Needle Through Balloon

Needle Through Balloon is an illusion where a sharp needle is passed through a balloon without popping it.

First published as "No Bop Balloon" by Canadian Tom Ransom in New Phoenix No. 312 (July 23, 1954)

It was being marketed as "The Pincushion Balloons" by 1956.

"Super Needled Balloon" was created by Boretti from Germany which included a length of ribbon or yarn attached to the needle that also penetrated the balloon.

Doug Henning made the trick popular after performing the illusion on one of his television specials.

One early version in which the balloon was place into a box before piercing with several knitting needles, was published by William Stickland as "The Pneumatic Pincushion" in the March 1930 issue of the Magic Wand (Vol. 18 No. 145, p. 73).

References

• Conjuring Credits' article on misc:needle_through_balloon
• "Tracking Slum Magic to It Lair: The Needle through Balloon" by Max Maven in Gibecière, Vol. 9 No. 1, Winter 2014, p. 87.