If you want to know the Dove Through Glass trick secret, then look through the small glass window of the prop, to find out my speculation how the penetration trick is done.
This glass penetration magic trick can be found in the 1981 book “Jack Hughes World of Magic Volume One“.
RELATED: There is a free book published by Jack Hughes, Harry Stanley, and Arthur Dowler (Unique Magic Studio) for Douglas Francis below.
I do not own or have seen the actual Dove Through Glass magical prop, so I do not know specifically how the penetration effect is done.
My speculation or guesswork how this stage magic trick works, is solely by viewing the demo videos available online.
Dove Through Glass Effect
The apparatus has a clear plexiglass sheet encased in a decorative wooden/plastic frame.
The frame is mounted on a stand or base.
Above the square window, is attached with a hinged star-trap flap at each side of the plexiglass.
The spectators may touch and tap the clear plexiglass, proving it solid.
With both flaps are lifted up above the small window, the magician can pass a live dove through the star trap panels.
It means, the dove apparently penetrates through the solid clear plexiglass.
After the act, the frame is lifted up from the stand.
Both the hinged flaps are flipped down to the small window to show the clear plexiglass is still intact.
Besides dove, you can use other small animals, objects or even a child’s hand, as magician David Ginn does in this video.
Watch the Dove Through Glass demo video by Abbotts Magic using a plastic funnel below:
Dove Through Glass Trick Revealed
So how does the Dove Through Glass magic trick work?
Like all the glass/mirror penetration tricks, the glass or mirror either has a secret opening or it has to be temporary shifted to make way.
The Dove Through Glass trick method is similar to the Magic Wagon Mystic Mirror.
I believe the magical apparatus that used same method as the Dove Through Glass are: the Mystic Mirror, Pagoda Mystery and the Hand Through Glass With Stand.
There is a hidden hole in the glass or mirror, which makes the penetration effect possible.
Dove Through Glass Trick Instructions
Now, let’s see how the dove through glass trick is done.
In all the demo videos, the performers lift up the frame and slot it back to the stand.
They do this, is because the secret of the trick is at both the frame and the stand.
The clear plexiglass has a cut-out or hole hidden within the frame, as indicated in orange color as shown below.
Before the frame is inserted into the stand, this piece of clear plexiglass with a cut-out is at the bottom of the frame.
As you can see the hole (cut-out) is inside the square window as indicated below.
In short, the hole for the penetration is already right before your eyes.
But it is camouflaged by the plexiglass of the square window.
The next thing is underneath the frame there are two hidden slots.
Then there are is a projection or tongue hidden inside each slot of the stand.
When the frame is inserted into the stand slot, the projections enter the two slots, thus pushing the clear plexiglass piece upward.
Now the cut-out (hole) is between the hinged star-trap flaps, as seen below.
Below is a close-up side view of the cut-out (hole) between the hinged star-trap flaps.
Now they can perform the dove through glass trick.
Now you know why all the frame design of the Dove Through Glass trick have this identical high arched piece at the top.
It is to accommodate the plexiglass piece when it is pushed upward.
After the act, under the pretext of proving to you that it is a solid plexiglass behind the hinged star-trap flaps, they remove the frame from the stand.
The truth is, when the frame is lifted up from the stand, the clear plexiglass piece drops down back to the bottom of the frame.
So the cut-out or hole at the plexiglass slips down and hides inside the square window.
This is what I think is the secret behind the Dove Through Glass trick.
Pagoda Mystery Magic Wagon Revealed
The method of the Pagoda Mystery by Magic Wagon trick is very close to the Dove Through Glass penetration trick.
There is a cut-out or hole at the plexiglass is camouflaged by the plexiglass of the round window at the frame.
It also has a slot underneath the frame just like the Dove Through Glass prop.
Once the frame is placed onto the stand, the hidden cut-out/hole at the plexiglass is pushed up to the hinged star-trap flaps.
After the trick, the frame is pulled out from the stand, the secret hole drops down to the round window.
To make room for the the slide up plexiglass, the Magic Wagon Pagoda Mystery frame has a gable roof aka pitched or peaked roof.
Bob Solari Dove Through Mirror Revealed
I also believe the penetration trick secret of the “Dove Through Mirror” by Bob Solari is very identical to the “Dove Through Glass“.
The cut-out or hole is hidden behind the middle bottom piece of mirror.
This part is slotted into the stand to push up the concealed hole.
Watch the dove through mirror by Bob Solari act here.
Pigeon Through Glass Magic Trick
The similarity of this Pigeon Thru Glass to the original classic Dove Through Glass trick is only the general design of the apparatus.
But the method of the trick is different.
It does not used the stand to push up the concealed hole in the clear glass sheet.
In fact, the main plexiglass of the frame does not move at all.
That’s why the frame design of this Pigeon Through Glass trick apparatus does not need a high piece at the top like the Dove Through Glass.
To make the penetration effect possible, it just has to slide down the plexiglass piece inside the arched window.
Yes, the plexiglass inside the arched window is a separate piece by itself.
It is operated by a small lever under the frame.
After the magician has closed up the hinged star-trap flaps, at 0:31, he uses his right thumb to slide the lever under the frame to drop down the cut-out or hole.
This is where the cut-out or hole is hidden; right below the arched window.
After the penetration trick, before he opens up the hinged star-trap flaps at 1:33, again he uses his right thumb to operate the lever to push up the plexiglass piece back the arched window.
Look closely at the arched window, you can see the curved edge of the plexiglass moving up (indicated in the image below).
This is what I assume how the Pigeon Through Glass trick works.
Dove Through Glass Magic Trick
There is another apparatus which is marketed as Dove Through Glass trick, as shown below.
The demo video only shows using a silk scarf to do the penetration effect.
I think the secret behind this Dove Through Glass trick, is sliding the glass down to the rather high black base or platform.
From the video, at 0:23, you can see his right hand pushing the glass frame down into the black color stand, before he lifts up the back door to close it.
After the trick, at 1:08, after he has opened the back door, he quickly pulls up the glass frame back into position.
That’s is why he keeps holding onto the glass frame.
In fact you can see the tiny gap between the glass frame and the stand, because glass sheet frame is not properly replaced after the trick.
By the way this apparatus is very similar to the Spikes Through Glass trick.
I think the method of this trick spikes penetrating the solid glass is the same as above.
The glass is shifted down to the high black base.
Magic Wagon Playing Card Dissection Explained
The tall base of this apparatus reminds me of the Playing Card Dissection by Magic Wagon.
By the way, this Playing Card Dissection prop design looks identical to the Impossible Glass Penetration.
I think the method of the Playing Card Dissection is by hiding the playing card down at the bottom of the frame.
There is enough height area at the back of the prop for the playing card lying horizontally across.
At 1:15, you can see Brother Bor’s left thumb goes right down to push up the card.
The top slot opening is rather wide just to accommodate a playing card.
I reckon it can even take up two or three cards, besides the two haves cards.
Probably that is why Madison of Presenting Tenyo dumps two Queen of Hearts cards inside the window frame.
At the closer look, the top slot is specially designed to separate the normal card and the cut-up cards.
From this demo video, at 1:55 you can see Olaf of Triangel Production uses his left thumb to slide down the cut-up card.
RELATED: Find out how the appearance effect of the Doves on Sword In Glass Cube by Tora Magic is done.
Doves On Sword In Glass Cube Revealed
By viewing the only demo video clip, I think the pair of doves is dropped down from the top part of the glass cabinet.
The two doves are hidden inside the top compartment of the glass cabinet or box.
The magician uses his right hand to operate the built-in mechanism to let the doves to fall down into the glass cabinet.
Watch the video clip of Doves On Sword In Glass Cube by Tora Magic here.
Free Book By Harry Allen
Sleight Of Mouth: A Collection Of Hilarious One-Liner By Harry Allen
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Right Under Your Nose By Douglas Francis
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