Year: 2019

At the end of last year Kent Bergmann released his first Limited Edition item First Class and what an amazing beauty it was. Easily the most involved 3D Magic effect I have ever seen. It required so many pieces that Kent just released a custom case that would hold all of the pieces neatly in place. The original First Class featuring 30 units sold out within a few days, and everyone but one of the purchasers opted for this case too. I feel sorry for the one person who didn’t – I’m pretty sure he will regret that decision over time 🙁

This is not a magic trick in itself, but the way it fits all of the pieces so well, in a relatively small box is quite magical. There are very few dealers around that spend this much time and take this sort of care for simply the presentation and storage of an effect, particularly when you look at how much work is involved in creating these cases. Kent is here to stay and he is producing some amazing magic, but he is already retiring some products so make sure you get over there now before all the best items have gone!

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The Pom-Pom Prayer Stick was invented by Louis Histed and published in his book The Magic of Louis S. Histed c. 1947 as the effect Papyrus (pg 55). The effect was made famous and very popular by the great Ali Bongo (William Oliver Wallace: 1829-2009). You can read more details about the origins here. It is really a beautiful effect full of comedy and mystery.

This version is beautifully produced with precision engineering and has been my goto version for about twenty years. You have a length of tube with a piece of cord passing thru each end. Different colored, bug fluffy Pom Poms are attached to each end of the cord. The pieces of cord are pulled back and forth thru the rod to prove the cords are unconnected. but just to confuse the audience, the magician pulls one cord out to double its original length, making the cord on the other end go up. From then on, whichever end the performer pulls it will become a long cord on its own, giving the impression that there are at least six cords.

With limitless and comic variation, the magician repeatedly pulls on the ends until the audience becomes completely bewildered. Then the great climax – unexpectedly you make both cords long, then pull the tube apart to show there is no connection between the cords (this amazes the audience and they show it!) Slip the two halves back together again, and to show the audience that you have a miracle in your hands, resume pulling the cords as before, and take a well deserved bow. This is always gets a great reaction, yet it is self contained and easy to do.

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This effect was originally created by magician and inventor Rebru of Holland c. 1990. It was rebuilt by Joe Long and Paul Lembo as part of their Limited Edition Magic series c. 2015 and this inspired the new Dutch Craftsman Frans Reijnier, from Holland Magic Studio, to build his own version. In fact, Frans created three versions: Mini, Standard, and Jumbo. This is the 2″ mini version and not only is it as cute as a button, it works perfectly and looks amazing.

You show a small golden solid block with a hole drilled through it, a solid magic wand and an empty frame which you can show by opening the back and front doors. You then take the magic wand and place it in the middle of the frame and close the doors. You then take the golden block and place it in the frame until it rests on the wand. Then you push down on the block and it PENETRATES THE WAND. How is that possible? Then you open the front of the frame and lift the block from the frame, the magic wand is now through the hole in the block. Of course you can take out the wand and show everything to be solid and fair.

Very well made from wood and metal, includes everything you need including a link to an online instructional video. Very limited supply. Keep an eye on Holland Magic Studio, because if the first few items are anything to go on Frans is going to be a power house before you know it.

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What impresses me about this box is that there are no moving parts, no electronics, no magnets, nothing to add to take away, no reset, and yet you are ready to go right away – arrive at the event, pull out your box, take our your tarot cards and other things you store in the box and straight away you can start to read their minds.  What a lovely idea, and will last a lifetime – even if you leave it on your shelf for years before using it!

This is a vintage-looking box in which the mentalist carries the tools of his trade: playing cards, tarot cards, etc. A participant writes something down on a blank card and inserts it face down into the slot of the closed box. The mentalist then accesses the spectators thoughts without touching the box! An ingenious, hand-crafted wooden box about 18 x 14 x 10 cm. Comes with a velour bag which may or may not be used during the performance.  This is the original Mind’s Eye Box which has been discontinued and not the later more decorative versions. Ideal for close-up but could be used for parlor or stage.

Inspired by Magnuson’s Devil Device box, as featured in Theodore Annemann’s book Practical Mental Magic (Effects) and also described in The Jinx #89 But unlike the Devil Device there are no moving parts, or the need to touch the box after the spectator had placed their written details inside.  It also doesn’t have some of the angle issues that the original Devil Device had.

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This is a beautiful effect from Magic Wagon, inspired by one of the best effects the master inventor Ed Massey ever created The Chinese Flame Clock (c. 1954) and one of the most popular effects that Milson-Worth created.

You will not be disappointed by this amazing piece of magic from Magic Wagon. Based on an amazing effect, reduced in size for collectors, with flawless mechanics and simply beautiful too. This is the one to get, as Magic Wagon created a lot less than usual. You’ll love this bad boy!

A steel bolt is shown to be completely solid and then placed inside a beautiful wooden cabinet. The front door is now closed and two solid brass blades are pushed through the cabinet from side to side creating the illusion of cutting the bolt into three pieces. When the door is opened, the blades are clearly seen running through the cabinet, but the middle section of the bolt has now vanished! The performer then wave’s his hand behind the cabinet to further prove that the steel bolt’s middle section is not visible. The front door is now closed and the blades are removed. When the door is finally opened again, the center section of the bolt has reappeared! The steel bolt can now be removed and shown to be fully restored. It is a great miniature illusion!

The cabinet measures approximately 8.8cms wide, 15cms high and 8.8cms deep and has been completely handcrafted from natural aged teak wood with a lightly distressed oil finish.

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This is an advanced version of the old sucker effect Lucky Light (Harry Stanley c. 1950) with three chips and a small box with three colored push button switches. It is created by the Austrian electronic wizard Paul Picha, who also created such wonders as the Stone of the Pharoah. Paul had a nice website at ppmagic.at but it seems to have gone dark, like so many before it. The box is 100% self-contained with no magnets or external devices and unlike the original Lucky Light they can press their buttons multiple times and nothing will happen, until you finally try your chosen light which of course does light.

You show the audience an elegant box with a small light and three buttons with different colors, and explain that the light can only be lit with one of the three buttons. Now you place three chips the same colors as the buttons on the table and ask two spectators to choose one chip each. The last, third chip remains for you. Now, one by one, the spectators press their button corresponding to their selected chip. However, neither the first nor the second manages to turn on the light! Only you are able to light the lamp with the third button!

The key thing is that it does not matter if you press the button first, second or third! The feat can be repeated immediately (with different colors).

Your hands are free (no magnets, etc.), there are no remotes, and you do not add or remove anything and the box can even be examined! This is a great method that I have not seen before. And to top it off it uses standard AAA batteries which can easily be replaced by unscrewing the base unit, but they should last for months (years?) due to the small amount of power used for the light.

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This is a very nice and well priced chess board based on a concept by Gary Brown and designed and manufactured by Collectors’ Workshop. With modern day audiences I don’t know how many of them are completely blown away by these types of effects anymore but George Robinson has built some neat features into the board. It has a key fob remote feature but also hot spot squares and timer feature that means pieces move and you don’t even need to use the remote.

I think if you could add this into a psychic/bizarre themed show then it would be very effective. The movement of the pieces and die is very reliable and sudden, and in the right context you’re definitely going to get some gasps from certain spectators! This is true for all psychic phenomena really – you can’t just walk on do a milk jug and linking rings routine then make something move with your mind. But with the right routine and theme you could freak some people out, or just have fun with it at your next club meet.

A chess piece is placed on a chessboard; so far nothing too exciting. But then the performer rubs his hands together and holds them a few inches from the chess piece. He now stands back all the while concentrating his energy on the chess piece. Suddenly the chess piece moves slightly and then topples over as if flicked by an unseen hand.

Next, a second chess piece is introduced. The spectator has his/her choice of either one. Both are placed on the chessboard. This time the performer asks the spectator to assist by placing his/her hands over his/her selected chess pieces while willing the chosen piece to move. The performer is well away from the board and the chess pieces yet the selected piece moves, almost tumbling over.

This is the bare-bones effect possible with our Haunted Telekinetic Chessboard. Obviously, the performer can use any theme he would like such as a spirit haunts the board, etc.

Comes with wooden chess board, five chess pieces, a die and all that is needed to perform these and other miracles. Board measures 15″ square when open and measures 15″ x 7.5″ when closed. And thankfully this uses commonly available AAA batteries.

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A high-end remake of the Vienna Magic’s amazing Ring Escape. This beautiful version was created by the Dutch Craftsman: Frans Reijnier who is creating a fine line of beautiful magic at his new company: Holland Magic Studio whose items are exclusively available from Dynamite Magic also in Holland. The manufacture is faithful to the original but everything is a little better and in particular the ring holder is now on a transparent stand and the action works more smoothly. This also comes with an extra clear cover, that is part of the patter story and a nice presentation case.  What makes this effect so effective is that there is nothing added or taken away, and there is zero reset, unlike the famous, and later inspired Crystal Cleaver by Tenyo.

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A high-end remake of the Vienna Magic’s amazing Ring Tower. This beautiful version was created by the Dutch Craftsman: Frans Reijnier who is creating a fine line of beautiful magic at his new company: Holland Magic Studio whose items are exclusively available from Dynamite Magic also in Holland. The manufacture is faithful to the original but everything is a little better and the action works more smoothly. What makes this so effective is that there is nothing added or taken away, and there is zero reset, unlike the famous, and later inspired Crystal Cleaver by Tenyo.

Click here for more information.