Review by Andy Martin for Chop Cup by Johnson Products
5 out of 5
So beautiful you should buy 3!
My advice to people buying the Johnson Chop Cup is buy 3 instead and don’t even bother getting the normal cups! I can’t tell the difference between the cups and having 3 chops is always better than 1!
I know the Johnson cups are a well respected in the industry as a fine set of medium priced cups. For the price I find it hard to see how they can be beat. They are a great weight, look great, and handle smoothly.
Review by Andy Martin for Dr. Rhine Improved by David Hoy
3 out of 5
Nice Props, Ok Prediction, and Not Cheap!
This is a nice, but expensive, prediction effect. It works exactly as described, but I was expecting a different method from the more standard Perfect Match. Unfortunately it works the same way and since there are only 3 cards the prediction is not so mind blowing.
The quality of the props is really good but for the price I would expect more.
Review by Andy Martin for Royal Road To Card Magic DVD by R. Paul Wilson
5 out of 5
Superb!
The best things about these DVD’s by R. Paul Wilson is the fact that after watching them you want to take down the Royal Road To Card Magic book from your shelf and read it from beginning to end. Not skipping pages, and not moving on until you have mastered each section.
If you do, you’ll find out how much you can do just with the much abused overhand shuffle, and that is just the first 10 minutes of the DVD’s.
The DVD’s are very well produced and are designed to work in tandem with the book. It is a superb job. The only downside is that if you bother to study and practice and perform from the book and DVD’s you’ll find that you can get through life with just one deck of cards and you won’t need anything else ever.
I know it won’t happen, but just imagine turning up anywhere and being able to blow people away with just a single deck of cards – surely that is what dreams are made of?
Review by Andy Martin for Volcano Wallet by Jim Pace
5 out of 5
Roar Goes the Volcano!
Now this is a fire wallet! It looks like a normal wallet, but the second you want it to be without any fumbling you have a rush of fire. The mechanism works first time every time, and does so without ripping your thumb up like so many fire wallets.
The downside with the wallet, if you want to call it that, is that it does require Flash paper to operate. But this just adds to the whole volcano effect, so I did not see it a problem.
I also like this wallet because it is small and easily fits into your shirt pocket. And once you put out the Volcano, the wallet can be opened again just to look like a normal wallet.
Review by George Guerra for Gift of Time by Collectors' Workshop
5 out of 5
The Undisputed King of Prediction Clocks
When George Robinson e-mailed me that he had one Gift of Time ready for sale, I hesitated to answer for a brief moment. Yes, I had asked to be notified if the effect ever became available some long time ago after reading positive comments on this piece, especially from John Mendoza, but I had just recently spent over $2000 for Nick Ruggiero’s Perfect Card. I just couldn’t see myself spending over $2000 again, but I gave in and ordered it. What a beautiful piece of magic!!
George handmade the cabinet for this BIG mantle clock out of SOLID Walnut in his own workshop…NO off the shelf clock here, folks, and the quality shows. He has updated the workings with "21st Century" technology that makes the first original Gift of Time from the old CW look like a joke, though to Nick’s credit, he promptly improved the design. The prediction setting is quicker than the eye can follow. The clock has a "Normal" mode, functioning as a normal clock keeping accurate time and George has also incorporated an on-off "Tic-Toc Sound" for old fashion realism. When the clock is in "Prediction" mode, normal time is being maintained and updated. The new version also has on-off "Half-Speed", "Double-Speed", and "Run Backwards" capabilities, though I haven’t discovered the advantages of these new features, yet.
The clock weighs in over 11 lbs, measures 13 1/2 (w) by 12 1/2" (h) by 6 1/2" (d). It looks like a $1000 mantle clock. It has an extensive self-testing and reporting capabilty so the performer is assured of a proper performance every time. For those in the know, the old models used that something that was extremely bulky and, in my opinion, impractical, but George has miniaturized it to 2 3/4" by 1 1/2" by 3/8". All comes well stored in an ATA case measuring 16 1/2" by 18 1/2" by 9 1/2". George and the craftsmen at Viking/CW have outdid themself with this legendary apparatus from Collectors’ Workshop and delivered the best version to date. It’s accurate, fast, easy to perform, and a miracle maker. It’s too bad, Andy limits the best rating to only 5 stars because there is no large enough star number to rate this beauty.
Review by Jordan for Dunniger's Complete Encyclopedia of Magic by Joseph Dunninger
5 out of 5
Large and Amazing
Every serious magician should buy this book. Although many of the effects would cost a large sum of money, it has less expensive trricks anyone can perform.
Review by Michael Easler for Arcade Dreams by Jon Racherbaumer, Ed Marlo
4 out of 5
A Surprising Stroll Through Marlo’s Mind
This is a volume that breaks the usual mindset magicians hold toward Marlo’s work. Far from the usual sterile descriptions of Marlo’s card effects, this intriguing volume offers his handling for some common, non-card items. Having briefly worked in a friend’s magic shop myself, I was surprised to learn that Marlo had been a demonstrator in a Chicago magic shop peddling slum magic to the masses. This book reveals many clever variations Marlo developed to deceive even the wise ones with items like the ball and vase, and color-vision.
While not diminishing his rightful iconic status, this book embues Marlo with a surprising humanity. The anecdotes included demonstrate he was quite a rascal, intellectually obssessed with fooling all and sundry.
Review by Andy Martin for Heart of Gold by Mikame Craft
5 out of 5
Very clean switch indeed!
This beauty from Mikame is a wonderfully clean switch of a heart shaped locket that is in full view all the time and just by pulling on the chain the locket is switched. There doesn’t appear to be any funny moves – just pull the chain and hand the locket to the spectator. Yes they can open it!
You can use this device as a mentalism utility or for a magical transposition, vanish or appearance. You are left clean and because the locket is in full view all the time before the switch there is no heat when you load the duplicate that it is switched for.
It is easy to do and within minutes you will be able to acomplish the switch – a compelling routine will take more practice of course, but you’re off to a great start having made the switch so smooth. The price is a steal so get one of these now!
Review by George Guerra for Annemann's Perfect Card by Signature Pieces
5 out of 5
An Amazing Magical Apparatus!
Much has been said about apparatus looking too "magical". Well, here is a hefty, practical and innocently looking magician’s table that cleverly hides a wondrous mechanical and electronic setup that permits the performer to perform an incredible miracle. Laying on the table before the performance is a windowed envelope with the back of a card clearly visible inside. At any time the performer has a spectator name any card. The envelope is raised off the table, one end cut, card inside slid out, and it MATCHES the spectator’s thought of card. Collectors’ Workshop released some fantastic apparatus in their day and much attributed to the genius of Nick Ruggiero. I still admire the workings of Silver Odyssey and Bulletproof. Well, Nick started a new line of "museum quality magic apparatus" under the new banner of Signature Pieces and Perfect Card is his best seller. Now that I own one, I am not surprised.
The working is practically fool-proof. One owner told me that after a 1000+ performances, the apparatus has not once failed to have the revealed card match the one named by the spectator. For those admirers of sophisticated magical gadgetry, they will definitely not be disappointed. Though this is the most expensive magical addition to my collection, Perfect Card is clearly undervalued. This is even more true when one sees the prices being paid for magic on recent online auctions. One look at the whole prop and the workings and one quickly realizes what a bargain this really is in today’s market. One is almost tempted to show off the workings as it would likely cause more raised eyebrows than the effect itself.
The whole table is very sturdy and quite HEAVY…this is not one flimsy table. There is clearly a lot of metal in the brass and chromed components that make up the base. The table stands 38 1/2 inches high. The top measures 15 1/8 inches in diameter and only 1 1/4 inch thick. It is metallic in construction, probably black painted brass and decorated with a bright brass band around the perimeter. The top is felt lined and removeable. The apparatus breaks down nicely into a quality ATA case, made by Encore of North Hollywood, CA, that measures 7 1/4" by 18 1/4" by 18 1/4".
Overall, truly a rare masterpiece of magic…thanks, Nick!
Review by Brett Schulman for Banded by Bobby Cordell
5 out of 5
Banded
This is a great little effect. The illusion of the band vanishing from around the box and appearing inside and around the deck is perfect. You can then use the deck for any purpose you wish. Easy to do and fast reset.
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