Ball and Cone

Ball and Cone is a routine in the Cups and Balls genre, that usually is performed in the hands as a manipulative effect for stage or parlor. The routine often use a large billiard ball and a hollow cone.

It is known that Silent Mora performed Ball and Cone in his Chinese Act, but it was through Dai Vernon the effect gained popularity, via the publication of Ball, Cone and Handkerchief in The Dai Vernon Book of Magic.

According to Bill Palmer, the Solid Cone was created by Gary Wolfsberger in 1975.

Variations

• The Solid Cone popularised by Lawrence Steinmeyer
• Uncanny By Paul Harris in Las Vegas Close Up (1978). Reprint in The Art of Astonishment, Vol. 1, page 225.
• Conic Relief, in Deserting The Legion by Tom Stone (2004)

References

• Ball and Cone Flight in Deviltry by Burling Hull (1909)
• Edward Maro's Ball and Cone Trick, The American Magician , Vol. 3 No. 5, September 1911, p. 1
• Conjuring Credits' article on misc:cone_and_ball