Great Wallet
I’ve used another fire wallet that didnt last long. My El Duco has lasted a long time and still works fine.
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Review by Candini for Hot Money Wallet by El Duco's Magic
Review by dream_catcher for No Tear Torn and Restored Newspaper by Tony Stevens
Great Effect
This efect is really great. There is no set up really or anything. THe gimmick is really ingenius. A whole newspaper is restorn from pieces of paper you pull out, and when finished, you can flip through the paper front to back, showing the audience all the pages, without worry of being found out. A+++++++
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Review by Ian Coldiron for Bow Shooting Boy by Gakken
A piece of history
Yes, it works. NO batteries or computers. It’s full of springs, strings, gears, and other magical stuff.
It’s a bit fiddly to keep adjusted, but that’s a part of the fun. Consider introducing it as a piece of history – it antedates video games and computers. Try showing it with the doll unclothed, and the screens removed, so that your audience can see the internal workings. When you start it up, deliberately adjust it a bit (even if it’s running smoothly)… then let the audience join in the fun of watching him actually hit the target with a real arrow.
My audience actually asked "How does it know where the target is?".
A note: This is available as a kit, or as an almost-assembled version. The price difference is small, and the kit is NOT easy. Get the almost-assembled version, and you’ll only need a half-hour or so to finalize it. Also, get the storage/display box – it’s very nice woodwork, and makes the presentation more special.
4 stars, since not everyone will have a routine for what is essentially a replica of an antique toy from medieval Japan.
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Review by Ian Coldiron for Osterlind's Ultra Board by Richard Osterlind
Built to last – and you can let the audience handle it.
This is built to last forever. No hidden things for an audience member to stumble upon. And, when you see the method, you’ll have the joy of a ‘duh’ moment – it’s dead simple, works every time, won’t ever fail on you, and you’ll wish you thought of it.
You can let audience members use it for something prior to your effect (how many tools let you do that?). Pick it up and create your magic – and then let them examine it afterward. Not only are you clean, the entire device is never dirty either (really really!!!).
Nice feel to it, and it’s classy in appearance.
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Review by Ian Coldiron for Nana's Necklace by Dean Dill
Almost perfect
The original version (circa 1584) required some pre-work. This version is much improved – no pre-work or set up of any kind.
There’s a major plus to this kind of effect – it occurs in the spectator’s hand, and leaves him holding the beads. Since he touches the items, it seems all the more impossible.
4 stars instead of 5, since you can’t be a complete chimpanzee with this. Just work with it a while before presenting it, so you can do it smoothly. It looks and feels good in your hands and in the spectator’s, and you’ll be able to do it over and over with any crowd.
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Review by Anonymous for ToiBox by Johnathan Kamm
Simple and Clean
This is the way Card To Box should of always been done! No gimmicks!
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Review by Greg for Buddha Chop Cup by Fantasma
A Lot of Chop For the Money
Like most magician/collectors, I own quite a few chop cups. Some are the more traditional metal or wood variety, while others are "themed" and designed to resemble dice cups, billiard pockets, trash cans, soda cans, rice bowls, cocktail shakers and the like. I held off on purchasing the Buddha Chop Cup for fear that it was yet another attempt at reintroducing this familiar effect using an unfamiliar theme. And, that is exactly what the Buddha Chop Cup is. However, It wasn’t until I finally gave in and purchased the effect that I realized how superior this chop cup is to some of the dozens of inferior models that preceeded it.
The Buddha Chop Cup is a first-class outfit all the way. The quality of workmanship is evident the minute you see, and feel, the beautiful carrying bag. The cup itself is a hefty, easy-to-manipulate prop covered in what feels like antiqued leather. The exterior detailing of the container is distressed just enough to open the door to a wide-range of story telling regarding how and where you may have found the cup. The balls are high-quality as well, but the final Buddha statue load is what really made me smile. Without giving anything away, the Buddha statue is manufactured in a way that opens up a variety of options for customizing and producing the final load.
If you are a collector you will be proud to add this set to your chop cup inventory. If you are a worker, you will enjoy the versatility the Buddha Chop Cup offers in both handling and performing.
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Review by Greg for Easy To Master Card Miracles – Vols. 4-6 DVD by Michael Ammar
Incredible, Do-able Magic for an Affordable Price.
If you don’t already have this series of DVDs, drop whatever you’re doing and go buy them right now. Michael is an engaging performer who not only keeps his audience in awe, but is so inviting in his delivery that you want to pick up a deck of cards and perform right along with him. All volumes in this series are well-worth the cost, although I must confess a preference for volumes 1 – 6, with number 6 being my favorite.
As the series’ title suggests, these effects are by no means knuckle-busters, but the magic is strong…very strong…none the less. If you’re into pulling muscles with difficult sleights that only fellow magicians can appreciate, give your hands a break and try these DVDs on for size. You can spend less time practicing the hand-crobatics and more time practicing your presentation.
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Review by Dante for Goodnight Mr. Dante by Val Andrews
The Great Dante
This is a wonderful book, as the life it describes. Say no More.
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Review by Marc Rehula for Try The Impossible by Simon Aronson
Achieve the Impossible
Aronson outdoes himself here. He has already written some of the best card magic books ever written, including what is likely the most popular memorized stack. But this has to be his best book yet.
Consider the first trick in the book. Work through the clear, thorough description of the method. You will fool even yourself! The UnDo Influence is a revolutionary principle that is counter-intuitive, so it produces a lovely effect however you use it.
The middle section of the book has some wonderful ‘miscellaneous’ material. Then there is a section of wonderful material utilizing the Aronson Stack. But get this: You don’t need to memorize the stack! Not for ANY of the wonderful routines.
The routines are deceptively easy. So easy that many magicians will dismiss the material as ‘self working’ but don’t be one of them! Several sleights are suggested and explained, but this is not sleight heavy material. The emphasis is on the impact of the effect. So if you are a beginner, wondering how to break into the intermediate level, this is a perfect place to start. Create startling, original effects without difficult sleights.
Aronson is widely respected among the top magicians, but interestingly his material is not as often performed as it should be. After working through the routines in Try the Impossible you will agree. But then you won’t tell anyone about the book because you will want to keep these golden secrets for yourself.
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