Review by AmazingCorbin for Leather Coin Purse by Goshman
4 out of 5
Unique little coin pouch
This is a great little coin pouch. It does not look like a lady’s coin purse as many of them do. It has a very unique look to it. I have a few of them and always use them when table hopping because of a unique feature. Your spectators will not be able to easily open this purse! Have you ever performed a routine with a coin purse and had the spectator open the purse a bit early? kind of ruins the whole effect. The unique inside clasp on this pouch requires that you fiddle with it a bit before you open it. I can easily catch my spectators before they open the pouch. This is invaluable when entertaining a group. Once you are familiar with the pouch, it only takes you a second to open it.
This coin pouch also fits easily in the palm, and can be handled magically in routines just like a Jumbo coin. Get two pouches and shuttle pass for a secret change of contents, Have a pouch disappear, or appear. It’s very easy with this pouches size shape and no outer clasp (It’s a bit smaller than a jumbo coin however )
Review by AmazingCorbin for Topsy Turvey Soda Bottles by Wack-O-Magic
4 out of 5
Topsy Soda
This is a great version of the Topsy Turvey bottles. I’ve enjoyed using it many times this past summer. The use of cola bottles makes the trick appear more impromptu, you can be drinking from the bottle during your show until you get to the effect, call a child up and use the bottle you were drinking from. When the trick is done you can give the child the bottle he was handling, or finish drinking from your bottle and move into another effect utilizing the bottle ( cap in bottle, coin in bottle, ect.) The cola bottles also look more appropriate then the "black cherry soda" version. No matter how often I’d reinforce the bottles are "black cherry SODA’ Every so often a child will call out that I’m using beer bottles. Another bonus to using the bottles is they are unbreakable when they hit the floor, and you can go to the local variety store to buy a replacement.
There are a few challenges with this prop. Being from Canada, I can’t go to the local store to buy a replacement bottle as they are different sizes up here! Also you can’t show the magicians tube empty. During a carefully crafted routine this is not a problem, but I could not continue to use a finale I usually perform with a normal tube anymore ( I’d dip the tube behind a table and reach through the top for another bottle) the "gimmick" in the tube prevented this. Other than these small challenges this is a great prop and is recommended!
Review by AmazingCorbin for Spelling Bee by Irv Cook, Daytona Magic
4 out of 5
Spelling bee board
This is a great versatile effect that can be used for a variety of shows. Well built and customizable, the board shows a word spelled with separate letters, you turn the board around, remove the letters, shuffle them face down and either you or a volunteer randomly puts them back into the board. when the board is turned around again to face the audience, the original (or a different) word has been spelled perfectly. Great effect, seemingly impossible, and it works just as well for adults as it does for a family or children’s audience.
A great prop that I use often. especially when I’m asked to perform at a themed show and I need a custom trick quick. Superhero show? have the word spell a hero’s name. Corporate show? have the company’s name or their product written on the board. Recycling show, have the letters spell recycle. Child’s birthday? have the letters spell the child’s name!
You are limited to words with the same number of letters in it than your board can hold. Smaller words will work also. Sometimes the bottom of the prop will separate a bit causing the letters to fall through the crack, but a bit of tape or glue and it’s an easy fix. this is a well built solid prop (block of wood and plexiglass) that will last a long time. the letters may need replacing after a few years though.
I was hesitant to purchase this effect at first when I saw it on The Trickery’s site, since it seemed less "special" than other Colin Rose effects. By special I mean ornate, as are many of his wood turned vases, cups, etc.
But the premise seemed straight forward – which I liked – and the props did have a simplicity to them that would make a realistic presentation more believable. The props looked like old game fixtures, dice cups from an old board game. So, I went ahead and took the chance.
Boy, I was not disappointed. If anyone can make two simple, unadorned wood containers look better than this, I’d be surprised. They feel like you are holding something special. And the secret is so simple, it defies detection. I haven’t performed this yet, but I feel very confident I can pull this off. Nothing ground-breaking, but done correctly, I can see this being a nice, mid-set effect in a mentalism show.
I recently purchased this after seeing it used as a utility prop on some Alakazam DVDs. On those DVDs it’s used as a tool for forcing something to be revealed in a bigger way later on…not as an effect unto itself (although it could be).
The book has a vintage appearance and design – not as aged as an Outlaw-effects piece – but still odd enough to lend itself to some great origin stories. It reports to be from the British Institute of Parapsychology, i.e. B.I.P., and appears to be a testing tool containing words, times, different colored shapes, and random numbers between 10 and 999. Sounds pretty versatile as a forcing device, right? And, it is. This can easily be any mentalist’s go-to tool for an easy, quick force leading to a dramatic reveal.
This is one of those simple tools that can work wonders. Imagine a small, well-made hammer. You can tap with this gently, or swing with this hard. Either way, you’ll make an impression.
Review by Greg for Antique Pill Box by Dave Powell
4 out of 5
Powell Packs a Punch
I’ve never been let down by Mr. Powell’s effects and this lovely piece is no exception.
The effect is not new, but the method is. Or sort of. It actually combines several old ideas into a new design. But how come? And that is why I’m giving this review 4 stars instead of 5. Don’t get me wrong, I am NOT regretful for purchasing this. I love it. The quality is top notch, and the design is unique. This box can play in a variety of settings. I just question why Mr. Powell put so much effort into fixing something that may not have been broken.
Let me go into detail without letting on too much. This box looks like a Lippincott box, feels like a Lippincott box, delivers the same effect as a Lippincott box, but doesn’t function like one. This probably will fool your magician friends at your IBM meetings, but laymen, who probably could never figure out a traditional Lippincott Box, will never know the difference. It is devious, and the secret – to those who aren’t familiar with its workings – is undetectable. But is it necessary?
A gentleman by the name of Joe Porper also recreated the Lippincott box with his ingenious Strong Box. It was brilliant in design and construction, and in some ways – due to its added weight and design – functioned a bit quicker than a standard wood box. Dave Powell’s beautiful Antique Pill Box also brings some new ideas to the table. But did either of them NEED to be made? I guess you can argue that it’s human nature to improve upon our past accomplishments. The classic Linking Rings effect for example, has been redesigned to include a practically seamless, locking key ring. A lot of magician’s love this update. So, maybe I’m just being too analytical.
Let me close this already long review with this…if you are a collector, and love Dave Powell’s creations as much as I do…buy this. If you are a professional, or casual performer who appreciates quality, and can afford this piece…buy it. If you are an amateur, or beginning magician who can’t spend the money for a top shelf effect…don’t buy this, there are much less costly options.
Myself? I’m a hybrid. I am an amateur magician and an avid collector who has a habit of buying beautiful, hand-crafted magic, created by artisans who have pride in their work
Review by Andy Martin for X-Ray Vision Box (Mento Mystery) by Michael Baker
4 out of 5
Clever box with unique peek mechanism, but a bit pricey!
So Michael Baker makes some great magic and this item is no exception. However, I do think it is a bit pricey for what it is. I guess it was just a small run of them and that is where the price came from.
The box allows you to very cleanly divine what card has been placed into it. There is actually a clever idea that allows you to divine the card even when it is placed in the middle of a deck and the deck itself is placed in the box.
I have not seen another item quite like this, but I believe it is very similar to an old Thayer effect called Mento Mystery. If you just want to work with a deck of cards this is perfect, but if you wanted something a bit more versatile I’d probably spring for the Mikame X-Ray Box.
Review by Anonymous for Mikame Magic Mirror by Mikame Craft
4 out of 5
Beautiful craftsmanship, but has drawbacks
The Mikame Magic Mirror is a very well-made prop, with a great disguised gimmick. The wood crafting is beautiful, but the bag that comes with it is not as good quality. After less than 10 performances, the bag already has visible holes from the needle that is used to penetrate. Plus, the hinge seems to be getting a bit worn down and not working as well as it did just a few weeks ago. Still, this is one of the most attractive flexible mirrors I’ve seen and it is great for the hobby magician…but not for regular performances.
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