Oriental Die Box by Richard Gerlitz

One of the lower priced (at least when it was released) Richard Gerlitz beauties based on the old Thayer item the Eli Dice Box c. 1922.

The Okito style decal is beautiful. The effect is a prediction of the total on three dice after several shakes in the box. The method is clever and the prop accomplishes the effect without any struggle on the magician’s part.

In Ottokar Fischer’s wonderful book Illustrated Magic he describes this wonderful effect with the this type of box that I think you will enjoy:

The Magic of Numbers: At the start the performer writes a number on a slip of paper, and lays the slip into a book, his note-book, for instance, which is then put aside and not touched during the rest of the experiment. Next he shows a pretty little round wooden box, in which are kept three dice. The dice may be examined ; they are quite innocent. The performer puts the dice in the box, puts on the cover, and shakes vigorously. Holding the box behind his back, he takes off the lid and has someone remember the total number of spots showing on the three dice. Closing the box once more, he shakes again, and again has someone count up the spots on the upper face of the dice; these are to be added to the previous total. A third time he shakes, takes off the lid, and rolls the dice out on the table, requesting the spectators to add to the previous totals the sum of the spots now uppermost, but to keep this grand total to themselves. Now the performer opens the book, takes out the slip of paper which he put in at the start of the trick, and lays it face down on the table, requesting the spectators to name their total. This is done, and a spectator turns over the slip. The conjurer wrote the very sum at the start of the trick!

Effect: The magician displays a small die box with an oriental design on the lid. He removes the cover and dumps out 3 dice. The spectator puts the dice back in the box and the magician replaces the lid. The box is set aside and the magician writes down a prediction on a piece of paper. He then picks up the die box and shakes it. The lid is removed and the spectator adds up the total showing on the dice. The lid is then replaced, the box shaken and the lid removed, and the dice are totaled a second time. This is repeated again for a third time. The spectator now has the totals of 3 random shakes. When the 3 figures are added together, the spectator is amazed to find it matches the magicians prediction!  

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