children entertainer "weapon"
if you want to get more reaction from your children audience, these is the one….
Click here for more information.
Review by Magic siow for Flashlight Fun (Trevor's Torch) by Trevor Lewis
Review by Andy Martin for Miller Miracle Wallet by Ray Piatt
Ok, so this is now my Favorite Wallet!
So almost 20 wallets is clearly too many, but 3 or 4 is perfect. I know what they are now. In first place would be this Miller Miracle Wallet. It is very well made, easy to use and very useful. It bascially is like a himber wallet but instead of two outs it has four. And they are so cleverly and cleanly concealed you could never guess. This wallet just makes sense to me.
In Second place, would be R. Paul Wilson’s The Predator. In Third Place, Larry Becker’s Versadex Wallet – there are times where this is just easier to use than The Predator. Finally, I want a long Himber Wallet to perform Xerox Money.
That’s it. If I had to choose just one wallet, then The Miller Miracle Wallet would be it since for most effects this will work perfectly. It will also turn so so effects into miracles, and without requring any undue practice or handling.
Click here for more information.
Review by Alan Lycett for Master's Close-Up Table by Arlen Studio
Masters close up table
I am from England and managed to obtain one of the tables from U.K. dealer, wanted something special for my 50th birthday and it really is special.
Can’t put the thing down and continually finding unbelievable things
to do with it by experimenting.
So if you want something special plus good looks get one of these
Click here for more information.
Review by George Guerra for Mystic Tubes of Sea-Ling by Richard Gerlitz
Newton’s Nightmare OUTDONE!
Richard Gerlitz has the ability to study a standard effect or idea, see the potential, and take it to that next level. He embellishes it with markedly improved quality props and a patter that makes sense to the magic. He did this with an interesting effect called "Hydro Die". The method was a great concept but it just seemed awkward to have a die in a column of water. Richard re-invented this effect with the release of "Lead to Gold" and the result was entertaining and smooth flowing magic.
Well, Richard has done the same with "Newton’s Nightmare". This effect was released in a deluxe version by Wellington Enterprise, followed by a simpler cheap prop on the market. Both were made in aluminum. Paul Green also released "Field Sobriety Test" based on the same idea. Now, we have the Gerlitz touch and what I believe is the ultimate version of this effect.
First, the props are a joy. Two, not one, 6-inch solid brass tubes are used. The diameter is 5/8 inch and the wall thickness is over 1/16 inch around. These are definitely not flimsy metal tubes but hefty well-machined props. The tubes are polished and decorated with black banding at each end and a center Oriental dragon design as pictured. They are a beauty to own and use.
One always hears that presentation is the key to any magic performance. Well, Richard uses the idea of Ying and Yang, represented by each tube to validate the magic. Apart, the tubes are "normal" but bring the tubes together and in unity the magic occurs as the steel ball warps the law of gravity. I like the acrobatic interplay between the two tubes as shown on Richard’s video demonstration. The slow falling ball is "caught" in the second tube held below. The action is repeated several times, in a sort of a loop, with reversing the tubes till the performer eventually decides to catch the ball in the palm. Separate the tubes and gravity becomes normal again, the harmony of Ying and Yang broken. What a great routine! Here is another winner and probably the nicest of his "affordable" releases to date.
Click here for more information.
Review by Andy Martin for Gypped Again by Roy Miller, Ray Piatt
Maybe the Best Gypped?
I’ve always loved the method behind the Gypped line of effects and believe this particular package could be the best!
It’s small and neat with instant reset and you get to predict two symbols one after the other.
Great props, easy to do with no messy nail writers or any other kind of writer.
A great idea and a real fooler!
Click here for more information.
Review by Julian Burt for The Stones of Tutankhamun by Doug Gorman, Jim Riser
Exquisite workmanship, amazing performance
I was extremely fortunate to see Doug perform The Stones of Tutankhamun a few weeks ago. I was able to examine the props up close and the craftsmanship is exquisite and heirloom/museum quality. Doug’s performance was equally as impressive and spellbinding. This is a must have item for both the professional and collector.
Click here for more information.
Review by Thomas Holbrook for Tarbell Study Guide by Harlan Tarbell, Steve Burton
The Tarbell Study Guide By; Burton
With the release of Vol # 8 by d.Robbins in 1991 historian and author Steve Burton puts it all together for magician’s and students (of Magic) to study the newer revised editions (originally published by N.L. publishing in the 1940’s.) as it was released in the original 1926 Tarbell System. Now we can all go step by step the way Tarbell had ment it to be. If you have the revised tombs vols 1-8 you will need to add this very informative book to your shelfs.
I have been a collector and historian on Dr. Harlan E. Tarbell for nearly 14 years now and I am always looking to buy Tarbell items and add new info to my ongoing historic time-line project on the Maker of Magician’s Harlan Tarbell.
Click here for more information.
Review by George Guerra for The Stones of Tutankhamun by Doug Gorman, Jim Riser
Great Title..Great Routine
Finally picked up the parcel from Doug this morning and found inside No.4 of this little series and it’s a very impressive item! Jim Riser is to be commended on the props. I have yet to be disappointed with his workmanship and his stuff is truly collector quality. The routine is enlightning and entertaining. Doug gives you a professional quality video guide to the routine along with a booklet, but it’s the DVD-ROM disc that gives you the details. It was fortunate that I gave my wife for Mother’s Day yesterday a new Apple iBook, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to play the disc!
As already mentioned this is an all sleight of hand routine but as Doug commented in the video it does blow away at one point in the effect those who suspect a shell. It’s pricey but considering the props, the instructional media, and professional quality of the routine, I would say it’s money well spent..well, at least, I am happy and I tend to be rather picky in selecting magic for my collection as Andy will attest.
Click here for more information.
Review by George Guerra for Marakesh Mystery by Collectors' Workshop
Think of a Card..CW Nova at a Bargain
One of the most interesting concepts in card magic with a mental twist has to be the "Any Thought of Card Rise". Dr. Hooker’s model, unavailable at any price, depends on a method that simply doesn’t make sense today. Other attempts include the Joseffy Rise, the Neyhardt model, and the current wonder, Collectors’ Workshop Nova, which sells for $12,000..Oh, would I love to own this treasure!
Marakesh Mystery was created to fill the void at a very affordable price, but it still required very tedious handcrafted work to accomplish the effect. It was advertised in both the 1987 and 1990 catalog, but was already gone when the 1993 CW catalog was released. Nick Ruggiero realized that it just wasn’t practical to continue making this item and keep the price reasonable, so it was discontinued.
The method apparently wasn’t original to CW as I have seen "older" versions of this particular effect appear on ebay, though the CW version was likely the "Rolls-Royce" of the bunch. A spectator thinks of a card and writes it down on a slip of paper. A solid brass case with a simple "skeleton" brass frame shown; frame is withdrawned containing a deck of cards. Both sides of the frame can be shown as in the images. Without removing the deck, the frame is held up with one hand only and the thought of card just rises out of the deck. It’s beautiful magic at its best. One limitation was that the deck will rise any pip card called for, but not the face cards. This was not a problem as the suggested patter easily eliminated the face cards in the spectator’s choice. That is still 40 different cards under your control! Amazing prop and stunning magic.
Click here for more information.
Review by Andy Martin for Mini Mental by Alan Warner
Still one of Alan’s Best!
I have reviewed this wonderful effect before and I still love it! I recently acquired another because I noticed how the colors match perfectly those of the light bulbs in the Wellington Mini-Magic Switchboard. This made me realise I could use it in conjunction with that prop as a wonderful way to predict the order of the bulbs at the end for a kicker finish!
Until recently I had every single piece of Teak Mini-Magic that Alan Warner had created, but I sold them earlier in the year due to a cash flow crisis! As things are improving again for me you might find me re-purchasing the odd Warner effect, but this time I am not buying just to have it as a beautiful collectable but to use them in my close-up show.
Alan’s Magic is wonderful and its kind of a shame that its so valuable as it means less people actually perform it. But his magic is very performable and if you can get over the value part try and perform some of it – I believe you will be very happy and get even more out of your investment.
Click here for more information.