The Cups and Balls

The Cups and Balls is probably the oldest magic classic of all, although its exact age is still unknown. However, we know that it was performed by the Greeks and romans more than 2000 years ago. Since that time, the trick, as well as the cups and balls used, have changed places.

• Roman Conjurers were called acetabularii, after the latin word for vinegar jar, acetabulum. They used an empty jar in their cups and balls
• In India, magicians used cups with knobs on top. The balls were simply pieces of cloth filled with cotton.
• Japanese magicians ysed very shallow cups. The balls were made from silk.
• In Turkey, cups were conical in shape and balls were made from cork.
• Galli Galli men were Egyptian magicians who often ended the trick with baby chicks instead of balls

Every serious professional magician has their own routine for the cups and balls. This variety, as well as the simplicity of the basic idea, explain why the trick has been popular for so long.

The Trick begins with three balls underneath three cups. The balls move from one cup to another. When the cups are stacked up, a ball passes right through them. In the end, there might be just one, much bugger ball or perhaps an orange. The Trick may even be done with one cup- The chop cup

Certain Magicians have the cups and balls as part of their repotoire, advancing it so much it can even bewilder an expierienced magician. Some of these people are:

• Penn & Teller: These two maginificent magicians built their career on top of an amazing four-handed cups and balls routine. In it, they use ordinary clear tumblers, but their skill with sleight of hand and misdirection are so high they still can fool you.
• Matthew Buchinger:He was known as the little man of Nuremburg because he was only 29 inches tall. He had no arms or legs, but was an expert magician whose favorite trick was the cups and balls