fors whose brilliant
stage performance led to the Pinchbeck Automator and New life luster,
little is known. It is practically impossible to trace his
family history. His Christian name was never used in on
(11:07):
the billing, nor published in papers or magazines, and after
repeated failures, I was about to give up the task
of discovering it, when, in nineteen o four hid by R. Bennett,
the clerk of Saint Martin's in the Fields Parish Church
to Falve Square, London, England, I came upon the record
of his burial. This record, which I found after many
days search among musty faded parchments, showed that his Christian
(11:29):
name was Isaac, and that he died in May twenty
fifth or twenty ninth, seventeen thirty one, and was buried
in Saint Martyrs in the field of Paris Church. The
records further showed that he was buried in the church vault,
the coffin being carried by six men. Prayers were said
in the church, candles were used, and the great bowel
was told. As The fees amounted as six pounds and
(11:51):
twelve shillings, are goodly sum for those days. All sciens
indicate that the funeral was on a scale more costly
and impressive than the ordinary. Forkes was worth at his
death ten thousand pounds, which was considered an enormous sum
in those days. Every penny of this he made performing
at the affairs. The earliest announcements of Forkes's performances in
(12:11):
my collection are dated seventeen o two and included advertisements
headed Forks and Powell, Forks and Phillips and Forx and Pinchbeck.
Powell was the famous puppet Man Phillips, a famous posture
master known today as a contortionist, and Pinchbeck was the
greatest of the mechanicisms. Fork seemed to have possessed a
(12:32):
singular gift picking out desirable partners. From this massive evidence,
I am producing various clippings by a peculiar coincidence. One
of these I believe offers the most authentic and earliest
record of two a night performances in England. In my
collection are a number of other clippings from the press
of the same year, in April and May seventeen twenty eight,
but none of them says twice a night. Therefore, I
(12:54):
judge that the customer giving two performances in a night
was tried previously in April seventeen twenty eight, and then
abandoned or after the first of May. In the London
Post of February seventh, seventeen twenty four, FX announced an
exhibition in the long room over the piazza of the
Opera House in the Hay Market, and this time he
also advertised the fact he was about to retire was
(13:16):
exposing all of his tricks. The clipping of that date
from my collection has the following footnote. Likewise, he designs
to follow this business no longer than this season. So
he promises to learn any lady or gentleman his fancies
and dexterity of hand for their own diversion. When Forx
was not in partnership with some puppet showmen, he always
advertised his own puppets as a court of the richest
(13:38):
and largest figures ever shown in England, being as big
as men and women. His admission charges varied, but twelve
pence seems to be his favorite figure. About six years
before his death, he had his own theater in James Street,
near the Haymarket, in which he exhibited for months at
a time, before and after affairs. I reproduce a clipping
(13:58):
for my collection showing Hawk's last program. Here it will
be seen his first trick was to cause a tree
to grow up in a flower pot on the table
and bear fruit in a minute's time. In the Gentleman's
magazine that often quoted a most reliable periodical of February fifteen,
seventeen thirty one, readers were informed that the Algerian ambassadors
witnessed Hawk's performance at their request. He showed them a
(14:23):
prospect of algiers and raised up an apple tree which
bore ripe fruit in less than a minute's time, which
several of the company tasted. Of. Fkes too had a son,
and thus the partnership and the friendship which had existed
between the elder Forks and the elder Pinchbeck were carried
on in the second generation. All of the marbler's apparatus
made by Pinchbeck the elder for Forks may have been
(14:44):
bequeathed by the latter to his son. But in seventeen
thirty two Pinchbeck the elder and Forx the younger were
in a booth together, and Pinchbeck was advertised as doing
the dexterity of hand performances. After Christopher Finchbeck's senior died,
young fok'st utted out on his own account in seventeen
forty six, according to an advertisement in my collection, a
(15:05):
Forkes and a Pinchbeck were together, so the son of
Pinchbeck must have joined the younger Forks for exhibition purposes.
The accompanying clippings from contemporary publications traced the history of
young Forks and proved the tree which bore fruit in
a minute's time was still on his program. For many
years it was supposed that the only one portrait of
Forks was in existence, but it now seems that three
(15:28):
were made. I published them all as something which no
one had ever been able to do. One was taken
from a Satchel's Fan, published about seventeen twenty eight, although
some authorities say seventeen twenty one. It appeared in Holmes's
Everyday Book page one, two hundred and twenty six. Another,
I believe was engraved by Sutton Nichols, as Hone mentions
(15:50):
it in his description of Forks. In the fan engraving,
we noticed there appears a man wearing a star on
his left breast. It is said that this is Sir
Robert Walpole, who was Prime Minister while Fukes was at
the height of success, and who was one of the
Conjurer's great admirers. Hogarth also placed Fork in one of
his engravings, at the frontispiece of a most diverting brochure
(16:11):
on Taste, in which he belittles Burlington Gate. This makes
the third portrait for my collection herewith reproduced. According to
an article contributed by Monseigneur Irelani in the Illusionist of
June nineteen o three. The orange tree next appeared in
the repertoire of a remarkable peasant conjurer, whose building Monseigneur
(16:33):
granallis found among Afiche di ro Peris. This performer was
billed as the Peasant of North Holland and gave hourly
performance at the yearly affairs at chan Germaine. It is
more than possible that he purchased the strip from Forkes
or Pinchbeck, having ceded at the Bartholomew Fair in England.
He featured the orange tree as follows. He has a
(16:54):
philosophical flower pot in which he causes to grow on
the table in the presence of the spectators, trees which flower,
and then the flowers fall, and fruit appears absolutely ripe,
ready to be eaten. His posters are dated seventeen forty six,
forty seven and seventeen fifty one. The next program on
which the mysterious tree appears is a Pinetti handbill dated
(17:15):
in London seventeen eighty four. When the following announcement was made,
Signor Pinetti will afterwards present the assembly with a tree
called le bouquet philosophique, composed of small branches of an
orange tree. The leaves being green and natural, he will
put it under a bottle, and at some distance, by
throwing some drops of water over his own composition, the
(17:35):
leaves will begin to change, and the bouquet will produce
natural flowers and of various fruits. Pinetti is one of
the most fascinating and picturesqueity of figures in the history
of magic. His full name was Joseph Pinetti de willandaal And,
like Pinchbeck and Forks, he was a man of parts,
readily made friends with the nobility. In fact, there are
(17:58):
some question as to whether or not he did not
come of a noble family. He was born in seventeen
fifty in Orbital, a fortified town once claimed by Tuscany.
What can be gleaned regarding his early history goes to
prove that his family connections were excellent and his education
was of the best. One of his portraits produced herewith
shows a half crown of Laurel decorating the frame, and
(18:20):
on one side of the bust is a globe, while
in the rear of the picture is a stack of books.
This would establish claim that he was once a professor
of physics and geography. In fact, the legend beneath the
portrait being translated from the French runs I Pinetti Willendal
de Merci, Professor and demonstrator of physics, Chevalier of the
Order of Saint Philippe, geographical engineer, Financial Chancellor of His
(18:41):
Royal Highness, Prince Lindburg Holstein, born in Orbital in seventeen fifty.
As it has so often happened in the history of
savants and students, the ran in Pinnetti's blood love of
the mysterious, with that peculiar strain of Charlatanism which went
to make up the clever performer in old time magic. Evidently,
he resigned his duties as professor for the more picturesque
(19:04):
life of the traveling magician, and it is first heard
from this capacity in the French provinces in seventeen eighty three.
His fame quickly carried him to Paris, where in seventeen
eighty four he appeared before the court of Lous the sixteenth.
His arrival was most opportune for just then all Paris,
and for that matter, all Europe, had been aroused to
a new interest in magic by the brilliant Cagliostro. From
(19:28):
Paris he went to London, playing at the Haymarket, creating
a sensation equal to that which he made in France.
Later he taught Germany, playing in Berlin and Hamburg. Next
he went to his native land, Italy, but later returned
to Germany for second engagement. In seventeen eighty nine he
appeared in Russia and never left that country. There he
married a Russian girl, daughter of the carriage manufacturer. They
(19:50):
had two children. Paddetti would have left enormous wealth, but
his later years became interested in ballooning the sensation of
the hour, and spent his entire fortune on balloon experiments.
He died in Batuscheff Follini, aged fifty years. Bennetti was
a man of rare, invented genius, and almost reconstructed the
art of conjuring, so numerous were his inventions. For half
(20:13):
a century after his death, his successors drew upon Parnetti's
inventions and repertoire for their programmes. Naturally, such ability aroused
bitter jealousies, especially as Parnetti made no attempt to conciliate
his contemporaries, either magicians or writers on magic. He issued
one book whose title page reads Amusement's physique et de
(20:33):
France experience de verertisment compossee et excutis tante e parisque
d'in de vers courte derrieup par Monsieur Joseph Panetti del
le Guenendal Roman chevalier de u de la merie de
Saint Phelipe, Professieur de mathematiques eti du physiques protege partour
(20:55):
la meisson guyls d'a france, Pensionard de la Cote de Bruche, etc.
Seventeen eighty five. The work, however, was not a clear
and lucid expedition of his methods and tricks. In fact,
some of its contemporaries claim that he deliberately misrepresented his
methods of performing tricks. Among these writers was Henry de Cramp,
(21:15):
a brilliant professor of mathematics and physics, and Paris proceeded
to expose all the Penettes's tricks in the book referred
to in the preceding chapter, La Magique buche de Foilli.
This work was in five volumes, and so popular in
its day that it was translated into nearly every modern language.
The following explanation of the trick has taken from page
fifty six the English translation entitled The Conjurer Unmasked. The
(21:42):
branches of the tree may be made of tin or paper,
so as to be hollow from one end to the other,
in order that air may be entered at the bottom
may find its exit at the top of the branch.
These branches are so adjusted that at intervals there appeared
twigs made from brass wire, but the whole so decorated
with leaves made from parchment that they under ensemble closely
resembles nature. The end of each branch is dilated to
(22:04):
contain small pieces of gum, silk or very fine gold
beater's skin, which are to catch the figures of the
flowers and fruit when the latter expanded by the air
driven through the branches to which they were fastened by
a silk thread. The tree or nosegay is then placed
on a table through which runs a glass tube to
supply air from beneath the stage, where a confederate works
(22:26):
this end of the trick and causes the tree to
grow at the pre arranged signal. Later, it was described
as being accomplished entirely by springs, and real oranges were
first struck on the tree by means of pegs or pins,
and the leaves were so execured around them that at
the first appearance they could not be seen. Then a
piston was used to spread all the leaves, and another
that forced the blossom up through the hollow branches, et cetera.
(22:49):
Benetti's personality was almost as extraordinary as his talents. A
handsome man who knew how to carry himself, acquiring the
graces in the dress of nobility, became rather haughty, if
not arrogant, in his bearing. He so antagonized his contemporaries
in the fields of magic and literature that he was
advertised as much by his bittery enemies as by his
loving friends. Many of his methods of attracting attention to
(23:12):
himself was singularly like those employed by modern press agents
of theatrical stars. He never trusted to his performances in
theaters and drawing rooms to advertise his abilities, but demonstrated
his art wherever he appeared, from barbershop to cafes. Perhaps
the best pen pictures of Pinetti and his methods were
furnished by E. G. Robertson in his memoirs. Robinson was
(23:34):
a contemporary of Pinetti, and like him, a pioneering and ballooning.
His memoirs, written in the French language, were published in
eighteen thirty one. The following extract from this interesting book
tell much of Pinnette's life in Russia and of his
professional history. As tradition and actual acquaintance had presented itself
to mister Robertson. Panetti had traveled a great deal, and
(23:55):
for a long time had enjoyed a great European reputation.
He had done everything to attain it. There was never
a man that carried further the art of Charlatanism. When
he arrived in town where he was intended to give
a show, he took good care to prepare his public
by speeches which would keep up the suspense. Sir Petersburg,
great and incredible examples of mystification and of pressed agitation
(24:17):
were told about him. One day he went to a
barbershop to get shaved, sat down in a chair, had
the towel tied around his neck, and laid his head back,
ready for the larva. The barber left him in his
position to get hot water, and when he returned, guided
by force of habit, he applied the larva where the
chin should be. But he found feet, arms, hands and body,
and a coat, but no head. Such lamentations, no more head,
(24:41):
what could it mean? He opened the door, and frightened
the death ran away. Benetti then went to the window
and called the barber back. He had put his head
in his coat in such a clever way of covering
it with his handkerchief that the surprise in the fright
of the barber quite natural. Of course, this barber did
not fail to spread over the whole town that he
had shaved man who could take his head off and
(25:02):
on to his wish. Pinnetti met in a summer gardener,
young Russian who sold small cakes. He bought a few cakes,
bit into them, and complained of finding a hard substance.
The youth protested, but Pinetti opened the cake before him
and found inside a gold piece. The magician pocketed the
gold piece, bought another cake, then a third cake, and
in each case he found a new gold piece inside.
(25:23):
He tried to buy the rest of the cakes. The
passers by had, in the meantime come round the cellar,
and everybody wanted to buy as well. The market seemed
to be all right, and duck it for a copek
twelve francs for a cent. The young man refused to
sell any more and hurried away, And when alone opened
the cakes to the left, he found only the substances
which the cakes were made, nothing else. He had two lefts,
(25:43):
so he hurried back to offer these to Pinnetti. Pinnetti
brought them from him, opened them, and showed in each
one the gold piece which the young men could not
find in the two dozen cakes which he had spoiled.
The poor boy bit his lips and looked at Pennetti
with wondering, frightened eyes. This little adventure was advertised here, there,
and everywhere, and was told in the clubs and society gatherings,
and very soon the name of Pinetti gave the key
(26:06):
to the enigma, and Panetti was in demand by everybody.
When Petti came on stage, he had the knack of
attracting members of the nobility around his table by letting
them learn some small secrets. This would render them confederates
in working his tricks. He would appear in rich suits
embroidered in gold, which he changed three or four times
in the evening. He would not hesitate to deck himself
(26:28):
in a quantity of foreign decorations in Berlin was told
how Pinetti would go through the streets in a carriage
drawn by four white horses. He was clad in fine
embroidery and decorated with medals all nations. Several times it
happened that as he passed by, the soldiers would call
arms and salute, taking him for a prince. One day,
the King of Prussia rode out in his modest carriage
(26:49):
drawn by two horses. Ahead of him drove the supposed prince.
When the King witnessed the mistake made by a soldiers,
he made inquiries as to what rank this man, to
whom the men were paying such great honor, then gave
the cavalier Pinetti twenty four hours to get beyond Prussia's borders.
Whatever may be said of pinetti Charlatanism, it must be
(27:10):
admitted that he gave to the art of country a
great impetus, which was felt for several generations. It is
not remarkable, therefore, that when the French condition Cornillo appeared
in London in eighteen twenty two, he announced himself as
the pupil and successor of Pinetti. This was when Robert
Houdin was seventeen years old, twenty three years before he
made his professional debut, and on Cornelia's programme, we find
(27:32):
another version of the now famous and almost familiar tree trick,
as will be seen for the accompanying reproduction of a
Corneliou handbill. The tree now appears as an enchanted garden,
and if the wording of the bill is to be believed,
Cornelou had improved the trick and was using more than
one tree or plant. Cornilleou remained in England for some
time and is classed among the conjurers of good repute.
(27:55):
Another bill in my collection showed that he played the
Theater of Variety, Catherine Street Strand in October eighteen twenty three.
He was then assisted by several singers and dancers, including
the famous Missus Hamilton and how pupils of Messia Koi.
In his company was also an Anglo Chinese juggler, who,
in addition to feats of juggling, swallows an egg, a
(28:15):
sword and a stone Alla Roman samis to sum up
the evidence against Robert Houddin in this particular trick, Four
magicians of high repute gave public performances before Robert Houdin
knew and operated the Orange treet trick. Three eminent writers
exposed it clearly and accurately. Robert Houdan, as an indefatiable
student of the history of magic, must have known of
(28:37):
the trick and its modus operandum. He may have purchased
it from Cornellow, or as a clever mechanician. He had
only to reproduce the trick invented by his predecessors, Train's
confederate in its operation, and by his cleverly written autobiography
attempt to establish his claim to its invention. End of
Section three two
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.