A decidedly unlikely association with the Möbius strip is in the world of magic, with what is titled as the ‘Afghan Bands’ (since 1901, by Percy T. Selbit and ‘Professor Hoffman’), of which despite the title there is almost certainly no connection with Afghanistan in any way! It should be noted that initially the appellation was not used initially, with instead ‘paper rings’ (or similar) being used to describe the trick. Assuredly, before the Möbius study, I was wholly ignorant of it. Although I now find it appears in passing in quite a few of the popular recreational books I was simply not ‘primed’ to to take cognisance of it in times gone by. And indeed, although it appears in the general Möbius strip Wikipedia entry, one of the first concerted readings I made, it took me a while to address the matter in the midst of the study in the round. Only later, in late May 2024, did I undertake a concerted study, and even that evolved from a general history look. Such a relative neglect, in hindsight, was shortsighted, although understandable, in that there is so much material to survey. A brief survey of the literature has found many interesting unknown historical aspects, that with more circumspection on my part I would have realised much earlier. However, in my defence, it is understandable, given the many different aspects I have had to study (and an unlikely field). Be that as it may, I began as usual with general searching, ‘reactivating’ David Mitchell’s excellent dedicated study as a starting point. However, although invaluable, in general searching with Google there still wasn't much in general aside from that. However, that swiftly changed when I changed tack, investigating dedicated magic sources! In contrast, there is an abundance of material that does not show up in general searching on the term. The exact chain of events I do not recall as one quickly followed another. These include ‘AskAlexander’, Conjuring Arts, Magicpedia. ‘Ask Alexander’ in particular was noteworthy. Upon signing up, to give it a try, given that is was free, a cornucopia of Afghan Band (and Möbius strip) material was found, not available elsewhere. Some though, is paywalled. Before, I had no inkling of this bounty! And then in the course of it I found a David Singmaster listing dedicated on the Möbius strip that I had forgotten about, of which I should have thought of looking right at the beginning of my studies here. Although somewhat late in the day, at least I now have the list to hand. It's noteworthy in that it has considerably enlarged since I last printed it out, from one page to four (way back in 1998!)
https://conjuringarts.org/askalexander/
Another good source was Conjuring Arts (associated with Ask Alexander search engine). The British Newspaper Archive was another invaluable resource, albeit to a much lesser degree and extent. Although unlike the others in that there are few in number here, they have important references, including historical ones. And this is not to mention the Internet Archive, which is indispensable. All these archives complement each other; what is in one is not necessarily in the others. What may be found in other archives that I do not have access to can only be speculation. The full story is yet to be told. That said, I have made a good start. And then latterly I once more examined Peter Prevos’s monologue bibliography, which should have been an obvious first thought, but inexplicable I initially neglected to do so.
Another dedicated monologue was Genii magazine entry on Afghan Bands.
Quite how best to present/order the study is unclear. It has evolved. Version 2 is different to Version 1, although based on it. The presentation is part affected by the sheer extent of the material to survey. Although ideally each entry would be discussed to the same in-depth level, the time required would be disproportionate as to worth. Therefore, I have decided to concentrate on the most important parts, of the beginnings as a magic trick, without the Afghan attribution and then when it became known as Afghan Bands, and by whom. For these, I study in depth up to and including 1920, which is sufficient to give a considered account, and then for after that date a simple bibliographic listing (as it is too time consuming otherwise), with more detail for select references deemed of more interest.
Looking back, a major shortcoming of Version 1 was that the study was essentially mostly ‘references’, which jointly served as ‘study’, of some 48 pages. This was followed by ‘Timelines of Afghan Band and Allusions, Félicien Trewey. It all seems a little disjointed, albeit understandable in retrospect, being unsure as to the exact remit and presention. For example, only include Afghan references? Further, conspicuous by their absence are any pictures. Likely this was purposeful (as a concise study?), but is now judged as decidedly lacking. I thus belatedly add pictures. Further, again, despite the magic background, the only distinct essay on individuals (with a timeline) was on Trewey. I have now effectively added a new chapter, ‘Prominent Individuals as Magic Acts’, with 15 magicians. To this end, I thus, for the first time, dicusss Blackstone’s role as a distinct sub essay.
Although I have previously looked at the ‘Ask Alexander’ archive, this was only of the limited free option. Even so, this still held 15,000 pages and was a great aid in the investigation. However, some references remained paywalled. To this end, I then (2025) choose the ‘all encompassing’ payed ‘gold’ option, with 1,100,000 pages. This thus leaves nothing incomplete.
A History and Evolution
Of interest is the history and evolution of the Afghan Bands/allusion. When, and by whom so named, in particular come to mind. As such, this has been poorly documented, albeit understandably so, this is very much a niche interest! Indeed, I know of only one dedicated writing, an ebook by Peter Prevos, The Möbius Strip in Magic: A Treatise on the Afghan Bands. However, this is relatively lightweight, of just 45 pages. However, as short as it may be, it is to be welcomed, as the only moonolgue on the matter! Although the contents do not specifically give a history, in various chapters historical discussions are given, albeit generally brief. David Mitchell also gives a brief history. Martin Gardner has also written an overview, and enquired about how it got its title. To this end, I now document the matter in much greater depth and detail than previous authors. As far as is practically possible, a modular approach is adopted:
(i) Basic bibliographic detail, of the year, author, and publication.
(ii) A picture of the relevant page. In general, I show a full page (to better put the entry into context) rather than a clipping, although this is at the expense of clarity here.
(iii) A commentary thereof. Also generally included in the commentary is what I term as ‘secondary matters’, such as the author’s background and publication. Although non-essential, I think this helps better put the entry into context.
Potential Precursors
0. 1847 Johann Listing. Vorstudien.
Allusion to a magic trick.
00. 1883. Peter Guthrie Tait, ‘Johann Benedict Listing’. Nature, February 1, 1883, pp. 316–317.
Obituary
As such, it is an open question as to whether Tissandier/Dr Z description/presentation is original. Peter Guthrie Tait in an obituary on Johann Benedict Listing refers to a well-known juggler's trick [i.e. magician*] in 1883 which suggests that it was in vogue at the time. However, whether that presentation led to Tissandier/Dr Z version is unknown. Tait’s description is in passing, without reference to three strips as given by Tissandier/Dr Z. Given the passage of time, whether this uncertainty will ever be resolved seems unlikely.
* In nineteenth century Britain, the word “juggler” meant someone who entertained people, often with tricks. Daniel S. Silver, ‘Knots in the Nursery (Cats) Cradle Song of James Clerk Maxwell’, p. 1189.
000
Édouard Lucas. L'Arithmétique Amusante. Paris, Gauthier-Villars et fils. 1895, pp. 222–223.
3. Paradrome propellers. — This theory was treated for the first time by Listing in the work entitled: Vorstudien zuir Topologie, published in Gottingen, in 1848. The very simple results obtained by the author were the sole foundation of a laborious Memoir which sold a lot in Vienna a few years ago; The purpose of this Memoir was to show how one can perform, without using the deceptive process of the conjurer or the spiritualist, the famous amusing physics trick which consists of tying a knot with an endless rope.
This seems to repeat text from elsewhere. It hovers on an allusion.
1887 (4)
1. Gaston Tissandier/Dr Z. ‘Les Anneaux Papier’. La Nature 709, 1 January 1887, p. 80.
Beyond all reasonable doubt (in its accepted modern day form) the later named Afghan Band trick first appeared in Gaston Tissandier’s La Nature 709 of 1st January 1887 in an article headed 'Recreations Scientifique', subheaded 'Les Anneaux de Papier', credited to a ‘Dr Z’. An open question is whether Dr Z/Tissandier was influenced (or directly took) from the magic trick popular in Austria at the time, as related by Peter Guthrie Tait and Oskar Simony.
The Illustrations are by Louis Poyet, an engraver and lithographer known for his illustrations of inventions and technology and who illustrated many other La Nature articles.
The engravings were subsequently used many times over by others, sometimes an exact reproduction, and others edited in various ways, such as rearranging the diagrams, or as line drawings.
Bio. Gaston Tissandier was a French chemist, meteorologist, aviator, and editor. He founded and edited the scientific magazine La Nature and wrote several books. His brother was illustrator Albert Tissandier. Wikipedia. (No mention, unsurprisingly, of the trick is given on the page.)
Souce: Gallica?
Quoted by: David Mitchell, David Singmaster.
= 2. Jeanne Marie von Ganette-Georgens. Neues Spielbuch fur Madchen. ‘Zwei Rings aus einem machen’, 1887.
Possibly building on Tisandier, von Ganette-Georgens, albeit using different diagrams, repeats the trick in a book for girls. In effect a cut down version of the Afghan Bands. Of interest historically and of German origin too.
Translated: New Playbook for Girls
Make two rings out of one.
A strip the width of a finger is cut from a sheet of paper, folded over once and then glued together. It can also be ribbon, which is then sewn together instead of glued. Then it is cut lengthwise by another person, who has previously been told that instead of one ring it will get two interlocking rings. The longer the ribbon or strip of paper, the more imperceptibly the folding can be, which brings about the doubling of the rings.
[Mitchell] Contains a small section which explains how to make two rings out of one (Zwei Rings aus einem machen)
Source: David Mitchell
Bio. Jeanne Marie von Gayette-Georgens (1817–1895) was a Prussian writer and educator. Wikipedia
=2. ‘Experiment with Paper Rings’. Scientific American. February 12, 1887, p. 99.
Experiment with Paper Rings.
The annexed engraving, from La Nature, shows the method of preparing paper rings for the performance of a curious experiment. Take three strips of paper 2 inches in width by from 2 to 3 feet in length…
This is the earliest print reference where the Tissandier La Nature engraving is copied. The engraving is reproduced exactly (unlike others, where the background is removed) and duly credited. As can be seen, it speedily crossed the Atlantic, appearing in America a little more than a month later!
Source: Internet Archive
4. The Popular Science News and Boston Journal of Chemistry. Vol. XXI, Number 3, Boston, March 1887.
This broadly (but not exactly) repeats the Scientific American article with the Tisssandier engraving.
Clipping. Take three strips of paper 2 inches in width by from 2 to 3 feet in length…
Source: Internet Archive
Aurora Daily Express (US), September 9, 1887, p. 3. Illustrated (Tissandier)
The Recreation of the Rings
Numbered with other recreations suggested by La Nature [January 1, 1887] is the one of the rings. Take three strips of paper and paste the ends together so as to form a ring. Then cut around the center, as shown by the dotted lines. The first strip will separate into two equal sized separate rings; the second will form one large ring; while the third will be cut into two rings linked together.
[FIGURE]
A SCIENTIFIC RECREATION.
The explanation of this pretty and simple trick lies in the preparation of the original rings. No. 1 is made by joining together the two ends of a strip of paper. In No. 2 the strip is twisted one?, and in No. 3 twice, before joining the ends. It is better to make rings much larger than those shown in the engraving, us the twisting of the paper is not then so evident. (ALL)
Of the utmost historical importance, as the joint first known newspaper report, of the US, on the same day as The Sidney Journal. It was then quickly syndicated a few days later in two other US newspapers, and a third later in the year.
Syndicated, 1/5, 1887 (5)
Chronicling America, Google Newspapers
The Sidney [sic] Journal (US), September 9, 1887, p. 3. Illustrated (Tissandier)
Numbered with other recreations suggested by La Nature [January 1, 1887] is the one of the rings. Take three strips of paper and paste the ends together to form a ring...
For comments, see above.
Syndicated, 2/5, 1887 (5)
Google Newspapers
The United Opinion (US), September 16, 1887, not paginated. Illustrated (Tissandier)
Numbered with other recreations suggested by La Nature [January 1, 1887] is the one of the rings. Take three strips of paper and paste the ends together to form a ring…
For comments, see above.
Syndicated, 3/5, 1887 (5)
Chronicling America
St. Daily Joseph Gazette (US), September 22, 1887, p. 6. Illustrated (Tissandier)
Numbered with other recreations suggested by La Nature [January 1, 1887]is the one of the rings. Take three strips of paper and paste the ends together to form a ring...
For comments, see above.
Syndicated, 4/5, 1887 (5)
Google Newspapers
The Manning Times (US), December 14, 1887, Illustrated (Tissandier)
The explanation of this pretty and simple trick lies in the preparation of the original rings. No. 1 is made by joining together the two ends of a strip of paper. In No. 2 the strip is twisted once, and in No. 3 twice, before joining the ends. It is better to make rings much larger than those shown in the engraving, as the twisting of the paper is not then so evident.
Short version of the above, with excerpted text.
For comments, see above.
Syndicated (shortened), 5/5, 1887 (5)
Chronicling America
1888 (4)
5. Les Récréations Scientifiques. 5th ed., 1888, ‘Les anneaux de papier’, pp. 272–273.
Tissandier’s original article in La Nature was shortly afterwards effectively reprinted in his Récréations Scientifiques. 5th ed., 1888, ‘Les anneaux de papier’, pp. 272–273 (only the first paragraph was omitted). Likely from this appearance in a popular book, Tissander’s piece effectively gained immediate traction, with a flurry of articles directly based on this. These included:???
Note that this only appears in the 5th edition. The editions of Récréations Scientifiques are somewhat convoluted to unravel, but are admirably documented by David Mitchell. Also of interest is that it is stated that the editions were widely translated. This explains why the same illustration appears in foreign publications. The text was shortly afterwards translated by Henry Firth in his Half Hours of Scientific Amusement, of 1890.
Gaston Tissandier. Récréations Scientifiques. 5th ed., 1888, ‘Les anneaux de papier’, pp. 272–273.
Illustration by Poyet. Shows and describes rings with 0, 1, 2 twists. Not in 2nd ed., 1881. I didn't see whether this was in the 1883 ed.= Popular Scientific Recreations; [c1890]; Supplement: The paper rings, pp. 867–869. (Singmaster)
Quoted by: David Singmaster, Peter Prevos
Translated: ‘Paper Rings’
The editions of Récréations Scientifiques are somewhat convoluted to unravel, but given its historical importance it is incumbent on me to do so (with lesser publications I would refrain from doing so). Thankfully, David Mitchell has a full listing in his ‘The Public Paperfolding History Project’ (from Michel Grand), of which I borrow in turn (with minor editing on my part for brevity), which saves much time:
‘Les Recreations Scientifiques' by Gaston Tissandier was first published in Paris by G. Masson in November 1880. The contents had previously been published in 'La Nature', a magazine also founded and edited by Gaston Tissandier.
The book was issued in a number of editions. Material published since the date of the previous edition was often incorporated in the next. Some of the editions were widely translated into other languages. The editions mentioned below are the French originals.
The 1st Edition was issued in November 1880.
The 2nd Edition was issued in April 1881.
The 3rd Edition was issued in 1883. The 'Avertissement' states that the 3rd Edition has been entirely redesigned and implies that it contains new material.
The 4th Edition was issued in 1884. (online) The 'Avertissement' contains a similar statement to that in the 3rd Edition but I believe that the material relating to paperfolding in the 3rd and 4th Editions is identical.
The 5th Edition was issued in 1888. (online). The 5th Edition contains material relating to paperfolding which is not found in the previous editions.
The 6th Edition was issued in 1893, the 7th in 1894 and the 8th in 1897. All of these editions were identical.
Of note from the above is that MItchell in the 5th edition commentary states: ‘The 5th Edition contains material relating to paperfolding which is not found in the previous editions’, so this appears to be when the rings first appeared. Singmaster also quotes the 5th edition, stating that he has not seen it earlier. Therefore, I will take this at face value of the paper rings first appearing in the 5th edition, of 1888. I had previously looked at the 1881 and 1884 editions to no avail.
Also of interest is that it is stated that the editions were widely translated. This explains why the same illustration appears in foreign publications.
Given the importance, although lengthy, I would have typed the Frenct text and used Google Translate, but this is not necessary as Henry Firth translated the text, in his and Tissandier’s Half Hours of Scientific Amusement (of 1890).
Bio. Gaston Tissandier was a French chemist, meteorologist, aviator, and editor. He escaped besieged Paris by balloon in September 1870. He founded and edited the scientific magazine La Nature and wrote several books. His brother was illustrator Albert Tissandier. His son Paul became a well known aviator in his own right…. In 1873 he founded the weekly scientific magazine La Nature, which he edited until 1896, after which it was continued by others. He also authored several books. Wikipedia
6. ‘Tricks with Paper Rings’. The Gatherer. Cassell's Family Magazine. Volume 14, 1888, p. 252.
The La Nature illustration is shown, albeit in a different order and a plain background! The text repeats from*
Take three bands of paper 2 inches wide and from 2 to 5 feet long, and with one form a ring as shown in Fig. 3. Before pasting the ends of a second ring made from another strip, give the strip a single twist...
Publication. Cassell's Family Magazine represents one stage in the lengthy evolution of a publication. … A column of particular interest is “The Gatherer,” which offered an illustrated monthly roundup of the latest scientific discoveries and inventions.
Source: Internet Archive
7. The Swiss Cross. A Monthly Magazine of Popular Sciencebooks. Agassiz Association, N. D. C. Hodges. Vol. IV, No. 6, 1888, pp. 174–175.
Illustrated; credits Tissandier’s La Nature for the illustration.
Some Paper Ring. Figs 1, 2, and 3 represent three rings of paper…
Magazine. Details of the magazine itself are poor. There is detail on the Agassiz Association though. The Agassiz Association, founded in 1875 for the study of natural science by Harlan Hoge Ballard (1853–1934) was designed "to collect, study, and preserve ...
Source: Internet Archive
8. Richard A. Proctor. (‘Conducted’). Knowledge. ‘Trick with Paper Rings’. Volume 11, January 2, 1888, pp. 67–68.
Repeats the text and illustration from Scientific American, 1887.
The annexed engraving, from La Nature, shows the method of preparing paper rings for the performance of a curious experiment. Take three strips of paper 2 inches in width by from 2 to 3 feet in length…
Short description, based on La Nature, i.e. Tissandier, with copy of the illustration, omitting Poyet's name. Singmaster
Bio. Richard Anthony Proctor FRAS (1837–1888) was an English astronomer. In 1881 Proctor founded Knowledge, a popular weekly magazine of science (converted into a monthly in 1885), which had a considerable circulation. Wikipedia
Source: Internet Archive
Quoted by: David Singmaster