Year: 2007

Beautiful and Practical Night Club Table

I remember when I owned a MAK G&M Table, I was very happy with it at the time, but that was before I started spending a bit more money on tables! This table from Mikame is not only very pleasing to the eye it is strong, light, and easy to assemble from a small shopping bag.

In fact, it is one of my favorite Mikame pieces and although it is not huge, it is perfect if you want to just throw a bag in the back of the car and look real classy when you perform. I’ll be using it for my Christmas close-up shows this year. You can add a small close-up pad on top and you’re all set for some great magic.

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One Ahead Elegance as Only Dr. Jaks Knows!

This is a very clever application of the old one ahead principle, but dressed up so well you’d never guess.

Easy to do. The basic effect is that the magician reveals what a spectator freely wrote on a card and sealed in an envelope between two plates dangling from a chain to make sure that the magician cannot see a thing. Simple to do, no pre-show madness, easy to re-set and different answer every time. Great for walk around in fact.

Its simplicity and elegance will keep you kicking yourself!

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Effective, Entertaining, and Easy

This is a great routine if you like poker deals or if you like 4 ace effects. It combines the basic plot of McDonald’s Aces with a poker deal and is highly effective. It also 100% resets itself. It is not drawn out either you go straight into the action and leave them wanting more.

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Very Clever and Practical

I have lots of nest of boxes but I rarely get to use them as they are large, require some set-up or have certain angle issues. These boxes are small enough to take with you and the mechanism is clean and very clever.

What I particularly like is that you can show the boxes all around and even give them to someone to handle before you have made the load – so there is nothing sticking out waiting for a load. You could show the boxes, hand them to a spectator to make sure the lock is tight, then place them in a bag and in the process of placing them in a bag you could slip the load in all without anyone being the wiser.

Although these might not be my prettiest nest of boxes, they are probably the most practical.

Highly Recommended.

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Shades of Marcelo Contento

When it comes to high end electronics and mechanics is it hard to beat the amazing work of Marcelo Contento. His Card Fountain, still unsurpassed, is a complete work of art and his Jumbo Rising Cards is equally top of its class. I have been looking at some of the work from Cesaral and although it might not be quite where Marcelo is it is still very finely engineered. And "engineered" is the correct word, these effects are not simply slapped together from spare parts, but they are designed from scratch.

This Production Machine is a very compact device with clean looking electronics. It fits neatly inside a playing card case and allows you to produce with a bang three loads. Each load chamber is powered by a tiny glow-plug and some flash wool and then loaded up with streamers, confetti, silks, etc.

It is very reliable and firing each unit is simply a matter of pushing a small button on the unit. When you’re looking for that extra surprise to get their attention, the Cesaral Production Machine delivers!

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Compact and Perfect

This is the version of Run Rabbit Run I performed in my youth. It might not be as impressive as Jack Hughes’ Run Bonzo Run or the beautiful Run Wolf Run, but for me it is very practical for kids parties. It is about half the size of the bigger versions, and can easily be held and manged with one hand. This gives it plenty of flexibility. The larger size is certainly important for bigger venues, but for normal kids parties you don’t need any more than this.

It is true that ther are more story opportuines with Run Wolf Run, but I performed this version 100’s of times and never found the need for more story – the kids were already screaming way too loud as it was!

Still the best kids effect by a mile.

If you can’t find one of these early Supreme versions, don’t get one of the cheap copies, get Run Wolf Run from Chance Wolf. It is a real crowd pleaser!

Highly Recommended for kids magicians everywhere.

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Wierd and Wonderful!

The Burmese Bells is easy to overlook. The props are simple with no gimmicks and nothing added or taken away – the bar with bells hanging from it is precisely what it seems. With what appears to be mind power alone you are able to make any bell swing furiously and stop just as easily.

A spectator can call out a color and the bell will just start swinging away, then another color can be called and the first bell will stop and the next bell will start. With this basic mechanism you can use this rod for divinations, predictions, or raw mind power.

It works on a clever scientific principle and within a few minutes of reading the instructions you can pick it up and be controlling the bells with your mind!

Very unique and wonderful to watch!

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The Perfect Slate Effect!

Years ago an inferior version of this effect called Picto-Chango was released by Mark Trimble under license from Gene Anderson. It was an ok product but Mark never paid Gene for the rights and it also never met the expectations that Gene had for this wonderful trick. Now Gene has put out the definitive version of this beautiful effect, and it is really world class.

Picto Transpo is based on a Roy Johnson routine "On The Slate" from his book Second Time Around. Roy Johnson credits Peter Warlock for the original idea.

With the addition of modern technology in the form of Teflon coated slates and the use of a humorous caricature instead of a simple geometric shape the whole routine is transformed into a real performance piece.

In effect the magician draws a simple caricature of his assistant and signs his name on the back and the spectator does likewise. Even though everything seems totally fair, the pictures still switch places – it is really amazing to witness.

This is not a piece of magic that you will recieive and do minutes later – it does take some practice to ensure everything is clean and smooth. There are no difficult moves and once you have perfected the routine you will have an effect that can close your act everytime. It is beautiful.

Highly Recommended!

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