I came across this in an old book by Louis Nikola and thought I would share. A funny story that may inspire you to write down some of your magic secrets (and maybe publish them here on magicgizmo):

The original inspiration to this volume was derived from the purchase of a second-hand cocoanut.

The explanation of this astonishing statement is that some years ago a private auction was made among a meeting of magicians of the remnants of the professional equipment of the late Charles Bertram, some few of which came into my possession. Among these was an odd lot-a very odd lot-consisting of two cocoanut shells, one whole and one broken into two portions and tied together with coloured ribbons, and a table knife. It was not an illuminating nor an attractive collection and it hung fire. Hastily conceiving a foggy idea of a possible “ Devastated and Restored Cocoanut” I bid a shilling, and the auctioneer joyfully knocked it down to me. At the same function, David Devant secured another quaint lot, consisting of a crudely made tin boat, unpainted, and a thing that looked like a peashooter. Subsequent interchange of inspection of our mutual bargains revealed to Mr. Devant that the “peashooter” was a tubular support to be erected in the centre of the boat, and that my complete cocoanut-shell surmounted it, the whole forming an Indian “Hubble-Bubble,” a curious device producing an apparently endless stream of water from the upper receptacle to the lower. He pointed out to me that as my cocoanut properly belonged to his boat I should hand it over. An idea floated through my mind that as his boat belonged to my cocoanut he should hand over, but with the respect due from a young man to a Master, I gave way. To console me for the loss, Mr. Devant offered to explain the real use of the broken shell and the knife left in my possession. It seems that the course of Bertram’s trick was to borrow a handkerchief, exchange it for a dummy, chemically prepared after the manner of “flash paper,” which disappeared in a flash of flame when touched with the blade of the knife (previously heated). When it came to recalling the subsequent procedure and how finally the restored handkerchief was found within the broken shell, which had all the time been hanging in view of the audience by its network of fastening ribbons, Mr. Devant’s memory failed him and he then remarked that every magician with ideas and methods of his own should leave a a record of them. At a later date my wife appropriated the table knife: she said it was a good knife, that we were short of knives and it would save buying half-a-dozen. The age-lorn segments of cocoanut shell and its weary ribbons languished for a year or two and then, tidiness overcame sentiment and I relegated them to the garbage bin.

That left me with the bare ambition of one day writing a book, as the sole return for the investment of my shilling. Those who are good at figures tell me that a shilling invested and left undisturbed for many years accummulates interest to a surprising extent. I hope it will!