Reviews

This is Magic Wagon’s beautiful rendition of one of my favorite Alan Warner Miracles: Mini-Mental.  The effect, to the audience, is very similar, but the mechanism employed by Magic Wagon is a little more sophisticated than Alan’s and the execution has been streamlined.  I still love Alan’s version, but Magic Wagon’s is easier to use for sure.

Click here for more information.

This effect was created by Jack Hughes c. 1945 and is featured in his wonderful book World of Magic Vol. 2.

Michael has created a very beautiful version that really pops.  He has also simplified the routine to its bear essentials.  And I know you’ll love it. If you wish to perform the original Jack Hughes routine you would need to add a sign large enough to cover the whole frame (made from paper or something more exotic).  After playing with this routine I’m happy to perform it this way, it is easier, cleaner and I’m not sure the laughter potential is any less.

Great job Michael 🙂

Click here for more information.

Good old Nick de Palma! This is my third copy of this actual effect from Nick, and it works perfectly. It looks great and is smoother in operation than even the Magic Wagon version.

This is the earliest release created by Nick. It uses copper tubes (instead of the later brass ones) and the box and lock is a little less ornate. However, it really works perfectly and I would choose this over the Magic Wagon version – because the gimmick for the Magic Wagon version was a little strong.  This works cleanly and beautifully.  The reason that Nick’s version was named “Improved” was because of the reappearance of the steel ball.  In the original versions of this effect you had to do a small move but with this one it is 100% automatic and clean.

This is still one of my favorite close-up effects and I look forward to doing a clean Speed Demo soon.  This version is so easy and clean to perform you can get up real close and still see nothing.

Click here for more information.

This beautiful looking padlock was created by Jim Sommers c. 1989.  Jim was trying to reproduce a reliable version of the prop made famous by Karl Germain and called Dr. Faust’s Padlock.  In the Germain routine, the performer hung a large padlock on a wand or rod and went into the audience. The performer handed the wand to a spectator and told the tale of Dr. Faust’s escape from prison. As the story reaches a climax, the lock mysteriously opens.

One of the problems with similar clockwork versions of this padlock is the timing mechanism.  The time of release could be easily out by a few seconds depending on how tight you wound them up.  To perform the original Germain routine effectively it is important to know precisely when it will open, and even being out by a few seconds can make a difference. Jim created his own custom mechanism that is very reliable. I have just tried it four times in a row and each full cycle took 39 seconds to complete.  That is one reliable clockwork mechanism 🙂

Although, the timing and look of this lock are perfect, it is not a lock I would hand to the spectator.  It can be handled briefly without suspicion, but the one thing I noticed immediately on receiving it was how light it was compared with the size of the lock.  It is 13oz so is not actually light, but compared with what you would expect for a lock of this size, it feels light.  There is no reason for the spectator to hold the lock in either the Faust presentation or my presentation below.  So this is not an issue for most routines you would use it for.

Also, the key winds up the mechanism which locks the clasp, and with minimal acting ability you could convince the spectators you used the key to lock it. However, I prefer to start with the padlock locked.  The key can be present, but I just don’t think it is necessary to “lock” the padlock in their presence.

I think you will really like this padlock and with only 12 created it is something the other guy will not have seen 🙂

Click here for more information.

This is the most beautiful version of Jack Bridwell’s Mental Rope you will ever see.  Beautifully created by Louis Paul in Canary and Purple Heart wood, with hand rubbed oil and wax finish.  Brass, copper and leather are use for the sword and hardware.

This effect was invented by Jack Bridwell in the late 1970’s (Linking Ring, August 2001, pg 166-168), and featured in Supreme Magic’s Magigram (May 1989, pg 590).  However, it was re-invented by Al Glennan c. 2001 and sold exclusively by Davenport’s until 2019 when the USA “rights” were granted to Stevens Magic here.  But none of the previous versions by Supreme, Davenport’s, or Stevens Magic get close to the exquisite detail and beauty of Louis Paul’s version.  Louis’ version works incredibly smoothly and looks totally stunning.

The effect is very easy to learn and perform but at the same time a real mystery to explain.  It has a different outcome every time, there is nothing added or taken away and everything can be examined too.

Click here for more information.

What a lovely box of the magic from the talented French craftsman: François Danis.  He has created an updated twist on the Wandering Mummies so popular with craftsmen all around the world!

What Francois had done by combining aspects of three different effects:

• T.A. Waters’ Box Office
• The Wandering Mummy
• Ted Annemann’s Devil Device by Magnuson

is to to create a brand new multi-phase routine that I know you will love.

Great Job Francois 🙂

Click here for more information.

This is one of the earliest releases of Owen’s beautiful Temple of Cambodia created during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s by Carl Owen himself. For something almost 65 years old it looks amazing with a few scratches and marks but otherwise a really beautiful piece. I spent some time adding some lubrication to a few key areas and some small strips of black felt to minimize the noise and this beauty works perfectly now.

You could do quite a lot with these props but the routine that comes with the later instructions (that I have included) about the King of Cambodia works well for me.

The key moments in the routine are:

• The stack of gold (red and yellow discs) are cleanly shown separate.
• They are placed in the center of the cabinet.
• Each compartment either side of the center of the cabinet is shown empty.
• The stack is removed from the center and placed under the tube.
• The ghost goes into the center of the cabinet.
• The ghost swaps places with the stack of gold.
• The cabinet is broken down and shown to be otherwise completely empty .

It is an easy to do effect with simple to learn handling and patter and will look amazing in your collection 🙂

Click here for more information.

The Unique Card Rise Chest was invented by Clint Reidel and first manufactured by U.F. Grant c. 1960.  It was a big hit because it was so simple to perform but looked so good and there have been a number of versions created over the years.

This one by Viking Mfg. is easily the prettiest and smoothest one I have seen.  It works very precisely and looks amazing.

Click here for more information.