NEW BOSTON BOX ROUTINES

[GREGORY WEBB]

I invented two new Boston Box routines which I sent to Richard Kaufman in the hopes that he would print these two items from the old Webbmaster. I hope you all can hound him until he does in fact agree to print these for you all to see. Doug Edwards witnessed me showing these to David Roth in person and will testify that David in fact liked my routines. Regards, Gregg Webb aka The Webbmaster

[Richard Kaufman]

Just got them in the mail, Gregg.

[Bill Marquardt]

Just curious ... Why is the Boston Box called the "Boston" Box? It just occurred to me that I don't know. Might I presume a Boston magician created this variation of the Okito Box?

[I.M. Magician]

I was told that a guy with the last name of Boston came up with the concept.

[erdnasephile]

Although Bobo claimed that George Boston originated the Boston Box, he later admitted this was just an assumption on his part. Boston himself never claimed it.

There is a description of a box in the Discoverie of Witchcraft (Chapter 31) that appears to be a precursor of what we know of as the Boston Box (albeit using grain instead of coins):

The xxxi. Chapter.

Boxes to alter one grame into another, or to consuine the graine or
come to notldng.

HERE be divers juggling boxes with false bottoms, wherein manie false feates are wrought. First they have a box covered or rather footed alike at each end, the bottome
of the one end being no deeper than as it may conteine one lane of corne or pepper glewed thereupon. Then use they to put into the hollow end thereof some other kind of graine, ground or unground ; then doo they cover it, and put it under a hat or candle-
sticke : and either in putting it therinto, or pulling it thence, they turne the box, and open the contrarie end, wherein is shewed a contrarie graine : or else they shew the glewed end first (which end they suddenlie thrust into a boll or bag of such graine as is glewed alreadie thereupon) and secondlie the emptie box./


or in modern English:


CHAPTER XXXI
BOXES TO ALTER ONE GRAINE INTO ANOTHER, OR TO CONSUME THE GRAINE OR CORNE TO NOTHING.
There are many types of trick boxes with false bottoms, whereby many feats may be accomplished. One has identical covers that go over the top and bottom. The bottom is slightly recessed, just enough to contain a single layer of pepper or corn glued to it. Put a cover over the bottom and turn the box right side up.
In performance, fill the box with some noticeably different type of grain, then cover the box and put it under a hat or candlestick. In putting it under, or taking it out, turn the box over and uncover the glued end, revealing the grain has changed from one type to another. Another presentation is to show the glued end first, then thrust the glued end into a bagful of a similar grain, and finally show the empty box.


Gregg: any chance of posting a video of your routines please?