Nov 12, 20217 min read

100 Years of the Sawing in Half Illusion

Updated: Jun 5

Drama alert! The famous sawing-in-half magic trick has a century of secrets and was invented by British magician PT Selbit. I

t's a fascinating story that includes a legal battle with another magician who prevented him from performing his own trick. Let's look!

A vintage photo of a magician sawing a woman in half while surrounded by people — ▲ P.T. Selbit debuts "Sawing Through a Women"

Half Trick: Double Drama

Today, we're diving into the world of the sawing a woman in half magic trick, a stage magic trick that's been around for over a century.

When you look at the history of this most famous illusion, you discover the legendary trick involved sawing a person (usually a woman) in half and then magically putting them back together.

Simple right?

But did you know the inventor of sawing a woman in half trick was barred from performing his sawing apparatus by a court by another magician?

It's one of the most famous tricks ever, but there's a ton of drama behind its history, so let's take a look at a piece of stage magic history.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Sawing a Woman in Half
Brief History
The First Performer
The First Person to be Cut in Half
The Legal Drama
Evolution and Variations of the Trick
Conclusion

Sawing a Woman in Half Magic Tricks

Astonishing audiences for over a century, the Sawing a Woman in Half trick remains one of the most iconic illusions in the world of magic

Sawing illusions have captivated countless spectators, challenging their perceptions of reality and the limits of the human body.

Since their introduction, they have been performed by most famous and modern magicians, from the crystal sawing and thin model sawing to the double sawing illusion and Criss Angel's pulling a person apart.

The Effect:

The trick involves an assistant lying on a table and held in place with a wooden crate or shallow box.

The assistant's head and feet are seen moving while the magician divides them with a saw blade or in two pieces by inserting metal sheets or blades.

Applause!

The magician saws the magician's assistant in half and back together again.

Through the years the illusion has Evovled

Several Sawing Illusions

Since its debut, many modern magic inventors and contemporary magicians have been inspired by this trick.

There have been dozens of different versions of the sawing illusion performed, from using buzzsaws to chainsaws! One famous magician, Criss Angel, even performed a trick where he saws himself in half!

The sawing a woman in half trick remains a classic, with magicians performing it in theaters, on TV, and even on the street.

Leading magician David Coppereid performed several versions, including a massive circular saw that cut him in two pieces and, later, a laser beam.
Criss Angel's trick involved pulling an assistant's body apart
Magicians have performed jig sawing illusions, sawing a woman in a closed wooden crate, see-thru box halves, thin model versions

Sawing A Women in Half: Magic Featuring Female Assistants

While the sawing a woman in half illusion has evolved over the years, its early magician origins begin with a male performer sawing a woman in half.

The origins of the illusion date back to 1921, when PT Selbit was the first magician to perform what he called "Sawing Through A Woman."

The original version involved his assistant lying on a table with a box completely covering her from head to toe. Selbit would then saw through the middle and the assistant's torso, and the boxes were divided into two pieces. After the applause, the boxes were brought together, and the assistant released unharmed!

Sawing Tricks: My Version of the Sawing Illusion

I remember seeing a magician performing the Sawing a Woman in Half Illusion on television as a kid. My favorite version was the clear box sawing, and it's a trick I always wanted to perform.

Here is my live performance of the sawing a woman in half magic trick-- with one unique twist.

Join us on this magical journey and discover how the Sawing a Woman in Half trick continues to defy logic, captivate imaginations, and stand the test of time.

Brief History of the Sawing a Woman in Half Illusion

The first several years after the first public performance is riddled with legal magician drama. But here's an early reference to a sawing illusion worth noting.

French magician Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin described, from his memories, that in 1858, a magician named Torrini performed a sawing illusion in front of Pope Puis VII in 1809.

Still, there appears to be no evidence to support this.

This claim of Torrini performing this Sawing illusion has been researched by Jim Steinmeyer. Jim is a magician, historian, author and magic inventor behind several famous illusions and magic tricks. He is also the author of Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and many other books.

Steinmeyer concluded Torrini likely did not perform this illusion, and Robert-Houdin created the story to play with ideas.

The First Performer

The magician credited with introducing the Sawing in Half trick is the innovative British illusionist P.T. Selbit.

In January 1921, Selbit unveiled his new sawing illusion at the Finsbury Park Empire Theatre in London. The act was an immediate sensation, garnering widespread acclaim and propelling Selbit to fame.

The Sawing in Half trick rapidly became a staple in magic shows worldwide, inspiring numerous magicians to incorporate the illusion into their acts.

A portrait of PT Selbit and image of him performing the Sawing a woman in half magic trick — The magician P. T. Selbit performing a sawing a woman in half trick. Date1937 | Source: Maskelyne's Book of Magic. David McKay Company | Author: Jasper Maskelyne

The First Person to be Cut in Half

The first assistant to participate in the Sawing in Half illusion was a woman named Jan Glenrose.

As Selbit's trusted confidante and stage partner, Glenrose played a crucial role in the trick's success.

The assistant's job was to convincingly portray the act of being sawed in half and ensure the seamless execution of the illusion. Barker's skill and commitment to the performance helped to cement the Sawing in Half trick as a classic in the world of magic.

"Sawing Through a Women" vs "Sawing in Half"

The public was getting bored with the same old same old rabbit tricks, and his historical timing is credited with a lot of the success of the illusion.

Selbit's debut illusion shook up the traditional magic norms.

The success of the Sawing in Half illusion inevitably led to controversy and rivalry within the magic community.

In 1921, an American magician, Horace Goldin, presented his version titled "Sawing A Woman in Half" illusion. It was considered an improvement because the lady's head and feet were seen. In Selbit's version, the box surrounded his assistant entirely.

Goldin achieved huge success.

He partnered with a theatre firm that promoted six additional tours across the United States with headlining magicians in Goldin's place.

They used smart promotional tactics to gain massive publicity and word of mouth.

The Difference Between Selbit and Goldin's Sawing Illusion

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the two versions of the trick, P.T. Selbit's "Sawing Through a Women" and Horace Goldin's "Sawing a Woman in Half"

A side--by-side comparison of PT Selbit's "Sawing Through a Women" and Horace Goldin's "Sawing a Woman in Half"

► FUN FACT: Promoters would have ambulances parked outside the theatre to sell the risk of serious injury from the Sawing a Woman in Half Illusion. It was a marketing stunt that got a lot of attention.

Patenting Magic Tricks: Sawing In Half Ugly Legal Battle

In September 1921, Goldin applied for a patent for the "Sawing a Women in Half" illusion.

On June 12, 1923, Goldin was awarded the Sawing a Women in Half illusion patent and given an exclusive monopoly for 17 years against other magicians using his methods.

Even Selbit was forbidden from performing his own illusion. Selbit attempted to sue Goldin for stealing his idea but failed, and the action was dismissed after it was ruled Goldin's illusion was sufficiently different.

Selbit returned home to Britain and later created a wealth of other notable stage illusions, including Girl/Man without a Middle, Through the Eye of a Needle, and The Million Dollar Mystery.

Many of these illusions are still performed today.

Turns out that patenting your ideas exposes a problem for magicians. You must expose the method to patent an illusion or magic trick.

These documents become public records, and Goldin gave up patenting his illusions.

He later created an alternative version of the illusion-- but with a very different appearance.

Horace Goldin Created a Second Variation of the Illusion

Here's a look at Horace Goldin's other version of the saw in half trick that he called "Buzz Saw." The grimacing image of a 3-4 foot circular saw going through a person was shocking.

Many stories float around of people passing out in the audience, all hype I can only imagine.

A portrait of magician Horace Goldin and an image collage of his alternative version the sawing in half trick that used a large 3 foot circular saw. — This "Buzz Saw" was an alternative variation to the "Sawing in Half" created by Goldin.

Video of Horace Goldin Performing

Horace Goldin achieved great success, touring internationally with his Sawing Illusion. He even performed for King Edward VII of Britain on four occasions.

This earned him the title "Royal Illusionist."

After a show at the Wood Green Theatre in London, Horace Goldin passed away on August 21, 1939. The same stage theatre where magician Chung Ling Soo had been killed performing the Bullet Catch illusion 21 years earlier. He passed away in his sleep.

Here is archived footage of Horace Goldin performing in the 1930s.

The Evolution of the Sawing-In-Half Illusion

Over the years, the Sawing in Half illusion has evolved and taken many forms.

Magicians have developed various methods and techniques to perform the trick, each adding their unique spin to the classic act.

Some of the most famous variations include the "Thin Model Sawing," the "Buzz Saw," and the "Clearly Impossible" versions of the trick.

Despite the numerous iterations of the Sawing in Half illusion, the core concept remains: a person is seemingly cut in half, only to be miraculously restored to their original state.

Here are alternatives to the classic illusion.

David Copperfield's Death Saw Illusion

David Copperfield, one of the most renowned magicians of our time, has taken the Sawing in Half trick to new heights with his breathtaking Death Saw Illusion.

This modern adaptation of the classic illusion combines suspense, danger, and Copperfield's signature showmanship to create a truly unforgettable experience.

Kevin James - Saws a Man in Half on America's Got Talent

Kevin James performs a remarkable unique cutting in half.

Conclusions

The Sawing in Half trick is a testament to the enduring appeal of magic and the power of human ingenuity.

It's a story in magic's history that began with unbelievable drama.

From its humble beginnings in a London theatre to its continued prominence on stages worldwide, the Sawing in Half illusion has captivated the hearts and minds of audiences for over a century.

As the legacy of this remarkable trick lives on, we can only marvel at the artistry, skill, and imagination that have made the Sawing in Half one of the most unforgettable acts in the history of magic.