French magician Philippe (Jacques Andre Noel Talon) was one of the first recorded magicians to use the rings. During the second half of his show, he donned an Oriental robe and conical cap. He took solid metal rings and had the audience examine them. He claimed that he learned them from a troupe of Chinese jugglers in Britain. After the rings were returned, Philippe proceeded to link and unlink them. From there he made combination of glittering circles into complicated designs. According to Robert-Houdin, he said that for a finale, Philippe blew on them and they fell separately on the floor. Robert-Houdin also performed a version of the trick.