Review by Andy Martin for With Frances in Magicland by Frances Ireland
3 out of 5
Amusing anecdotes and great Kid Show Advice
This is the second book I’ve read by Frances Ireland (Marshall) written in 1952. It’s not as informative or detailed as her other one, You Don’t Have To Be Crazy, but it still makes for interesting, light reading.
It has many anecdotes of famous and not so famous magicians which help you relive the past golden years of magic. I don’t know if such things continue to happen as the magic community has been watered down over the last twenty years or so but I hope there are similar parallels today.
Of particular interest is the section on the Chicago Magic Bar scene which gives a glimpse into a world that I certainly have never experienced and would like to.
Also, there is a very helpful section on performing to kids. This section is certainly filled with the real meat and potatoes for performing to children and is worth checking out if you plan on performing to this difficult, but rewarding, age group.
Overall a worthwhile relaxing read, from one of the most wonderful ladies in Magic.
Review by Andy Martin for Classic Secrets of Magic by Bruce Elliott
5 out of 5
If you could choose just one book on magic …
… I believe this would be a very worthy contender. Bruce Elliott’s Classic Secrets of Magic is a small book by modern standards: it has only twelve fairly short chapters, with each chapter focusing on a single basic effect and some variations. However, if you were to thoroughly study and learn the magic and routines contained within these chapters and nothing more, ever, you would have enough material to last a lifetime of magical performances.
Very few props are required, the sleights are straight forward, and the magic is beautiful.
In my magical youth I used to perform three card routines from Chapter 1 (the Spectator’s Card is Produced) with the highlight being the Card on the Ceiling; the rice bowls from Chapter 3 (Water, Water, Everywhere!); two paddle routines from Chapter 4 (The Very Peripatetic Paddle); the four ace routine from Chapter 5 (Those Four Aces!); the Egg Bag from Chapter 7 (The Egg Bag, Well Done); two matrix type effects from Chapter 8 (The Two Covers, and the Four Objects …); some simple billiard ball moves from Chapter 9 (Billiards, Magic Style); and the Ambitious Card from Chapter 11 (The Ambitous Card!). I also dreamed of performing effects with Razors, Money and the Cups and Balls from the other remaining chapters.
If you bought this book today and spent one month on each chapter and spent say $100 on props you really could be in the top 1% of magicians in the world after just twelve months. Of this I have absolutely no doubt – provided you were committed to the task, and focused just solely on each chapter of this book.
Of course if everyone did this a lot of magic dealers would go out of business. And you wouldn’t have the excitement of trying out 100’s of different tricks, gimmicks, gadgets, fine wooden and brass collector’s pieces in a vain attempt to find the ultimate effects. This book contains them all, but where is the fun in that? One book, hardly any props to buy and just reading and practicing the same routines for a year? That doesn’t sound very magical does it.
Maybe the true secret of magic is that buying magic props from dealers won’t make you a good magician, knowing 100’s of tricks won’t make you a good magician, but learning just twelve effects really well will.
Like so many magicians before me I have fallen into the trap of thinking more props will allow me to create routines for all occaisions. In reality of course, just twelve effects are needed. I know it’s fun collecting magic. I have been doing it for over thirty years. But in fact if I just had the balls to stick with the Classic Secrets of Magic, I would be more rewarded, save a fortune, and give back a lot more to the art.
Well it’s something to think about at least as we enter the new year!
Review by Andy Martin for The Wonder Clock by Taurus Magic Supply
5 out of 5
So much better than Magic Makers!
This is not the original version (which came from a German manufactuer), but it is still much nicer than the Magic Makers version. A very clean and clever way of detrmining what hour the spectator chose, even though you are turned away and the clock face is covered up.
This really could be the basis of a very powerful close-up effect. Tie it in with Larry Becker’s Versadex Wallet and you now have an incredible prediction effect!
Review by Andy Martin for Four Aces Paddle by Joe Porper
3 out of 5
Not up to Joe’s usual Standards!
I really like the paddles and other machined props of Joe Porper and was looking forward to receiving this new effect.
Unfortunately I think this paddle is not as well produced as his other paddles and is really quite hard to do convincingly. It is a great idea for a routine with a paddle, but to pull it off is going to take a good deal of practice and skill.
The cards seem somewhat squashed and the back card has a real risk of slipping. The paddle move itself is difficult because you have to be very wary of your angles.
If you collect Joe’s paddles I’m sure you’ll still want this one because it clearly is different from other paddle effects, but I just don’t think the production and practicallity of this one is quite there.
Review by Andy Martin for Penny Pour by Definitive Magic
5 out of 5
What a Wonderful Paddle and Routine!
So I saw this new paddle on allmagic.com pioneer, Richard Robinson, is great fun and very magical.
It will take some practice to make this appear smooth and effective, but it does come with everything you need to perform, and with the solid routining from those Bad Boys in New Jersey, you’ll be on your way to performing this sooner than you think.
I am really looking forward to seeing the other new items that these guys come up with, now that they have finally found a craftsman who can do justice to their ideas. Go Howie & Bob!
Review by Kevin Wenker for Duco's Mini Dice Box by El Duco's Magic
1 out of 5
Useless
For me, this was an absolute waste of money. It was apparently made incorrectly as neither of the effects worked whatsoever. The construction itself was likewise shoddy. The only thing good about it was I now have an extra pair of dice.
Review by Andy Martin for Isolated Incident by Dexter
5 out of 5
A Great Utility for the Mentalist!
This is a very convicing and useful mentalism utility box that allows you to peform one of three routines: Burnt Bill, Headline Prediction, and Signed and Torn and Restored card. The box is made of acrylic and is well made.
I purchased this well made,colorfull,professional piece of equipment about 2 years ago for only $180 at The Magic Shop In Hicksville NY.I got an AMAZING buy.It had a price sticker of $180 on the box,which I think was an old sticker that was never updated.They now have another one, but I believe it is priced at around $300 or so.I also see this selling anywhere from $300 to $475 online and I am Amazed at what a great buy I recieved!It is a beautifully made illusion and still looks as new as when I purchased it.
Review by Anonymous for Close-up Card Magic by Harry Lorayne
4 out of 5
Review for Close-up Card Magic
This book is simply one of the most influential book in my magic learning – and it’ll remain in the magic library for many years to come. However, it’ll mainly benefit newcomers of card magic. If you dabble at card conjuring then you will want to take a look at this. It contains a lot of beautiful routines that are very easy to do. This is the genuine ‘easy to master’ card miracles. If you know your basic sleight-of-hand (hindu shuffles, double lift, glide – to give you a rough idea of what level) you’ll have no problems learning the routines in here. Even if you don’t, it’ll only require a little practice before you’ll be entertaining your friends and family with a deck of cards. What I love most from this book is some of the routines end with a beautiful layout. There are some routines I relearn once in a while because they are so effective. The downside is the description is very wordy at times and the routines have too many unnecessary actions from an effect standpoint. You’ll also have to accept the fact that names to moves like the bluff pass will not be given because Harry Lorayne wrote the book way back in the 1960s. Otherwise, it’s a great classic!!!
Review by Anonymous for Annotated Erdnase by Darwin Ortiz
5 out of 5
Review for The Annotated Erdnase
Ed Marlo felt magicians have very short memory. We often use concepts without knowing where they originated from. I can testify to that fact because recently I met a magician who could not vocalize the proper terms for each sleight-of-hand technique he used. Whenever he wanted me to realize what move he was thinking about, he just did it and said "that one." Furthermore, whenever I spoke the magic language, he always asked me to show the move so he could say "oh that!"
The Annotated Erdnase is your reference to all of the sleights created since "Expert At The Card Table" was written (back in 1902). It is simply a copy of "Expert At The Card Table" with additional sidenotes from Darwin Ortiz. For those of you who don’t know, "Expert At The Card Table" is an extraordinary book offering technical description on gambling sleights such as false cuts, false shuffles, and shifts (what magicians call the pass). These sleights described however assumes the performance is at the card table. Because it was written back a century ago, it needed an update. What the reader will find valuable is the references to many other modern, variant sleights created since then. Let me tell you, this book is loaded with information. This is one book card conjurors need in their library. If you wanted to know everything related to the slip cut, this book will let you in on that! I should mention a different book called "Revelations." The format is the same only it was written by the "Professor" Dai Vernon. In that book the focus was on the technical moves themselves, providing tips overlooked by the original author.
The Annotated Erdnase isn’t just a reference guide; it also contains informational tidbits regarding the book itself (like how many technical errors the author of "Expert At The Card Table" made). Also included is documents from Martin Gardner concerning the identity of the original author, who we still don’t know. If you’re interested on that topic, I know that new research has been done that is not in this book. Check out Genii and Magic Magazine – I believe sometime in 1999-2000.
I give this book also an A+ because it is readable, rereadable, and loaded with essential information. It will appeal to people who are interested in the history of sleight-of-hand as well as people who are looking for gambling techniques. If you’re a flashy, finger-flinging type of magician wondering if the sleight-of-hand in this book is good, look elsewhere. The sleight-of-hand techniques described have their roots in gambling.
By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
