Review by Andy Martin for J.C. Wagner Close-up Table by J.C. Wagner
5 out of 5
The Best Street and Close-up Table!
J.C. Wagner, who sadly passed away in August 2010, is remembered mostly for his bar and close-up magic. However, he was a great craftsman too as is attested by this perfect table he built. I don’t know how many he made or if he made other items like this, but I love this table!
It opens and closes in an instant. No catches, screws or fasteners – one second it is open the next it is closed so it is perfect for walk-around and street magic. It is very solid and has a large performing area. It looks beautiful made from oak with brass corners, yet it is also very practical and will take all sorts of beating. When closed the top of the legs form a handle which makes it incredibly easy to carry around. It has a large load hidden servante which is perfect for loads and vanishes.
The thing that amazes me most is how strong and solid the table is once opened. Typically these portable tables are pretty fragile – not so with this table it is really solid.
I’ve been looking for a table that I can use for small close-up performances with 4-6 people and this fits the bill perfectly. Thank-you J.C.!
Review by Andy Martin for Rubik's Puzzle Solving Box by Mel Babcock
5 out of 5
Mel is Back!
It is always a great treat when I get a package from Mel Babcock and this weekend I received two wonderful items from him. The first is what looks like one of his beautiful Die Boxes and it is but with one difference: you start with a mixed up Rubik cube (aren’t they all?) and you finish with a completed cube, instead of it vanishing elsewhere.
The idea is from Bob Meigs and Mel has crafted it with his usual impeccable style. During the routine as the cube is tipped back and forth the doors are opened and you see how it has been solved a little more each time.It is a real beauty.
Highly Recommended for Collectors and Performers everywhere – go grab one now before they are all gone!
Review by Andy Martin for Comedy Table Legs by Woodmagic Studio
5 out of 5
The Most Beautiful Comedy Table Ever!
When Howard Hale first put this table out in 2001 I received #1 from Stevens Magic after a very long wait. Sadly I sold it back in 2007 never thinking I’d get another one. Well now I have #2 and it is even better than #1. It is a stunning looking table and when you want that huge belly laugh at the end of your multiplying bottles routine, this is the way to go!
Howard Hale made some truly beautiful magic, and this item had to be the pinnacle of his line. It is very sad that he stopped making magic. But I for one am very pleased to have this piece back in my collection.
I don’t know how many were made, at least two but probably not many more as I remember I had to wait months for #1.
If you ever see one of these babies for sale buy it!
Review by Andy Martin for Mirror Box – Small by Mel Babcock
5 out of 5
A Perfect Mirror Box in Three Sizes!
This is another wonderful item from Mel – the trusty Mirror Box – and what a beauty it is. It comes in three sizes and I initially ordered just the small one, but as soon as I held it I ordered the medium one too!
If you ever need to produce something, these mirror boxes will cover most things – and they feel so good in your hands.
What continues to amaze me about Mel’s work is not only how consistently well made his magic is, but also how he keeps the prices so low, his pricing is even more amazing than his products.
Review by Andy Martin for Television Casket by Indomagic Land
5 out of 5
Perfect version of an old Classic
I always liked the old German made Tele-Vision Box. The method is clever but required a little bit of nerve and as my eyesight has deteriorated with age I find it difficult to read the results. Not so with this beauty from Joe Stevens and Indomagic Land. It is a neat electronic device with remote control and you can see the order of the numbers all the way across the room.
The box is very well made and looks very innocent with a kind of old world look. It can be handled briefly by the spectator if so desired and they will not find the secret. I’m not sure if the whole casket needs to be given to them however, but rather just the inner box, which is 100% ungimmicked, and they just return it to the bigger box and close the lid.
If you like surefire electronic miracles that look innocent then this is for you!
Review by Andy Martin for Instant Translocation by Magic Wagon
5 out of 5
Amazing quality and value!
This is a really beautiful set from Magic Wagon and great value too. The outfit allows you to vanish a signed coin from the little chest and have it appear almost instantly in the coin purse.
Both items can be handled fairly freely by the spectators – with normal handling they won’t see anything and should not be suspicious as the props look innocent enough.
These items are perfectly made from Croco embossed animal-friendly synthetic leather. Solid brass plating is used in the hardware and the interior is lined with velvet materials. They look great and for the price it is hard to beat.
Review by Andy Martin for Swords of Damocles by Magic Wagon
5 out of 5
What a beauty!
Magic Wagon continue to produce some of the finest quality close-up magic around today and this neat little miracle is no different. It is beautifully made as we have come to expect from them, and the neat idea of adding the piece of paper to demonstrate that the swords really do pierce the brass sheet is a stoke of genius. Not only does it enhance the believability of the trick, it also makes it easier to perform. So unlike similar effects there really are no angle issues with this item.
I love it!
Highly recommended for close-up performers and collectors everywhere!
Review by Andy Martin for Wonder Nest of Boxes by Louis Gaynor
5 out of 5
One of Lou’s Best!
I don’t know why I love Nests of Boxes so much, but I do! And these beautiful ones from Joe Stevens and Louis Gaynor are no exception. They are smaller than the stunning Mel Babcock ones which makes them a bit more practical, and they have a lovely look and feel.
Made from finest Arkansas Walnut lined with green felt they use strong magnets to lock them rather than keys. I like this feature for two reasons: 1) I won’t lose the key and 2) it makes the performance faster without the usual fumbling as you unlock each box. They use the Joe Berg method which is sure fire and doesn’t require an assistant. The weight on my set is 3.8 lbs and the Mel Babock ones are 7 lbs heavier! The size for the largest box is 6" square.
I have not seen the original Joe Berg’s Professional Wonder Nest of Boxes, but this remake is amazing. Everything I see from Louis Gaynor is amazing quality and he is certainly on par with Mel Babcock. And we all now how fabulous Mel’s work is.
Highly Recommended for Collector’s and Performers everywhere.
Review by Andy Martin for Excalibur by Future Magic
5 out of 5
Perfect and Heavy Duty!
I’ve owned four and sold three of these and for the first time this weekend actually performed it to my family. They loved it! I think this item is misunderstood by some (myself included), and hence it doesn’t always get the best reviews. It works nothing like Anverdi’s Enchanted Ring, although the effect to the lay person is similar. I think this is why some people have a problem with it – they are using it in the same way as the Anverdi item. Performed correctly I actually think it is cleaner and more effective than the Enchanted Ring. Although I did not think this when I first purchased it – partly because I was expecting the same method.
I think it is an amazing penetration and is easier to perform than some think if you hold it correctly and perform t in your hands rather than leaving it on the table. There are some angle issues and it works best for people in front of you, but with some minor motion you can quite easily perform it with a bigger crowd. What I do is walk on holding the unit by the ring with the stand and sword in place. Showing it all round so they can clearly see that the ring is attached. I quickly dismantle the 3 pieces placing each item on to the spectator’s outstretched hands. Although the sword is gimmicked it doesn’t look like it and will stand-up to normal touch. By placing all the items into both of their outstretched hands they get a sense of how clean (and heavy duty) the items are. A non-gimmicked sword comes with the trick, but frankly I don’t see the use for it since it adds a switch to the routine and is just not necessary.
Now you cleanly place the ring in the base, and secure it with the sword as you were when you started. Hold it by the long part of the sword with the hilt facing them and tug on the ring – they can tug too – so it is clearly impossible to get the ring off. At this point you can show the ring and base all around. When you are about to do the deed, just point the hilt towards them up close and ask them to blow on the ring, and as you tilt it upwards towards them it is easy to do the move, and pull the ring off. In fact I have pulled the ring off shown everything clean, and then put the ring back on. Each time they have been totally unsuspecting of the method.
I really love this item now! And it resets automatically too. This is a keeper for sure.
The only issue with it for walk around is that it is quite heavy rolling in at 11oz. That is quite a weight to be slopping around in your pocket.
Highly recommend for Collectors and Close-up Performers.
Wow what a beauty this Sand Frame is built by the always amazing Bob Kline. Not only is the frame beautifully made, but the speed with which the sand disappears is almost fast enough to make this a visual appearance. In addition, the sand matches very closely to the back-drop so there are no visual clues.
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