Author: reviews

The idea to use a bulldog clip as a switch device is credited to Bob Ostin c. 1953. See Bulldog Switch Clip for more details.

Along comes the inventive Steve Dusheck c. 1981 and takes Bob’s idea to the next level by introducing a half dollar that visually changes into two quarters as it drops into the spectator’s hands. Howie + Bob reintroduced this wonderful item through The Trickery c. 2002 with Steve Dusheck’s permission.

This is a really perfect piece of magic to watch!

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A wonderful utility item for the mentalist c. 1958 from Nelson Enterprises in Columbus, Ohio created by Robert A. Nelson and Syd Bergson.

A universal gimmick for every mentalist. As important as the Nail Writer, or the clip board, provides a perfect way to switch billets, notes, and folded cards. An innocent appearing prop, utilized in a natural manner, the Mental-Gimic greatly enhances the value of countless standard mental effects. Excellent for predictions, ESP work and mental telepathy.

This version uses a metal spring as opposed to the original Bulldog switch clip created by Bob Ostin c. 1953 which uses a rubber band. See Bulldog Switch Clip for more details.

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The Jumbo Card Guillotine was an invention of Eric Lewis in the 1930s.

A number of craftsmen have created versions including Bob Kline (for personal use), Milson-Worth, and Tabman. According to a letter from Martin Lewis dated 2/18/1992 Tabman’s version is the only one with permission to manufacture the Jumbo Card Guillotine for resale. This Milson-Worth version, of which only 35 were made, was one of their most sought after items.

The spectator is offered a choice of cards from a jumbo deck. He or she is given a pen so they can boldly sign the face of the card. The card is returned to the middle of the pack and placed in a wooden houlette which is then placed between the uprights of a mahogany guillotine. After some byplay the blade is dropped. The blade slams into the houlette and the front of the houlette drops scattering cards on the table. You guessed it, behind the blade is the spectators signed card.

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I purchased this at the IBM Magic Convention in Brighton c. 1979. I have never been able to track down who the manufacturer was but recently saw a photo in a 1978 issue of Supreme’s Magicram which looks a dead-ringer for this chopper, so for now at least I am going to attribute this chopper to Supreme Magic Company. Let me know if you have any more details about this chopper.

I don’t know if I would still perform this effect, but I’ve always used it as a lie detector and never really talk about it as a head chopper and as long as the spectator doesn’t lie they are going to be fine.

For many years this was a big hit of my show and a perfect size to transport to your next show. The Wellington See-Thru Guillotine might be one of the most impressive choppers ever created, but it is a pain to transport, whereas this bad boy folds up small and is easy to carry under one arm.

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Ben Stone created this c. 1980 and it was has a great twist on the Tenyo’s What’s Next (c. 1969) theme. During his lifetime Ben made about 500 of these.

Every time you turn it around it has different spots on each side. You repeat this and the spectators are given the standard false explanation and then you hit them with the impossible at the end of the standard routine by actually vanishing one of the spots which leaves a 2″ diameter hole in the Delben Domino.

Of all the What’s Next type effects I like this one from Ben Stone of DelBen magic the best. Built from metal not cardboard or plastic, it will last a lifetime. The surprise ending where you have an actual hole going through the metal card: “But where did the hole come from?” is priceless!

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Ben Stone invented the Two Hole Wrist Chopper c. 1949 and although Joe Karson (of Zombie fame) might want to lay claim to it (and it is still called the Karson Wrist Chopper on the Owen’s site) – he did not invent it, but Ben Stone did and it is clearly documented by Michael Rose in his book Joe Karson – Beyond Zombie (Chapter 11).

This is one of my favorite illusions. Unlike most chopper illusions this defies explanation because at the end the blade which can be examined is clearly surrounding the wrists with no explanation at all how it could have penetrated them. If you are looking to spice up your parlor or stage act this is large enough to see and amaze, but small enough to pack!

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The legendary British Inventor, Craftsman, and Dealer, Jack Hughes, invented this item c. 1938.

One of the finest vanishes of a card you will ever see! A card is placed in a small frame, open back and front and with a flick of a silk handkerchief it vanishes without trace! A wonderful utility prop that can be used to vanish or change cards. It can be used to vanish a card for later production in Jack Hughes’ invented TV Card Frame. A very clever idea that you will be very pleased with.

According to Eric Lewis in The Crowning Miracles (pg 194) the original Card Go was in fact also invented by The Great Norman but he sold the rights to manufacture to Jack Hughes, and since then it has been attributed to Jack Hughes.  The Great Norman’s real name was Norman Hazeldene and he grew up just outside Manchester in Stockport, Cheshire, England. But I wonder if this was the effect that Eric Lewis is referring to, because it is similar to Card Go, but not the same (hence Improved). I have found nothing else to say that Jack Hughes did not invent Card Go, including many ads from the 1940’s, and of course Jack Hughes’ World of Magic Books.

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Entertainment doesn’t have to be expensive!

This is a really wonderful routine from Bill Goldman c. 2002 based 100% on Simon Aronson’s masterpiece Shuffle-Bored from 1980 which Bill uses with permission.  I think this is one of the best uses of Aronson’s idea and there are lots of other applications as you can see in Denis Behr’s amazing Conjuring Archive.

It involves a little book that looks just like a kids book and the routine is sure to please both young and old. It really is quite amazing how the little Bunny gets so much right about the distribution of the cards. With each page leading to a stronger impact!  I don’t think Bill Goldman’s explanation is very detailed or that good, but the ideas are all there and I’ve been refining my routine for over ten years and just this year (2018) I added a few more tweaks that make every choice seem as fair and innocent as possible.

Highly Recommended if you are looking for an entertaining card effect that is a little different and will even appeal to those who don’t like card tricks!

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From Brian Caswell c. 2006 and sold by Alakazam Magic since 2010.

Imagine showing a deck of Bicycle brand playing cards each card has a number written on the back. Your spectator names 3 playing cards and these are removed from the face up deck and placed on the table. A photograph is shown to contain 3 face down playing cards each bearing a different number on their back. Unbelievable as it sounds when the cards are turned over the numbers match!!!!

This effect works even better if you have Ray Piatt’s Miller Miracle Wallet, not strictly needed, but makes everything even cleaner.

A really wonderful prediction effect that is easy to do and fools them all!

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Pat Page invented Easy Money c.1957 and it became so popular that it was almost instantly copied, improved, and/or ripped off. It was the inspiration for the one of the greatest magicians of all time and only three time FISM Grand Prix winner, Fred Kaps, to create his version called Flash Cash which became pretty much the gold standard for decades.

Of the many ripoffs of Pat’s version, Greg Wilson’s popular and wonderful version Hundy 500 of Easy Money is not one of them and has the blessing of Pat Page. It is so great when we can all get along and credit creators and inventors and seek permission when possible.

I’ve been performing this for over ten years myself (with the same gimmick which is certainly starting to wear a little) and it pretty much is my goto non card effect and a perfect way to get the audience interested. I’ve see a few other modern versions but none of them have convinced me enough to want to stop using this version. I particularly like the part of the routine where Greg does the simple, and surprisingly effective, count of five $1 bills to ten. Even if you don’t do it that well, it sets you up nicely for the eye-popping visual change to five $100 bills at the end. The bills can be shown very cleanly and I’ve never had an issue with spectators clamoring to inspect the money … though they always ask me to do the same for them.

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