Andy Martin

Classic Krause – Simple but Astonishing!

So this little beauty is one that will probably disappoint some people because the method doesn’t require any intricate gimmicks. However, for me, it is one of the most practical and potentially most devastating items Max sells.

The biggest hurdle for me was actually wearing the cool looking necklace – I’ve never really worn a necklace! But for this effect at least I’m going to start, because I believe the impact on lay people is that strong.

Once again with Max’s routines you need to follow the whole routine before making your mind-up. I have found that by watching the whole DVD or reading all the instructions you will see how a good trick turns into a miracle.

The necklace looks great and authentic – it is a great ice breaker if you need one, and the look on the spectator’s face is priceless when it changes to their card. Everything can be examined before and after. It is a very memorable effect.

Highly Recommended for performers everywhere!

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Sweet Perfection!

Howie at The Trickery has been excited for sometime about his new creation built by those amazing craftsman at the Magic Wagon: The Ghost Writer’s Box. This really is a beauty and not only does is look amazing it works perfectly 100% of the time.

The Ghost Writer’s Box already has endorsement from one of my favorite magicians: Richard Osterlind, and there are even two great routines by him included with the instructions. The box really is perfect. What is particularly nice about this box is that there are no electronics to go wrong and no levers to pull. All the work can be done without the spectator realizing it and without the magician once touching the box. Reset is a snap too.

This really is a utility that has many uses but the brilliant routine Signature Pieces is what it comes with, along with other ideas. In this routine you show the box and open it up to see a bag with 3 pens, a deck of cards and some sheets of paper. You have any pen selected and placed in the groove in the box designed for it. Both the magician and the spectator sign a piece of paper and the spectator closes the box and keeps it at all times – the magician does not need to go near the box. Then a card is chosen and when the box is opened the name of the card is written in the color pen they chose on the piece of paper with both signatures.

It doesn’t get much stronger than this. Unlike some devices which achieve similar effects this is 100% sure-fire – I have yet to see this fail.

This really is an amazing beauty and there is a limited number of them produced for the first run and I believe almost half have already been sold, so now is the time to grab one!

Highly Recommended for Mentalists and Magicians everywhere!

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An amazing routine for W.O.W!

Wow – I love this routine! Jon Racherbaumer really has come up with a great routine for Mazuda’s W.O.W. gimmick and if you already have the gimmick then the routine is freely available on Joe Stevens site.

What is neat about the routine is that the gimmick appears to change the card twice: first from a joker to the Spectator’s card and second the spectator’s signature visually appears on the card right in plain view. It looks startling and takes away any heat from the gimmick.

I love it!

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Poor Photos, Beautiful Coins

I’ve always been a Johnson Boy when it comes to coins – and before Johnson an Eddie Gibson Boy – and never saw the need to purchase more expensive ones. However, when you do purchase coins from Todd Lassen or Jamie Schoolcraft you do notice the difference. Is it worth the extra cash? Well that depends on how much you perform the effects – for most of us hobbyists probably not, but if you do treat yourself you will love playing with the coins.

The two sets of coins I’ve purchased made by Schoolcraft are not as high end as the the Todd Lassen ones that George Guerra has kindly added to my site, but they are still a marked improvement on the Johnson ones.

I’ve been a big fan of Copper, Silver, Brass Transposition but go back and forth whether the Two Copper one Silver is better as it is easier to follow. Anyway, this is a beautiful set and now I have two higher end sets of coins I can choose which routine suits my mood the best.

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Wow these cards are a Masterpiece!

I for sure don’t need any more decks of cards, but I must say how much I’ve fallen in love with the whole Card-Shark line of vintage cards. They look so authentic and the artwork is amazing. If you look at these Tarot cards for example – every card is different, not just the Major Arcana cards, but the Minor too. Incredibly detailed.

If you ever wanted to do some card magic with a bizarre theme or just something that looks a bit different and interesting, without looking like "magic cards", Card-Shark is the way to go.

Highly Recommended for anyone who loves playing cards.

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Nice Gimmick, Great Potential, but not for me.

When I first saw the video for Ultracinese I thought wow that looks great, but I think I’ll stick with Eddie Gibson’s Twist Off. However, as the hype continued on the internet I decided to take the plunge.

Sadly, my first instinct was probably best. I’m quite sure for some people this works as advertised, but for me it did not. I was unable to make it work consistently and I really tried. The gimmick is very well made and thought out, but it takes a certain knack, and I’m not convinced that even if you have "the knack" it will work for everyone.

I really wanted this to be as amazing as it looks – but it wasn’t for me.

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Clever idea and great value too!

Here we have another fine item from Louis Gaynor released by one of the last remaining dealers catering to the Magic Collector: Joe Stevens. I don’t know how Joe puts these out so cheap – $45 is almost what you pay for a packet trick these days – in fact I just paid $81 for two ungimmicked decks!

What a neat idea and great looking prop this is. No matter how hard they try you can always find where the ball is hidden. And what’s more no electronics, magnets or threads. In fact no set-up of any kind and it’s always ready to roll.

Highly recommended for Performers and Collectors everywhere!

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A real beauty from George Robinson.

A real treasure from my good friend George Robinson. The box looks amazing and intriguing with the chain. The effect is as clean as a whistle and there is absolutely nothing to find.

In effect you dangle the box from the chain in front of a spectator and inform him there is a deck of cards with a prediction inside the box. You ask him to mimic cutting a deck and count how many cards they have cut to and to look at the card at that position. This is all done in their mind. Next they reveal where they cut to and open the box and they take out the cards and prediction – the cards are not touched by the performer. They now count down to the number and show the card, it matches the prediction.

This is a beautifully clever idea which has a number of possibilities. The amazing thing is that the box and deck of cards are 100% ungimmicked and nothing is added or taken away. And yet you can always predict the card they will count too.

When George puts his mind to something you can always be assured of the highest quality, and this is one of those items that surely will keep everyone guessing.

It is a beauty George!

Most Highly Recommended for Collector’s and Performers everywhere!

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Great Idea, that looks good and works!

This is a very clean way to force any of the 6 spots on a die, but unlike loaded dice the result is much more predictable. If you have ever used loaded dice, they quite frequently do not land on the number you hope.

Labco have produced a very nice package with dice that are beautifully and undetectably gimmicked to allow you to force any one of the 6 spots.

There are no electronics and thus far I have always forced the number I was expecting. The only downside is that you do need to use the cup and roll the die on the small board, but both look very innocent. The cup is in fact innocent, whilst the board is gimmicked.

Very nice indeed! Highly Recommended!

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One of the real Collector’s Workshop Jewels

I’ve wanted this item for many years but have missed out on the runs that George has made. It is a very clever and beautiful item that works perfectly. One of the best thought out items that the original Collector’s Workshop put out. The box is a beauty and then you see the cage – wow what a wonderful combination.

In effect a watch is borrowed and covered with a hanky and held by the spectator, whereupon it vanishes. Then this perfect wooden box is pulled from a bag that has been in full view all this time along with a key. The spectator opens the box and inside the box is a gold cage that fills the box. The cage is pulled out and their hanging in the center is the spectator’s watch and they open the door and retrieve it.

Unlike some of the early CW pieces the routine is very well thought out and the vanish and appearance all work perfectly. This is definitely a highlight in my collection.

George will be doing a new run soon so make sure you get signed up for one – you will not be disappointed.

Highly Recommended for Collectors and Performers.

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