Review by S. Waters for Seventh Heaven by Lewis Jones
5 out of 5
An incredible piece of literature…
Lewis Jones’ "Seventh Heaven" is one of the most under-appreciated modern card magic books. Instead of listing all the types of effects, suffice it to say that if you like:
Stacks…it’s in here Out of This World (variations)…it’s in here Innovative sleights and controls…it’s in here Wonderful lateral thinking… I think you get the idea
I have used a number of routines from this work, including his "D.O.P." (a color sensing routine) and his "Ace Cutting" routine on numerous occasions. This is one of those works that will be talked about as an underground classic (that will command crazy prices) one day. It’s a no-brainer, as the rest of Lewis’ works.
Review by Andy Martin for Multi-Dimensional – Deluxe Kit by Craig Filicetti
5 out of 5
Good Night this is Amazing!
Wow, when I first received this package it felt too light to be anything that exciting. Then I saw Craig’s name on the label and I knew I was in for a treat. I love the Mental Dice effect that I purchased from LabCo Magic, but frankly this is in a whole new league. It is so light and small – you can’t imagine how this thing could be gimmicked. But it is and it is so perfect it hurts.
The transmitter can be transferred to different cubes (ESP, Die, Color Block, etc) with ease and you can choose to use the Mahogany Box or not, it is just window dressing but allows you to do the standard color vision effect.
The package comes with 16 pages of great routines from Max Krause and a set-up DVD. The unit itself just works the way you want it, and it is silent too. The receiver is not some bulky box either, it is tiny and can even fit in the ticket pocket of your jeans.
This is easily the most practical electronic miracle I have seen. Quite simply breathtaking in its production and execution.
If you want to really amaze anyone, then this is the hassle free item for you – most Highly Recommended!
Review by Andy Martin for Jumbo Card on Seat (Improved) by Collectors' Workshop, Chuck Fayne
5 out of 5
George has done it again! Pure Magical Perfection!
George Robinson may not be the fastest guy in the South, but when he does deliver boy is it exciting! This new and vastly improved version of the classic Collector’s Workshop item is a case in point. I have always liked the effect, but was not too happy with the old version. Like many items from the Original CW – it was a great idea, but not always built as practical and fool proof as is required in real performances. When you buy these higher end items you need them to work every time, otherwise there are absolutely useless.
George has rebuilt the whole thing from scratch and not only is the mechanism effectively invisible it is now triggered using remote control. It works flawlessly and the mechanism is silent. It is a beauty to behold. The reset is a snap and accessing the mechanism is easy too.
Both chairs look almost identical and unless you knew what you were looking for you’d be hard pressed to see a difference between the chairs.
This is truly an effect where you can concentrate all your efforts on the presentation, because the high-end electronics and superior design does all the rest for you.
I for one don’t mind waiting for magic this beautiful and amazing – keep them coming Georgie, and take as long as you need.
Most highly recommended for Performers everywhere!
Review by Andy Martin for Two Hole Wrist Chopper by Delben
5 out of 5
A Beautiful + Amazing Chopper
Ben Stone was a great guy and invented some amazing magic. One of my favorite items of his was the Two Hole Wrist Chopper. Unlike most chopper illusions this defies explanation because at the end the blade which can be examined is clearely surrounding the wrists with no explanation at all how it could have penetrated them.
If you are looking to spice up your parlor or stage act this is large enough to see and amaze, but small enough to pack!
Highly Recommend for sensation seekers everywhere!
Review by Steve Thomas for Kids Kards by Richard Pinner
5 out of 5
Kid’s Kards Kick!
I usually hate writing a review of a new item because if it’s a good effect and a good review, then EVERYBODY will go buy one. I’ll make an exception here. Ordered this from Elmwood Magic (their service is great, too) and absolutely love it. I’m a fan of the simpler things, and this, as you may have guessed is another incarnation of a Svengali Deck. The difference is…this one has a purpose and reason. The cuteness of the deck also adds a lot. The deck is shown as a hand-made pack of cards that a class/group of children made for you after you performed a show for them. You then (there’s a storyline) change it to a real (like a storebought) pack. You then do a brief mental effect, and since you feel bad about changing their handy work…you change it back to its original state. Nothing astounding about the effect, but the props and the story make the effect what it is. Now, that being said, DO NOT go buy one of these.
Review by Allan D. Lakas for Mnemonica by Juan Tamariz
5 out of 5
"Mnemonica" by Juan Tamariz
"Mnemonica" by Juan Tamariz- Translated from the Spanish by Rafael Benatar
I would like to start off by saying that Mnemonica by Juan Tamariz is one of the greatest works on the memorized deck in the history of magic; an encyclopedia on the subject Tamariz has painstakingly researched nearly every form of memorized deck since the 16th century. Lovers of magic will consume his 50 page bibliography in which he makes comments on the best memorized deck effects from such masters as Theodore Annemann to contemporaries such as Simon Aronson and Martin Joyal. Indeed the bibliography suggests a lifetime of "required readings" that will provide a plethora of inexplicable "pieces of strange" that will captivate and fool any audience neophyte of experienced magician. In addition he also generously provides another section dedicated to useful sleights including a number of useful glimpses, deck switches, and crimps from the likes of such legendary cardmen as Edward Marlo, Dai Vernon and Tamariz himself. The reader will also discover a number of useful complete false shuffles and other brilliant ideas such as the Tamariz Perpendicular control and the Green Angle Separation. There is also extensive ideas for resetting the stack even after it has been riffle shuffled AND overhand shuffled by spectators. All this and I haven’t even described the main reason for buying Mnemonica, this being the stack and the tricks provided itself!
For starters, the Mnemonica stack itself is a brilliant creation that was recently released to the magic community after 20 years of development by Juan Tamariz:
"The Mnemonica stack contains all the tricks for a memorized deck; all the tricks using stay stack; "Super Poker"; "Any Poker Hand Called For"; the production of whole suits of hearts, spades or clubs; Aronson’s routine using the whole diamond suit; the routine of lucky coincidences; two stories told by the cards; the mental spelling of ten cards; a series of fifteen cards for a divination of three thought-of cards; rummy, poker, bridge and blackjack demonstrations; a version of "The Vernon Poker Demonstration"; other productions and spellings for the Aces, Kings, Queens, and Jacks, spellings to several selected cards, the four Deuces, colors, suits, values, etc.
And finally. It is set from new deck order. Can be converted to stay-stack order and You can finish with the whole deck in order."
If you’ve never learned a memorized stack before, or even if you have, you are probably thinking about what a daunting process it must be. I can assure you the system that Juan has devised, entitled "Ultra Rapid Memorization" is just that; the stack can be easily learned in as little as three hours. I did it over the course of two afternoons, about two weeks apart, spending about an hour and a half for each session. And because of the way it is memorized it will stay with you for life. I’ve gone three weeks without thinking about the stack and it is still automatic- the learning process burns the image of the card and its corresponding stack position in your mind indefinitely.
The tricks are divided into a number of different chapters including "Specific Tricks for Mnemonica," "Tricks with the Whole Stack", "Tricks Specific to Mnemonica with the Stay Stack Wheel,"Tricks Unique to Mnemonica using Only Half the Stack," "Tricks with the Half Stack," and "Tricks that Improve with Mnemonica"
Each chapter is filled with many different professional caliber effects and presentations that can be used in both restaurants and for more formal close up demonstrations at the card table, many of which are completely inexplicable even to other magicians. I can’t encourage you enough to pick up this book and see for yourself why Juan Tamariz is considered the master of the memorized deck.
Here’s what Simon Aronson (another giant of magic) had to say about Juan in the introduction of his book:
"Juan is way ahead of us, all the time. Always thinking, always observing, always innovating, always making use of whatever opportunity presents itself. That what makes his use of the memorized deck, and all of his magic, such a joy to experience, and such an inspiring example to learn from. Juan’s magic is a living illustration of his own theoretical writings, urging us to gently cause the spectator to just "give up" rational analysis so that he can revel in the joyous impossibility of that moment."
For those who want to take their card magic to the next level, consider Mnemonica and you will enjoy a wealth of material that will keep you busy for the rest of your life.
Review by Andy Martin for Dean's Triangle by Dean Dill
5 out of 5
Wow! Dean’s real Miracle!
This is truly a miracle effect from Dean Dill. Not only is the effect in the miracle class, but the props are too!
When you drop down $750 for a trick it better be really, really good – but sadly it often is not. In this case however, you easily get your money’s worth. The table is beautiful and unique, the coins are flawless, and even the travel case is perfect.
The routine has been painstakingly thought through and the performance DVD by Dean himself takes you through all the steps. If only more manufacturers would follow through with this much attention to detail, we’d have a lot more great magic, and a lot less trash filling our shelves.
This effect is not self working, but it is certainly not difficult either, and when you spend this much on an item it is certainly worth spending a bit of time getting used to the routine. Once you have mastered the moves you will blow them away everytime.
Thanks Dean for making perfect magic – you have set the bar very high for magic, for value, for quality, and for entertainment.
Review by Andy Martin for The Cellulator by Chance Wolf, Ron Arthur
5 out of 5
This is not your old Wiz-Kote!
I’ve always loved the Wiz-Kote, but I must say this new item from Mr. Wolf is really amazing. The first big difference you’ll notice is the size – it is tiny (almost mini) compared with the original Wiz-Kote. This really makes it more practical for most performers who will use it.
I found it much easier to set-up than the Wiz-Kote too. Don’t get me wrong I still love the Wiz-Kote, but given the choice I would always go with the Cellulator.
The routine works very well too and although the Wiz-Kote is really a kids effect, the Cellulator is great for all audiences. As usual the quality and perfomability of this item are second to none. It is hard to find an item that Chance has produced that isn’t amazing and practical.
When I was a kid growing up in England I always felt that the Jack Hughes items were the best around if you wanted to actually perform magic and weren’t a millionaire. To me Chance and Shelley Wolf are producing the best perfomable effects today, bar none. Their items are well priced, unique, and very solidly constructed. And don’t get me started on the amazing collectable items Chance makes too – is there anything he can’t do?
It is always a treat opening a package from Wolf’s Magic – you are never dissappointed!
Review by Andy Martin for Jumbo Balloon Wand 2 by Chance Wolf
5 out of 5
Time to Peform Magic again!
One of the problems of collecting a lot of magic is that you never find time to actually perform it. The real magic only occurs when you perfrom in front of a live audience. The ironic thing is that many effects that are prized collectables are often not practical to perform. Not so with the Magical Wolf Man! His magic is for sure collectable, but it is even more performable.
This is the second version of his Jumbo Balloon Wand, based on the original Balloon Tray by Warren Stephens. The first Jumbo Balloon Wand was great, but it was aimed more for kids shows and slightly less streamlined. This new version works great for all audiences. It is a dream to set-up and like all of Chance’s amazing magic works 100% of the time. When it comes to performing magic, any prop that doesn’t work 100% of the time is going to stay on the shelf most of the time – maybe this is why they are called Collectable!
As with all of my recent Wolf’s Magic purchases this will stay in the collection and I look forward to performing it to real people soon!
Thanks Chance for maintaining such consistent high standards in all of your great Collectable and Performable Magic!
Review by Brett Schulman for La Houlette by Douglas-Wayne Illusioneering
5 out of 5
La Houlette
I just received this in the mail and it is a true work of art. I have never owned any of George’s work before, but he has done a very nice job with this piece. The workmanship is on par with anyone out there today.
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