Andy Martin

This is a riot!

I love this effect and routine. Plays really well, the audience has a riot and so does the magician! Check out the video to see how much fun it is! The other great snake in basket effect is of course: Khyber Chicken.

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A real Fooler and Gold Plated too!

This is a variation on Bank Vault by chazpro. Uses a totally different method and will fool those in the know. Very beautifully gold plated by Jay Leslie.

Comes with an elohim ring, which in itself is a wonderful utility device.

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It’s not about a single effect, but a family!

So this latest effect from those good guys over at Arlen Studios on its own might be nothing more than an intriguing puzzle – no matter how you dress it up, you’re just divining one out of two outcomes. Even if you do it multiple times, its never going to blow an audience away – well it might in Keith’s hands, but not mine.

However, that misses the point. What Arlen Studios are starting to achieve is a whole collection of good to excellent effects that have an old world feel and can lead to a very wonderful evening of entertainment if you play it right.

Just look at the array of props they now produce – even after you take out the tables and boxes – the line is really starting to gather speed and direction. I’m not giving 5 stars for this particular effect but for the line as a whole. Arlen Studios have found their own unique style. It is quite different from most of the other fine quality magic that is produced today – the wood he uses has a coarser, darker, sometimes uneven look. But I can get the traditional stuff from such craftsman as Alan Warner, George Robinson, or Mel Babcock. I want it to look different! Yes its an acquired taste – so is British Beer! But once you see all of his line together you can’t help but start to fall in love with it.

For me Arlen Studios will never replace Alan Warner – his magic is finer, more intricate, and probably cleverer in many cases. However, they have made some stirrings in my heart and head that make me want to devise an evenings entertainment where I travel back in time to an old medieval castle setting, carrying nothing more than a beautiful box under my arm, and not only entertain my audience with some engaging patter and mystical themes, but leave them with some sense that the magic was real.

For all of those magicians out there used to the standard look of magic props, maybe it is time to take the Arlen boys out for a test drive. I don’t think you will be dissappointed!

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Don’t leave home without your Jets!

These are great! If you want a simple and portable backdrop system that is well priced and versatile then look no futher than these Jet Sets from Abbotts.

I have had two sets of material created for them: one in black the other in red, white and blue as shown and they really add to the impact of your performance.

There are better backdrop systems on the market, but for the price these Jets are hard to beat!

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Very visual!

For the money this Ickle Pickle effect can’t be beat. Just pick up the box show it from all sides and then suddenly in an instant its full of cash!

That’s the way to do it! Make sure you get the Spring Loaded version!

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The Best Knives I’ve seen!

The Mogar Knives are wonderful. They have a great weight, width, and feel which makes them perfect for the color changing knives. There are a large assortment to choose from so you are sure to be able to find the ones you need to make your perfect routine.

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Great routine, convicing props, is this real mindreading?

Lee Woodside is a clever magician. He has some great ideas that work. This one is cool and with all the dressing up goes from a simple effect to something much stronger.

Its a clean booktest with bells on. Keep them coming Lee!

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The Poor Man’s Crystal Money Chest!

Of course I don’t do Dove work, but this box really works out to be pretty good if you can’t afford the Crystal Money Chest from Owens at $2300+!

It loads easy, looks clean, and with just a very slight motion is very convincing. The box itself is not as heavy duty as it looks, but as long as you don’t throw it around too much, it should last a long time and service you well. This of course is the price you pay for saving over two grand!

I’m sure it works great with doves too!

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Once you get the knack – a sheer dream!

Ok, so I held off reviewing this for about a year – the reason is that although this effect is very well made, I could not get it to work consistently. So whenever I pulled it out, I worked on one more piece, and with the diligent support of George Robinson, I can now finally make this work 100% of the time.

When you spend over $2000 for a balloon table, it should just work – it should not take a knack. The good news is that since George has taken over the Collector’s Workshop line he is slowly but surely fixing the design flaws that show up every now and then in some of these effects. So when the new versions of these are ready, I’m sure they will have all the trimmings to ensure that they work everytime without any hassles.

I would have given this 5 stars if it wasn’t for the fact that it took me so long before I acquired the knack. But I really love this effect. It starts of pretty similar to many other balloon tables out there: they choose the red balloon, it deflates, the choose the blue balloon it blows away, but finally when they choose the white balloon there chosen card appears as the balloon bursts.

But that is not the end of the effect – so you’ve found the card in the balloon big deal … next you hear a full brass band playing the Star Bangled Banner, then the flags and Applause banner pop up, and finally a burst of air and streamers and confetti shower the place. Now you can take your well earned bow!

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Simple but effective!

So I’ve always been intrigued by this effect, and of course when I received it it was one of those moments that you kick yourself for being so dumb!

But it looks real and this is a nice version of this effect – my daughter was cowering when I pushed the nails through so that is enough for me to be convinced that is looks real. Even if the method is not “clever” it still looks good!

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