Year: 2019

I personally will stick with Paul Curry’s version over Mr. Zimmerman’s version.  There are other versions including Harry Loryane’s Out of this Universe that I might use, but the problem I have with this version is the move occurs as the two packets are placed together after the spectator has dealt them – well talk about the worst time to do a move that is when the spectator’s are looking most closely. I first read about Out of This World in Paul Clive’s excellent book Card Tricks Without Skill and it has served me very well over decades, without the need for any tricky moves at the worst time.

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This is how “they” get you! I’ve been purchasing a few of Carl Williams pieces recently and just when you think you are above all of the addictions of classic magic effects, you realize you’re right back where you started and can’t stop yourself. This is another stunning beauty meticulously re-created by Carl to duplicate the original Okito masterpiece. And what a clever and perplexing illusion it is. Spend a little time working with this and you will have a true baffler for both magicians and lay people. And amazingly the whole unit can be minutely examined. I guess I’ll be tracking down more of Carl’s work because he is so good 🙂

Originally called “Berg’s Wand-O-Ring,” this effect was devised by Joe Berg and built by Okito, when it won the award at a contest by the Society of American Magicians Assembly No. 3 in 1947.

Effect: The apparatus is a small cabinet which has no lid, but has a removable front panel and two slots in the side so a wand can be lowered in. There is also a hole in the center of the front panel and another in the back. Three differently colored washer-like rings are introduced, and one of them is freely chosen. The box can be inspected by the audience if necessary; then the wand is lowered into it and the front panel slid into place. Next the chosen ring is lowered into the cabinet and held there while a length of ribbon is threaded through the hole in the rear, through the ring, and out through the hole in the front. For a moment the ring is lifted from the cabinet to show it has been threaded on the ribbon, and then it is replaced inside.

Suddenly the ribbon is pulled taut, the wand is lifted out of the cabinet and the chosen ring is seen to be threaded on it instead of on the ribbon. The ribbon is removed and everything given for critical examination.

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My favorite Anverdi item is his very clever and perplexing Key Box c. 1982 from almost forty years ago!  Until recently I thought it was at the top of the food chain for effects that became known as The Seven Keys to Baldpate by Annemann and invented by Joseph Kolar c. 1927.  That is until I saw this rare beauty, Keyrumba c. 1990, from the amazing Carl Williams.  And what a stunning beauty it is. 

It is a beautiful prop for sure.   The effect is well known but Keyrumba is about as clean as you can get and operates by a hidden remote control so there is no need for the extra box used by Anverdi’s Key Box.  Keyrumba comes with eight identical keys and you can use as many or as few as you want for the routine – any one will open the box or not, 100% under your control.

The props supplied are of the highest quality, as expected from the late master craftsman Carl Williams. The chest is perfectly crafted. The inlaid woodwork is beautiful. The set offered is complete with the chest, all the keys, remote, necessary setting tool, and a photocopy of the original instructions and extra tips.

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P&L created two versions of this aptly named Perfect Card Box: the Standard Model c. 1921 and the Thin Model c. 1932. They are both still pretty “thin” because the Standard is only 9/16″ thick and to be honest I prefer the Standard. To me this is easily the prettiest, most practical, most convincing, and one of the hardest to figure out of all card boxes I have seen.  I prefer it to both Brema/Viking ones I have here and here, and the Joe Porper one too.  When I received it, even though I have worked with over 40 different card boxes and I had the instructions in front of me, it still took me about thirty minutes to figure out how to open the flap.  Once you have the knack it is easy, but that first ah-ha moment took me a while – which is the true test of the Perfect Card Box 🙂

Pictured is the Standard Model and it will vanish/change at least thirteen Poker sized cards. That is an amazing load and all in 9/16″ of solid silver.  I am really amazed by this stunning card box!  Although I’ve read that P&L only hallmarked the Thin Model with their famous P&L Logo that is not true because this is the Standard Model and the P&L Logo is clear as day.  This was made with what P&L call Solid Cupro Silver – this is probably what we call Sterling Silver today (since Sterling Silver is silver with about 7.5% copper added for strength), and it shines up beautifully with a bit of elbow grease and polish.

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I love this version of the Fantastic Figures of Foo from Jack Hughes that Jack created under license from Regow’s Magic Studio in the USA. The whole outfit packs away neatly in the beautifully made stand which acts as a carry case for the paddles and chalk as well as the stand during the performance. The paddles are large enough to be seen on the stage or in a parlor situation too. A real beauty and the stand even has the the original “Jack Hughes Maker of Magic” label still in place. It is really easy to do and you’ll be doing this within minutes of receiving it.

Effect: Display the four paddles, calling attention to the fact there are 5 sets of numbers on each side of each paddle. Thus each of the paddles contains 10 entirely different sets of numerals. Hand the paddles and easel to a spectator for examination. Then instruct him to place the paddles on the easel in any arrangement he desires. There is no force and he has a free choice. Call attention to the fact there are over 300 different combinations possible. Magician steps away while the spectator arranges the paddles. The spectator is instructed to add up the columns of figures as he has arranged them and to write the answer in the space provided on the bottom of the easel. After this has been completed, the Magician, without once seeing the front of the paddles announces the correct answer.

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