Year: 2021

This is Loyd’s  wonderful mini illusion: The Jewel Chest of Ching See.  I featured the Mike O’Dowd’s remake a few years ago and although I found the O’Dowd version quite serviceable there is no doubt this original looks better and works smoother. The Jewel Chest of Ching See itself is most likely derived from the Phantom Die Cabinet offered by Thayer Quality Magic as far back as 1912.

Loyd (Edward Loyd Enochs: 1897-1968) was born in the UK and moved to the Pasadena, California as a young man.  He made some of the finest magic apparatus available during the 1930’s-50’s which was sold through Thayer’s and as Loyd’s Magic.

This Jewel Chest was the inspiration for Richard Gerlitz’s incredible Jewel Chest of Sea-Ling so if you are unable to find or afford Richard’s beautiful version this beauty will help you scratch that itch 🙂

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If you didn’t think Jim Kleefeld could top his previous Magnum Opus, Locked, think again.  Jim has done it again with a second massive work for mentalists, magicians and historians – this time tackling the ever popular category of magic and mentalism: The Book Test. 

Here are just a few of the commercial products he features in his book and these barely scratch the surface of the amazing treasure trove that awaits you. Every time I think I have a pretty good selection of magic on my site I open up one of Jim’s books and quickly realize so many more effects there are out there, this history project of mine could take a while 🙁

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The idea for the Counterfeit Detector was created by Dick Zimmerman c. 1989. He contacted George Robinson at Viking Mfg. and after some refinements it was released in 1992. Viking made a one-time run of 500 units and it has not been produced again. It is a great little item with a wonderful routine.

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This is Eric Lewis’ wonderful Savoy from his book A Continuation of Miracles, built by the talented builder and designer Carl Williams.  Mr. Lewis built just two sets and gave one of these to Carl Williams in 1991.  Carl then built just 12 copies (with permission from Eric Lewis) and presented them as highly desirable Christmas presents to his magic friends in 1993. The following year Eric’s son Martin Lewis created his version and sold them through Magikraft Studios c. 1994.

The Savoy is one of the best switching devices ever created and looks so clean.  It can be used for coins, cards, billets, rings, and pretty much anything that will fit inside the locket. Even though you can see the chain and locket all the time you can make the switch at any time simply by pulling on the chain and lifting the locket up into the spectator’s hand.

For the demo I coupled it with Viking’s half dollar version of Quartokito which is the perfect size for this locket used in this version.

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This is one of Alan’s earliest creations from his painted mini-magic period.  It is similar in look to Dice-A-Matic which was produced shortly afterwards.  Like Dice-A-Matic it is a simple method but with Alan’s routine you get the most out of it.  I can just imagine the look of wonder of the child helper when she hears the invisible man scratching away inside the box 🙂

Because it is a general purpose box it can be used for any kind of note or can be used to force a card or business card or billet.  A great little item that I’ve only recently managed to track down.

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Wow what a rare beauty this is 🙂

This is really something different for sure. Perfectly made, great looking, and entertaining routines, that are easy enough to perform with a little practice. There are two main routines detailed below as Effect 1 and 2.  Effect 2 is easier to do and really doesn’t require any great skills and the only move is called the Gypsy Switch which is cleanly explained in the instructions and really is just a flick of the silk hanky.

The harder thing might appear to be adding the coin to the very well gimmicked watch but when the great Fred  Kaps used to perform this he would simply have his hands behind his back while the audience were participating.    Like all well planned routines if the tricky things (mentally or physically) are performed at the correct moments most of the stress (guilt?) is taken away from the performer.  Once you perform it a few times all of those fears tend to fade.  I used to worry about John Kennedy’s Mystery Box for years until I finally performed it live and the response was so great I’ve been doing it ever since without issue.

Based on my practices today for the Speed Demo I will be keeping this bad boy and I am looking forward to performing this live soon, so unfortunately you won’t see it on my auction site anytime soon 🙁

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Finally released in Half Dollar size – thanks George 🙂

Here is another overlooked classic effect created by George Robinson at Viking Mfg.  It might seem similar to other Okito Box type effects, but it is quite unique in effect and method.  In essence the QuartOkito Coin Box is a Boston Box designed to hold a single half dollar.  But there is really nothing like it and it is simpler to use than most boxes and due to the visual vanish in mid air is under less scrutiny than usual because the spectator sees the coin disappear!

The set-up is even easier 🙂 If you read the instructions first and read how to do “the move” – it is not really a sleight because you don’t really do anything in secret and it is not the same as the normal Okito turnover move because it is all covered by picking up the lid – you’ll be pleasantly surprised how easy this is to do right in front of them. Watch the video and it should be clear how smooth this is (I hope!). play with this for a ten minutes you will very quickly see how effective and easy to perform this is. 

When it comes to the vanish what is particularly effective is that the coin that the spectator thinks they signed can be seen right up to the second it vanishes instantly in front of their noses. Why this is important is that there is no heat on the switch into the box or tube that the coin reappears in, and the spectator swears that the coin was still in the box after you hand them the Lippincott box (which is supplied separately).

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This is a great parlor/stage item invented by Al Vitali.  It is beautifully made in brass with a wooden coin holder that is quiet and deceptive.  You can clearly show the container empty and the the magic happens very cleanly before their eyes – coins vanish one by one from the easel and can be heard landing in the canister.

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This is the original version invented by Syned Soy (an acronym for Jos Denys) c. 1996 and sold by his company Select Magic of Belgium.  Manufacturing rights were purchased by Viking Mfg. c. 1997 and Viking released their first version in oak c. 2008 and their later version in walnut c. 2010.  They all work the same way, but I prefer the look of this original and this is the first original one I have seen.

The box looks amazing and intriguing with the chain. The effect is as clean as a whistle and there is absolutely nothing to find. It uses a very clever idea and the amazing thing is that the box and deck of cards are 100% ungimmicked and nothing is added or taken away. And yet you can always predict the card they count too. 

Includes:

• Syned Soy Box.
• 2 chains with pins at each end.
• A small optional hook.
• Deck of normal poker playing cards.
• Envelopes and gimmick.
• Full English translation of the instructions.

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Magic Wagon will often remake and enhance old effects and so it is nice to see them creating something that as far as I know is a unique method and routine. When I first opened this and read the method I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to perform.  Then I checked out the three videos on YouTube (which is always a good sign that it is easy) and was very pleased when I tried it out.

So this is certainly a winner from Magic Wagon.  It checks all the boxes and then some:

• it is different,
• easy to perform,
• easy to reset,
• easy to to understand for the spectator,
• nice and visual,
• no tricky angles.

It would be nice if the box were a little smaller or the cubes were larger, but I don’t think it would work if that was the case and it is a minor point. 

Great job Magic Wagon!  2021 has been a very good year so far 🙂

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