Review by Damir Djanis for Psychic Sword by Collectors' Workshop
5 out of 5
This is a beautiful and simply designed trick with cards and a box. Everything is done at the highest level, and the Japanese sword is especially beautiful. Of course the cards and the box cannot be given out for examination but this does not diminish the value of the effect.
Review by Andy Martin for Color Divination by Klingl
5 out of 5
Another wonderful and compact item from Klingl. This really is a great size and can easily slip into your jacket pocket or even your shirt pocket. I think you could get used to performing this on a regular basis because it works so well and it is such a suitable size for carrying.
Klingl or Zauber-Klingl was an Austrian Magic manufacturer and dealer founded by Rudiga Michael Klingl c. 1869 and they continued until the 1980’s. Their creations are high quality and are keenly sought by collectors today.
Review by Andy Martin for Tele-Vision Box by Klingl
4 out of 5
A single box version of the popular Television-Box effect expertly crafted by Klingl. Instead of concealing the gimmick in the second outer box this uses a tube with which the gimmick can be added to or seamlessly removed. You use the tube, which can be shown empty, to view the box and can see immediately where each number is situated. One of the benefits to this approach is that you can be surrounded when you do the work as there is nothing to see.
Klingl or Zauber-Klingl was an Austrian Magic manufacturer and dealer founded by Rudiga Michael Klingl c. 1869 and they continued until the 1980’s. Their creations are high quality and are keenly sought by collectors today.
Review by Andy Martin for Wonder Wand (Wunder-Stab) by Klingl
5 out of 5
A beautiful mini version of the Pom-Pom Prayer Stick made by the famed Klingl using a different method to the standard approach. Instead of allowing two double length cords on both sides at once, they can only be half lengths, but there is also no set-up required after you open and close the two ends. There is nothing to connect or go wrong either, if you are familiar with the standard method you will understand what I mean.
Another feature of this wand is that if you desire after showing the multiple connections and then opening the wand, you can hand it to the spectator, and they can screw it back together and it will no longer work. This will really fool those who think they know how the wand is gimmicked.
Klingl or Zauber-Klingl was an Austrian Magic manufacturer and dealer founded by Rudiga Michael Klingl c. 1869 and they continued until the 1980’s. Their creations are high quality and are keenly sought by collectors today.
Review by Andy Martin for Wonder Silk Box by Klingl
5 out of 5
This was invented by János Bartl from Hamburg in Germany c. 1934, and licensed to Davenport’s in April 1934 to sell under the name Demon Wonder Box. It was marketed in the 8th issue of the Demon Telegraph, a house-magazine from Davenport. In the early versions like this one only two sides could be opened. c. 1952 an advanced version like this one came to the market with the name “Silk Wonder Perfect” and you could open all four sides.
This version by Kling is easily the best quality version I have seen. It is heavily chrome plated and if you hold this you will feel the difference from others you might have owned. It is not stamped – most of the Klingl items I have are stamped Klingl-Wein but much of their earlier items were not. The second you receive this you will know it was made for quality.
I’ve included some flags for production but you could easily double the size of the load if you wanted.
Klingl or Zauber-Klingl was an Austrian Magic manufacturer and dealer founded by Rudiga Michael Klingl c. 1869 and they continued until the 1980’s. Their creations are high quality and are keenly sought by collectors today.
Review by Andy Martin for The Poker Boy* (Bloom Miracle Poker Machine) By Gaetan Bloom, Chris Wasshuber
5 out of 5
If you are a fan of Al Stanger’s Miracle Poker Machine (and the Fitch Cheney effect it is based upon) then you are going to absolutely love The Poker Boy*. This is a brand new creation by Chris Wasshuber and Gaetan Bloom: The Bloom Miracle Poker Machine. It can do everything that Al Stanger’s Miracle Poker Machine can do and a lot more without any of the pesky battery or resetting issues.
Just like the original machine there are five phases available:
Force Card
Stud Poker
Invisible Die
Climax
Magician Slayer
Other features of this Device and Custom Software written by Chris Wasshuber:
You can choose which phases you want to use – in the video I chose Phase 1, Phase 3, and Phase 4 which to me is the perfect combination of amazement, spectator interest, and length of routine.
You can change the force card.
You can change the spin time before revealing the card.
Non-Volatile RAM – this device never loses the program or your custom settings even if the battery runs out.
USB Rechargeable Battery – just plug it in and recharge it to go again.
Battery Level gauge – just by turning it on you can see how much charge remains.
Better input control – When the spectator inputs the cards it is much easier to fix them should they make a mistake, even if they press the wrong buttons. Chris has programmed in all sorts of checks to make it almost impossible to mess up the inputs.
Tiny footprint – much smaller than the original TI-85 (see final photo).
As Chris says in the instructions: “I consider it therefore an evolution and frankly an improvement of the old gimmick.” I wholeheartedly agree, although the original Poker Machine was an amazing device it was quite restrictive and easy to mess-up, and heaven forbid you change the batteries incorrectly or let them die, then it was all over.
Chris has does an excellent job with Gaetan’s routine as a starting place and spent the time and research to find the best device (it could not be a smart phone, that kills this routine) and learned the new development environment to program it. He spent a lot of time bullet proofing the inputs to make it almost impossible to break, and added some great improvements many of which were based on my early feedback.
(* Notice: the name Poker Boy is the name I use as it goes with my patter below. I added the label to the unit Chris sent me as it made it easier to refer to during my routine.)
Review by Andy Martin for The Ring on Sword Illusionette by Magiro, Howard Schwarzman
5 out of 5
This is another effect invented by Magiro that Howie Schwarzman sold, through his Limited Editions Magic line. The Ring on Sword Illusionette is actually Magiro’s Cleopatra´s Ring. Magiro sold these nicer versions to Domenico Dante who ran Progetto Magia in Italy. Howie, then purchased them, renamed them and translated the instructions. Although Magiro was not mentioned in the instructions, which is a common practice in magic, he did sell them initially to Progetto Magia so all is right with the world 🙂
Whichever version you have it is a wonderful effect. The method is quite unique in the world of Sword Thru Ring effects though it does take a little practice to make it smooth and you are not as free to show the items as in some other effects. In particular neither the sword nor the ring can be examined.
Review by Andy Martin for Ghost Dust (Geister-Staub, Geisterstaub) by Heinz Lurz
5 out of 5
This effect was created by Heinz Lurz c. 1978. It was also made by Tony Lackner for Harold Voit c. 1983 and released again by Eckhard Boettcher c. 1992. This is the original version created by Heinz Lurz.
Review by Andy Martin for Super Block Penetration (Super Penetration) by Thomas Pohle, Eckhard Boettcher
4 out of 5
This is an early penetration from Thomas Pohle released by the prolific German magic dealer Eckhard Boettcher. It looks effective but is a little more involved than his later block penetrations such as: China Block Penetration and China Block Surprise. Michael Baker’s later Mandarin Block Escape uses a similar method but with Thomas’ you could have everything examined if you wanted.
This was re-released by Thomas as The Impossible Die and Wand Penetration c. 2019
Review by Andy Martin for The Contact Die (Tela-Die) – Version 2 by Lubor Fiedler, Pavel
3 out of 5
Lubor Fiedler really has invented some amazingly clever items – and this one is no exception. Along with Pavel they have a really perplexing miracle here that is impossible to figure out without the secret! This was distributed by Howard Schwarzman and his Limited Editions line of imported magic.
This is the second version I have seen and although the metal die is the same the holder and cover is made cheaper, less robust, and a little less reliable than the original version here.
The original was also released under the name “Tela-Die” c. 1970.
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