Andy Martin

One of the most popular and mechanically perfect items from the amazing, and still unbeaten when it comes to really incredibly engineered props, Richard Gerlitz.

Watching this slow motion penetration is quite breathtaking. Like many of Richard’s masterpieces the method and mechanics used to bring about such a beautiful illusion is as rewarding as the effect itself. What I really appreciate is how easy the set-up is. Once you’ve watched the video once you are golden and you have a really beautiful “push button” illusion that looks amazing. There are no electronics to worry about and you can set the unit up and it is ready to wow them at the drop of a hat.

Another Highly Recommended masterpiece from Richard Gerlitz.

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I’ve always loved the Spirit Hand effect and although I’ve tried a few the best one is the Thayer Quality Magic one (which of course became Owen Magic Supreme).  The key to this effect is that it has to look authentic.  The props, the mechanism and the movement.  This version even looks better than the more recent boards from Owen’s because it has the benefit of age.  It just looks perfect and works perfectly with no possibility of detection.  The board is clean and nothing is added or taken away, and yet the hand raps on the board on demand.

If you ever wanted to perform some sort of seance or communicate with the other side, this is the tool to use. Highly Recommended!

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Ali Bongo made famous the Pom-Pom Prayer Stick and I have been performing it for over 40 years.  It is really a beautiful effect full of comedy and mystery.  My goto set for years has been the ones released by Kovari Magic and this is the first time I’ve actually held the Milson-Worth version.  They look amazing and are very well engineered.  In fact, this is the first set of pom-pom’s that I have seen that use actually pulleys inside if you know what I mean.  These may quickly become my goto set of sticks.  Highly Recommended!

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So Magic Wagon tried this effect a couple of times with Rhine’s Dice I and II, but to my mind Kreis Magic have really nailed it with this relatively expensive set.  The Dice are perfect, but make sure you get the “Perfect” ones because they can hold up to extreme investigation.  The dice are larger than the Magic Wagon ones too and look better.  In fact, because these dice are clear they even look better than the ones created by LabcoMagic for their Magic Dice Set.  They cost a little more, but the extra cash is worth it.  The ladder works very well, and unlike the Magic Wagon ones the glass can be locked into place so nothing moves.  I like the routine of having red and blue backed cards and the spectator choosing a card from each and then rolling the dice.  Makes for a colorful, impossible effect!

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This is the “mini” version of Casino Royale distributed by Howard Schwarzman. The effect is basically the same as Jack Ruda’s Turning Stone but performed with better quality props.  It is one of those items that resets instantly, is easy to perform and looks great.  Because this is the smaller one it fits more easily in the pocket or bag too.

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Wow! What a beauty this Die Box is from Michael Baker. I thought his Oriental See-Through Block Box was amazing and this one is the same if not better and were only two of these created, so they are much rarer than the See-Through version.  This is also the first die box I have ever received where the sliding gimmick is secured during shipping.  Normally it is let loose to move back and forth (and sometimes do damage during transit), but not with this one since it is secured in an easy and clever way.  Michael Baker really does produce some of the best die boxes available today.

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This is the sturdiest tripod base I have seen from my good friend George Robinson. I used it for my close-up case over the holidays and it was rock solid.  Not only is it very solid but the knobs are easy to turn and tighten without any tools or gloves.  Just a wonderful utility item I will use for the rest of my life!

Great Job George!

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So I’ve owned at least three versions of Badlands Bob dating all the way back to 2001 and although I’ve always thought it was a clever idea it was never something I was going to perform – I just was never comfortable with the gimmick and finding the “sweet spot”.  But with the addition of a bigger box from Magic Wagon, Tony Curtis, and Peter Nardi and complete removal of the gimmick, that has all changed.  In fact, I would go as far as saying this is one of my favorite  Collectors’ Workshop and Magic Wagon items now.

When you receive this item ignore the printed instructions and stampede to Peter’s video instructions as they are clear and discuss most of the key points.  However, one thing I prefer to do is not to make the change happen visually.  I prefer to place the small Badlands Bob box into the larger box face down and close the box and give it to the spectator.  After the suitable magical incantation  they can open the box and take out the Badlands Bob box and the die now shows their number.  It seems really impossible.  If you play with this item for a few minutes you can quickly figure how to make it instantly reset and work automatically every time.  It really is magical with no more fumbling or delays.

I love this item and unlike 97% of the magic I buy, it is sitting on my KEEP shelf right now.  This really has taken a clever item from the original Collectors’ Workshop team and turned it into a self working miracle.  Simply Beautiful.

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Steve Cook is back with possibly his definitive version of Al Koran’s masterpiece: The Gold Medallion. With this version the final revelation is clearly embossed on Gold Medallion. The spectator can even rub their fingers over the symbols. The method is different from Koran’s and requires less nerve I suppose, so this may appeal to some who can’t handle the original method. Really a very nice version and great to see the team of Steve Cook, Tony Curtis, Alakazam Magic, and of course those master craftsmen of neat little boxes, The Magic Wagon Team.

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Just received this purse from Meir Yedid and boy do I love Kelvin Chow’s Quiver purse, easily the best coin purse I have seen. It can be used to switch, vanish and produce pretty much any small item and can be freely handled and opened by the spectator. If you were a fan of the Larry Becker style coin purse, you will really love these bad boys. Well made and more convincing than anything I have seen before.

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