Designer: P.T. Selbit
Builder: Harry Treleavan
Selbit invented this shortly after the Bathing Girls Illusion. The first performance was at the Palace Theatre in Reading on December 20th, 1937. The apparatus was a simple elevated platform with sides and a roof, but no front or back (save for one small "brace" on the back). A drop-curtain was run along the top and could be dropped to cover the space by means of a cord, similar to lowering a set of blinds.
Selbit dropped the curtain on the empty space and immediately raised it revealed 5 beautiful ladies standing in a row. He introduced them as "Miss Sonning, Miss Caversham, Miss Henley, Miss Twyford and Miss Pangbourne," all of which were common names around Reading. He would use other localized names in other venues.
After the introductions, the curtains were lowered again and each girl thrust her hand through the curtain. Selbit walked from girl to girl shaking their hand and saying, "Goodbye, Miss Sonning. Goodbye Miss Caversham" etc. After the "goodbye," each girl would pull her hand inside the curtain. When Selbit got to the last girl, he held her hand and raised the curtain slightly with his free hand revealing the 5 pairs of feet. He then said his goodbye and she pulled her hand inside the curtain, and Selbit immediately raised the curtain showing all 5 girls had instantly vanished.