120:, a magician working in the United States, presented the first version which might look familiar to modern audiences. Goldin's assistant lay in a box from which her feet, head and hands protruded. Goldin sawed through the middle of the box, inserting metal sheets to cover the cut ends, and then pushed the two halves a little way apart. This process was then reversed, and the assistant released unharmed. Goldin later developed a sawing illusion that dispensed with boxes and used a large buzzsaw. The success of Selbit and then Goldin led to more and more magicians trying to imitate them with copies or improved versions of sawing illusions. By November 1921 the Thayer magic company in America was advertising a version for sale. A complete prop from Thayer would cost $ 175 or they would sell plans for $ 5.
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an opening at the top of the cabinet and a panel at the bottom of the front of the cabinet is opened to show the assistant's legs. A sword or blade is then placed into a slot at the point where the top of the half-height table meets the cabinet. The top of the cabinet then slides across onto the table, giving the impression that the top half of the assistant has been moved sideways and in the process been severed from the legs by the blade. Panels in the front of the cabinet are opened to show the top and bottom halves of the assistant apparently separate. The top of the cabinet is then slid back into its original position and the assistant emerges unharmed. The effect and method are credited to designer Jim
Steinmeyer.
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victim a practical proposition. It was also true that an illusion designed for a lithe woman might be more compact and deceptive than one tailored to fit a man. However, more controversially, a combination of the emancipation of women and a population desensitized by war and exposed to new entertainment phenomena meant Selbit's choice struck a chord in the public imagination. In
Steinmeyer's words: "beyond the practical concerns, the image of the woman in peril became a specific fashion in entertainment".
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97:, to try to persuade one of them to book his new act for public shows. His trick, which he billed as "Sawing Through A Woman", was significantly different from what a modern audience would expect. Selbit's assistant was locked inside a closed wooden crate and could not be seen. The impression that she could not evade the saw was created by the confined space in the box and by ropes tied to her hands, feet, and neck, which were held throughout the illusion by spectators from the audience.
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emerge from holes in one end of the box and her feet from the other. The box is closed and then sawn through across the middle. Dividers are placed into the box either side of the cut and it is then pulled apart so the sections can be seen clearly separated. The assistant's head and hands are seen sticking out of one section and her feet out of the other. The box is then pushed together again and opened and the assistant emerges unharmed.
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standards. The ends of the box are initially open when the assistant climbs in. Once the assistant is lying down she is secured in place by having stocks placed over her neck and ankles. The stocks form the ends of the box. The shallow box adds to the impression that the assistant could not possibly find room to evade the saw blade even if she could release herself from the stocks and try to curl up in one half of the box.
144:. Most "box" sawings give the illusion of the two halves of the assistant being moved apart, although there are versions where the effect is simply that a blade must have passed through the assistant's body. In some versions the box completely covers the assistant while in others the assistant's head, hands and feet remain in view during the trick.
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example, they might be in different colored costumes, of different skin colors, or of different genders. After the box halves are separated they are jumbled up and then re-assembled so that the bottom half of one box is matched to the top of the other and vice versa. When the victims emerge, each appears to have been given the other's lower half.
178:, New York, on 3 June 1921. On that occasion the trick was not well received. The box he used was large and not very deceptive and instead of an attractive woman he employed a bellboy as an assistant. The impression given was that he was clumsily and hurriedly trying to cash in on Selbit's success in Britain. However, fellow magician
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fixed in place over the assistant, covering her completely. Side panels are opened to show the assistant is still in place lying flat on her back. The assistant is then divided into two. Sometimes the division is accomplished merely by pushing two metal dividing panels into slots near where the two halves meet.
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Male assistants were common in magic history and in the
Victorian era; the cumbersome clothes imposed on women by the fashions of the time made it impractical for them to squeeze into confined spaces required by some tricks. Changing fashions in the early 20th century made Selbit's choice of a female
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P. T. Selbit's original performances in London in
January 1921 were special because the effect was new and shocking to audiences of the time. Such was the impact of Selbit's creation that, for decades afterwards, other magicians would try to emulate and improve on what he had done, thus affecting the
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and proceeds to saw through the volunteer assistant, with the blade guided within the frame. Once the blade has apparently passed all the way through the volunteer assistant the frame is released and removed. It is then revealed that the volunteer assistant is encircled by the handle and blade of the
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and proceeds to align the blade into a slot in the frame. The magician switches on the saw and apparently uses it to slice through the audience volunteer's waist, which remains obscured by the frame. The saw emerges from the opposite side of the frame. Once the sawing is finished the frame is removed
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The ropes or chains are threaded through holes in the table and the ends given to volunteers, who are instructed to pull them tight and hold them that way throughout the illusion. The assistant is thus pulled down onto her back and secured in that position. Two halves of a large box are presented and
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Another variant has a false table on which the box rests. This allows the carved out table to be used as a place for the woman to crawl up in and avoid the saw. Her feet are replaced with fakes that are moved with electric motors. These motors have the ability to move the feet, but only slightly, as
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is sometimes billed as an "upright dividing the lady in two". The prop is a vertical cabinet which stands alongside a table-like structure that is half its height. The assistant enters the cabinet through a door in the side away from the table structure. The assistant's face can be seen peering from
243:", in which the box used is both particularly slim and also transparent. The concept of "Clearly Impossible" has been credited to Jonathan Pendragon and the major distinguishing feature of The Pendragons' illusion from the Les Arnold concept is that the transparent boxes are seemingly never covered.
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The question of who was the first woman to be sawn in half has received much less publicity than the question of which magician first presented the illusion. According to Jim
Steinmeyer the woman who participated in the December 1920 demonstration was Jan Glenrose, who was Selbit's main assistant at
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Once the table reaches the end of its travel and the saw is switched off the assistant is released and shown to be in one piece and uninjured. The strip of wood that had been placed beneath her is shown to have been sawn into two strips, thus reinforcing that the saw really did cut in the manner it
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The "double sawing illusion" is a way of adding an extra effect to box-type sawings. It is generally associated with the "thin-model" sawing apparatus. The magician saws two people in half using two sets of apparatus. The people are usually chosen or dressed so as to be clearly distinguishable. For
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are often cited as the most horrific presentations of a sawing illusion. Richiardi used a buzzsaw prop similar to that employed by Sorcar but he greatly added to the shock value by incorporating fake blood and entrails, which were sprayed over the stage (and sometimes beyond it) as the saw went to
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Sometimes the magician might give the impression of hypnotizing the assistant into a rigid trance before having her lifted onto the table. She is secured in place with two metal "straps" that close over her waist and which align close to the plane of the saw. She might also be further secured with
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This version of the illusion is usually performed using a volunteer from the audience as the assistant being sawn in half, and can be performed without any prior rehearsal with the audience volunteer. The audience volunteer lies down on a table. A frame is placed over her middle. The magician then
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The thin model sawing is one of the most common variants performed by contemporary magicians. The basic arrangement and sequence of events is similar to that described for the Goldin box sawings (see above). However, the box appears very shallow in comparison to Goldin's, which was large by modern
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Sometimes the cutting of the assistant is emphasised by sawing between the two halves of the box before sliding the dividers into place. Catches are released to allow the table to be separated into two halves along with the box. The halves are parted and the assistant thus appears to have been cut
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The magician presents a rectangular table just big enough to accommodate a person lying upon it. An assistant is introduced and several assistants are recruited from the audience. The magician presents a set of restraints consisting of a sturdy collar and a pair of ankle straps, each attached to a
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After a while the sides of the box fall away to reveal the performer struggling to escape the manacles. Finally the saw drops before the performer has time to escape. The blade slices right through the performer's body. The two halves of the table are rolled apart so that the performer is clearly
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The basic form of Goldin's box sawings was as follows. The magician presents a box which is similar in size and proportion to that used in the Selbit sawing but which is already in a horizontal position. An assistant climbs into the box and lies down. In the process her head and hands are seen to
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Several volunteers are recruited from the audience. One or more of these people are invited to tie ropes around the assistant's wrists, ankles and neck. The assistant then steps into a wooden crate or box, which is similar in proportion to but slightly larger than a coffin. The ropes are threaded
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has concluded that there was probably no real
Torrini and the story was merely a way for Robert-Houdin to play with ideas. It was suggested during a court case in 1922 that the trick can be traced back to ancient Egypt; however, this claim has not been substantiated. Wherever the idea originated,
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The magician then saws right through the centre of the box, dividing it into two. The sections are pulled slightly apart and the assistant's torso is visible. The impression is that the saw blade must have passed through the assistant's midriff. The assistant is then released from the box and is
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and a table sufficiently large to carry a person lying flat. It is shown that the table travels beneath the saw, leaving little or no gap, so that anything placed upon it in the path of the saw would be sliced through. The table is moved either by an electric mechanism or by some form of manual
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to perfect the illusion. Jansen's improved version of the apparatus featured a smaller box from which the victim's head and feet would protrude during the sawing. Goldin, Thurston and various other magicians employed by Goldin toured the United States performing this trick with great success at
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One variant presents the front of the box to the audience (A). Expecting the box is the size of an ordinary chest, they may assume that the "victim" is arranged (B), crossing the path of the saw. In reality, the box may be deeper (which the audience cannot see from their perspective), and the
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theatres belonging to the Keith-Orpheum group. Goldin had great promotional acumen and was fond of resorting to legal action to block anyone else, including Selbit, from competing with him in the USA. As a result, Goldin was sometimes wrongly credited as the originator of the sawing illusion.
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no technology exists to make realistic-looking feet of flesh or the ability to move the toes of the feet; this means that all fake feet must be wearing shoes during the performance. This method is generally not in use today, as the false table must be extremely thick to conceal the assistant.
218:. Whilst Wakeling performed this illusion and perfected aspects of it, the general configuration and method have been attributed to an earlier magician, Virgil Harris Mulkey (1900–1989), aka. "The Great Virgil", who first performed it in 1942 and later passed on the idea to Wakeling.
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This variant begins in a similar way to the jig sawing and is also usually performed using an audience volunteer as the assistant, again without any prior rehearsal. With the assistant lying on a table, the magician fixes a frame over her midriff. The magician then presents a
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A public show ‘Phauna - Grand
Conjuring Performance’ at the Warminster Athenaeum in Wiltshire, 11 and 12 January 1887, included the illusion by Mr F I Flower of sawing his magician’s assistant, Miss Sylvester in half. This could claim to be the earliest record of this act.
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theatre. In particular, Steinmeyer identifies the sawing illusion as the beginning of a fashion for magic featuring female assistants in the role of victim. He says the cliche of "pretty ladies teased and tortured by magicians" was not a cliche prior to Selbit's illusion.
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happily obliges, throughout attempting to expose the fraud of this trick. After the trick is over, Daffy tries to show the audience he isn't cut in half, only for his upper and lower halves to jump whenever he is angry. (His response: "Hmmph. It's a good thing I got
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straps or manacles at her wrists and ankles. A strip of wood is pushed beneath her waist in line with the saw. The saw is then started and the table set in motion. The saw visibly passes through the assistant and generally sounds like it is sawing through something.
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Goldin presented several sawing illusions that involved a box. To audiences they all appeared largely similar but they involved differing methods, which were steadily improved as time went on and as earlier methods were exposed. His first performance was at the
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crank. The buzzsaw is generally driven by an electric motor. To demonstrate the saw is completely genuine, a piece of wood is placed on the table and sliced in two in full view. An assistant is introduced and placed in a horizontal position on the table.
336:. The performer is secured to a table beneath a large buzzsaw or blade, which is set to descend upon them under the control of a timing mechanism. After being secured with various manacles the performer is enclosed in a box. The saw is then set going.
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used a buzzsaw to cut his wife in two during a televised performance. Just when he had divided her the host quickly signed off and the show ended. This caused horrified viewers to believe she had accidentally been killed. In reality, it was a
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through holes in the box and the ends are given to volunteers, who are instructed to pull them tight and keep hold of them (the neck rope has an added knot to prevent the assistant being strangled). The assistant is thus secured in a standing
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As suggested by the various effects, detailed above, there are numerous methods for accomplishing sawing illusions. Over the years a number of these have been exposed and several have been published and are easily obtainable.
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body, while in others it appears that the assistant is severed into two pieces that are moved apart. Some so-called "sawing" illusions do not actually involve a saw but instead use plain blades or blunt dividing panels.
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separated into two sections. The performer then appears to command the whole process to reverse: The body halves go back together, the saw rises, the box closes. Finally the performer emerges unharmed from the box.
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on 17 January 1921 at the
Finsbury Park Empire theatre in London. In fact Selbit had previously performed the illusion in December 1920 before a select audience of promoters and theatrical agents at the
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position in the box. The box is then closed and lifted into a horizontal position on a set of trestles. The magician then slides glass plates through the crate (and apparently through his assistant).
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in a box, which conceals her body from view while any cutting takes place. This group includes the "Selbit", "Wakeling" and "Thin Model" tricks as well as several versions associated with
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has written that a version of this trick was previously performed by another magician. The magician that inspired Criss Angel's trick was Rajah Raboid, who performed this trick with
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into two completely disconnected pieces. The box and table are then pushed together, the restraints are released and the box is opened to allow the assistant to emerge unharmed.
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Jim
Steinmeyer has argued that Selbit's introduction of the sawing illusion was a turning point in the history of magic after which gentler styles represented by the likes of
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In
September 1921, motivated by concerns about preventing competition from other magicians who might copy him, Horace Goldin forwent secrecy and applied for a patent for
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performed a trick in which he appeared to pull a woman in half with his hands during an outdoor performance and half of her crawled away. The trick involved a woman with
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length of chain or rope. The assistant sits on the table with her legs stretched out and volunteers are invited to fasten the restraints around her neck and ankles.
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There remains a debate about the origin of sawing illusions, with some sources saying a magician named Torrini may have performed the first version in front of
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has proved a controversial subject at times. It has involved battles between those determined to expose methods and magicians, who have sometimes resorted to
1064:"BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour, Debbie McGee and Dr Naomi Paxton, author Angie Thomas, Nurse Sarah Link who lived in a caravan for 9 months to protect her mum"
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Magician Les Arnold is reported to have been the first to have devised a clear box sawing (known as the "Crystal Sawing") as far back as 1976.
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There are many sawing tricks with significant differences in their basic effect. In some, the illusion is merely of a blade passing through an
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to try to preserve secrecy. The sawing illusion has had a prominent role in the history of such battles and has thus contributed to case law.
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Modern magicians, including female performers, have responded by placing a male performer in the role originally filled by a woman. Magician
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in 1809. However, it is more likely that the story is a fiction which has its roots in the writings of the famous French magician
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Until recently it was generally accepted that the first public performance of a sawing illusion was achieved by British magician
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revealed to be unharmed. This was the illusion performed at the Finsbury Park Empire theatre in London on 17 January 1921.
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were in irreversible decline to be replaced by more sensational presentations that owed something to the shock effect of
182:, who was in the audience, realised the potential of the trick and persuaded Goldin to let him help in its development.
580:, who established herself as a leading magician as a teenager, has been called the "first woman to saw a man in half."
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422:. He was awarded U.S. patent number 1,458,575 on 12 June 1923. The following is an outline summary the patent:
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use the second variant of this trick on a regular basis in Las Vegas. They have also performed this trick on
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817:"Press Release: "Best of the Best" return for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's Annual Tribute to Illusion"
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until the 1920s it remained just an idea for an effect, rather than a practical application of a method.
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A number of performances or depictions of sawing illusions have achieved particular fame or notoriety.
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73:, written in 1858, Robert-Houdin described a sawing illusion performed by a magician named Torrini.
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Stephen Mulhern performing the UK TV debut of the Les Arnold Crystal Sawing on ITV's Magic Numbers
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105:. In the public performance the role of victim was taken by principal assistant Betty Barker.
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This article is about the magic trick. For the act of literally being sawn in half, see
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often featured presentations of various versions of sawing a woman in half, including "
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A large apparatus is presented, consisting of a sturdy frame supporting a large
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The Pendragons performing Clearly Impossible in Cincinnati 1998 PBS TV Special
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A later iteration of Horace Goldin's version of the trick, with a buzzsaw blade
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This version of the trick is generally associated with magician and inventor
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1044:"Split in two: Magicians to celebrate 100 years of sawing people in half"
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Bryant, S. "Claudia Schiffer: From Supermodel to Magician's Assistant".
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1092:. (Includes essays on Selbit and Goldin and their sawing illusions.)
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This performance was recreated in the final episode of the six-part
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is presented as an escape gone wrong. Its best known performer is
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Thurston employed an established magician and prop builder named
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was performing this effect in the United States in the 1930s.
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determined the episode was too gory and chose not to air it.
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Warminster and Westbury Journal - Saturday January 15, 1887
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The centenary of the trick was celebrated in January 2021.
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and the audience volunteer is revealed to be in one piece.
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The creation of this version has been credited to magician
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Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible
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Although not generally classified as a "sawing" illusion,
53:) is apparently cut or divided into two or more pieces.
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671:. William Heinemann/Random House. pp. 277–295.
819:. Cincinnati Playhouse. 7 June 2004. Archived from
101:that time and who was also the partner of magician
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1082:Art and Artifice: And other essays of illusion
750:Art and Artifice: And Other Essays of Illusion
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748:Steinmeyer, Jim; Neil Gaiman (October 2006).
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543:", a buzzsaw that had originally belonged to
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452:. They always reveal how the trick is done.
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427:"victim" curled up to clear the blade (C).
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535:In the late 1990s, stage performances by
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38:performing a version of the trick in 1937
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45:is a generic name for a number of stage
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1010:magazine, August 1996, (Vol 59, No 8.).
884:"Illusion Hotline: Who Owns The Rights"
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524:" depicted sawing a woman in half. The
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380:and his twin brother, Robert, in 1937.
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1356:Mark Wilson's Complete Course In Magic
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1084:. Carroll & Graf, September 2006.
1022:"HOUDINI—THE GREATEST SHOWMAN OF ALL?"
997:. London: Multimedia Books, Ltd, 1993.
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632:. AmericanHeritage.com. Archived from
136:One major group of tricks involves an
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259:, who devised it for fellow magician
905:"Criss Angel and Half a Woman Video"
729:, originally broadcast in 2004. See
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76:Modern magic inventor and historian
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357:Criss Angel's pulling a woman apart
49:in which a person (traditionally a
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947:Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women
794:. Charvet Studios. pp. 78–79.
780:filed 1923 accessdate = 2007-04-03
551:, as the woman being sawn in half.
456:Famous performances and depictions
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1028:. 1 November 1981. Archived from
790:Charvet, David and Julie (1991).
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400:Variant 2 from Goldin's patent.
392:Variant 1 from Goldin's patent.
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465:course of stage magic history.
239:performed a variation called "
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853:Lawton, Joan (January 2005).
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556:Critical responses and twists
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172:Society of American Magicians
1332:The Expert at the Card Table
1316:The Discoverie of Witchcraft
692:Goldin v. Clarion Photoplays
468:In 1956, Indian illusionist
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1348:Thirteen Steps to Mentalism
945:Jay, Ricky (October 1998).
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409:Publishing of magic methods
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855:"Web Extra: Alan Wakeling"
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372:. Magician and historian
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95:St. George's Hall, London
67:Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin
667:Steinmeyer, Jim (2003).
630:"Sawing a Woman in Half"
595:, a variant on the trick
698:, Vol. 32, No. 2, p.201
1397:Hugard's Magic Monthly
694:, New York (Dec 1922)
526:NBC Television Network
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420:Sawing a woman in half
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174:annual banquet at the
124:Effects and variations
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43:Sawing a woman in half
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993:Dawes, A. E., et al.
777:U.S. patent 1,458,575
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318:Harry Blackstone, Sr.
272:presents an electric
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696:The Yale Law Journal
562:John Nevil Maskelyne
450:NBA All-Star Weekend
448:and during the 2007
384:Methods and exposure
165:Goldin's box sawings
1514:Midnight ghost show
1439:Smoke & Mirrors
1019:The New York Times
823:on 20 February 2008
725:documentary series
442:at least twice: on
1127:Magic and illusion
1052:. 10 January 2021.
886:. magicauction.com
792:"The Great Virgil"
593:Clearly Impossible
541:Clearly Impossible
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241:Clearly Impossible
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956:978-0-374-52570-5
949:. Noonday Press.
759:978-0-7867-1806-1
752:. Da Capo Press.
678:978-0-434-01325-8
601:, another variant
537:David Copperfield
436:Penn & Teller
334:David Copperfield
231:Transparent boxes
148:The Selbit sawing
16:Stage magic trick
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1540:Women in theatre
1509:Indian magicians
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1049:TheGuardian.com
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1216:Close-up magic
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1032:on 2010-10-10.
1026:New York Times
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927:. 22 June 2006
925:"Pulled Apart"
916:
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865:on 2007-06-27
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566:Grand Guignol
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316:appeared to.
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257:Alan Wakeling
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247:Double sawing
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216:Alan Wakeling
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176:McAlpin Hotel
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63:Pope Pius VII
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1535:Magic tricks
1483:Publications
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1324:Modern Magic
1322:
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1289:Misdirection
1284:Equivocation
1081:
1058:
1047:
1038:
1030:the original
1025:
1015:
1007:
1002:
995:Making Magic
994:
989:
978:. Retrieved
972:
965:
946:
940:
929:. Retrieved
919:
908:. Retrieved
899:
888:. Retrieved
878:
867:. Retrieved
863:the original
858:
848:
837:
825:. Retrieved
821:the original
811:
800:
785:
749:
743:
731:
726:
703:
691:
687:
668:
638:. Retrieved
634:the original
599:Zig Zag Girl
582:
575:
571:
559:
545:Orson Welles
528:and sponsor
515:
508:Richiardi Jr
485:
482:Friz Freleng
480:In the 1957
470:P. C. Sorcar
459:
443:
434:
429:
425:
419:
417:
413:legal action
407:
403:
360:
349:
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305:circular saw
298:
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263:to perform.
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187:Harry Jansen
184:
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159:
151:
135:
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103:Fred Culpitt
99:
90:P. T. Selbit
87:
83:
75:
70:
60:
47:magic tricks
42:
41:
36:P. T. Selbit
1383:Abracadabra
1375:Periodicals
1151:Conventions
362:Criss Angel
155:spreadeagle
130:assistant's
1529:Categories
1446:The Sphinx
1308:Guidebooks
1279:Levitation
1272:techniques
1270:Tricks and
1236:Mathemagic
1226:Escapology
1211:Children's
1195:techniques
1141:Assistants
980:2007-04-03
931:2007-04-02
910:2007-03-28
890:2008-06-03
869:2007-06-14
640:2007-03-29
606:References
501:Blue Cross
496:Daffy Duck
492:Bugs Bunny
440:television
378:Johnny Eck
350:Modern Art
344:Modern Art
25:Waist chop
1473:Magicians
1364:Conjuring
1201:Cardistry
520:episode "
514:The 1962
374:Ricky Jay
330:Death Saw
324:Death Saw
291:bow saw.
138:assistant
69:. In his
34:Magician
1488:Timeline
1425:Magigram
1404:The Jinx
1246:Platform
1156:Exposure
587:See also
484:cartoon
198:Wakeling
1502:Related
1478:Museums
1432:Mahatma
1343:(1928–)
1205:history
1186:Bizarre
1134:General
827:17 June
301:buzzsaw
295:Buzzsaw
288:bow saw
281:Bow saw
71:Memoirs
57:History
1493:Tricks
1367:(1992)
1359:(1975)
1351:(1961)
1335:(1902)
1327:(1876)
1319:(1584)
1261:Street
1251:Séance
1241:Mental
1231:Gospel
1179:Genres
1161:Stores
1088:
953:
756:
675:
530:Revlon
368:and a
274:jigsaw
267:Jigsaw
1456:Lists
1418:Magic
1390:Genii
1256:Stage
1146:Clubs
1008:Genii
732:Magic
727:Magic
511:work.
1221:Coin
1191:Card
1086:ISBN
951:ISBN
829:2008
754:ISBN
737:IMDb
673:ISBN
328:The
23:and
735:at
503:.")
303:or
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27:.
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