Andy Martin

The first version of this effect was released by Floyd Thayer as Coin Go c. 1926.  However, as far as I can ascertain, that version was permanently attached to a palming coin rather than the gimmick provided here, which can be added and removed in an instant and works with many coins.

This version is a great gimmick that works perfectly.  I had something similar when I was a teenager in the UK, but this gimmick is 90% smaller and just as reliable.  It works perfectly with half dollars and probably quite a few other coins too. 

You can borrow a half dollar or use your own that can be examined, and it takes but a second to be ready to go.  Then whenever you want you can vanish that bad boy, and look like a pro sleight of hand expert.  The audience will have no clue. One of the other nice things about this gimmick is unlike The Raven it works with normal half dollars.

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If you read the Tannen’s ad below you would think this was a complete miracle, and I spent a couple of hours trying to understand the two pages of instructions but try as I did, I could not figure out how to do this. I have to assume it is possible, but I’d really like to see a Speed Demo of this bad boy – I wonder if someone out there has this and can do a demo for me and the rest of the folks?

The paddle is well constructed and moves easily in the hands. It sounds amazing and the effect is quite different from the more common Money Paddle, but I was unable to understand how to perform it from the instructions. Maybe you will have more luck?

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When you’ve been playing with magic tricks for 50 years it gets pretty hard to bother to add one more item to your regular performing roster.  But Freak by Dave Forrest is easily one that I could see myself doing.  Dave is a smart guy with some very clever ideas and if you look at how much nuance he jams into what seems like pretty basic props you’ll agree with me.

This effect requires a little bit of one-time prep work when you get it (tear in half three pictures, a tiny bit of gluing, 3 scratches on some cards, and a cut a tiny hole in some paper).  But also if you want to change or upgrade any part (the pictures, the names, the envelope, the story) all are possible, and you’ll still be left with the very clever structure that Dave has devised.

You have to listen to Dave explain the method and you’ll immediately appreciate this beauty.

I have zero time these days to add any new effects to my performances and this was going straight into my auction next month, but I have decided to keep it and perform it one day hopefully soon.  It is easy to do, very convincing and can easily be modified to suit a lot of presentations. 

Thanks for putting the effort in Dave – you have a real miracle here and I look forward to performing it soon in the Porcupine 🙂

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The method for this beautiful version of this classic effect was invented by Boston magician Frank Appleton and expertly manufactured by Petrie-Lewis. 

P&L and Appleton created the perfect version of an effect that began in Professor Hoffmann’s Later Magic c. 1904 (pg. 91), and was first performed on stage by David Devant (c. 1908) at the Third Annual Banquet of The Magic Circle in London’s Frascati’s Restaurant using a table like the one described by Hoffmann.  The effect continued to be worked on and a tray version became popular c. 1916-1921 including a version created by The Bretma Manufacturing Co. and performed by Louis Nikola c. 1921. Other variations were created during the 1920’s with various pedestals and trays from the likes of Floyd Thayer but it wasn’t until c. 1933  Petrie-Lewis manufactured this version that the effect and method became really practical without a special table or tray.

The original glass that was  shipped with this item is quite small (see the photo with two glasses and a deck of cards for comparison), in addition they supplied an extra gimmick.  I found by using a different (larger) glass, you don’t need to use the extra gimmick and it still looks more impressive because of the larger glass and less fumbling 🙂

When done well it is a real fooler and a very beautiful effect.

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The Turntable Stand first appeared in Thayer’s Magical Woodcraft Catalog c. 1913.  Depending on application it could be used for formal close-up, parlor and stage.  This was originally released as just the turntable itself and I devised the routine you see in the video after reading the instructions.

The video shows an easy to do effect and involves the following items:

• The Turntable Stand
• Vintage Enardoe’s Mirror Glass (actually made from plastic, but looks great) (bonus).
• A Gimmicked heavy quality silk handkerchief to vanish a coin (bonus).
• About 200 0.8″ Chinese coin tokens (bonus).
• A single half dollar sized Chinese coin (bonus).
• A stiff red paper tube with red paper-clips (bonus).
• Use your own wand.

This is a beautiful looking stand that works perfectly for this miracle and others requiring a silent and secret half turn of a pedestal 🙂

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In the 1970’s, the German inventive powerhouse Herbert Martin Paufler created a number of versions of the Mummy.  In 1980 he showed them to his friend, the prolific and creative, Tony Lackner who in 1982 went on to create one of the most popular and widespread versions of the Wandering Mummy (Die Wandernde Mumie) which was released by Harold Voit and Zauber Zentrale (and also later the Ace Place).

This was the first Wandering Mummy that I ever saw, and I was instantly smitten, like so many before and after me.  I have owned five sets of this version of the wandering mummy and this is the best one yet.

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This wonderful effect was invented by Al Baker c. 1932 using a simple but extremely effective method. P&L were the first company to manufacture a version of Mr. Baker’s effect and it remained the gold standard for decades afterwards. The method was first described in Greater Magic c. 1938 (pg. 512). and it is also discussed in Dr. Albo Vol. 3.

The method has been used in many other card effects over the years and a few of them can be seen here.

Two of the good features in this P&L version are the stand is easy to swivel around so that the audience can choose the queen without any fumbling and the backs of the gimmicks are cleverly painted to blend in to the stand.

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The method behind this great little set of miracles is based upon Al Baker’s Cherchez la Femme.  One of the effects included in the instructions makes me think it could have been inspired by the Wizzo Card Box sold by Kanter’s c. 1942 (but I have no actual evidence of this).

What I particularly like about this set is how Dusheck and Hill have included four other routines to expand from the standard switch between king and queen.  Even though the standard effect is very strong, I believe Kangaroo Cards and Vanishing card are even better with a little bit more meat to the routines.

Whichever you choose to do I’m confident your audience will be amazed 🙂

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Stephen Tucker creates some very clever and entertaining routines and when he released Himbering Ways in 2009 with Tony Curtis I remember being very impressed with the routines that came with the wallet.  The wallet itself has a couple of features not always found on other Himber wallets and Stephen has maximized the routines for these features.

Of the six routines included in the booklet, my favorite four are:

• The Card That Never Was
• Add-a-Number
• Examinable B’Wave
• Prints Of Darkness

These are all very strong and Prints of Darkness and The Card That Never Was will even fool magicians if they don’t pay attention 🙂

The problem with the original package was that it came with no extra gaffed cards and although they are not that hard to find, it would have been nice if a complete package had been created.  So  I have included all of the cards and extras required for the above four effects and instead of using good old bicycles I used the wonderful Jerry’s Nuggets Modern Feel cards produced by Conjuring Arts.  The routines are that good so I thought I would spice them up a bit.

It is not possible to perform all the effects in one sitting but you’ll now have all the cards you need to perform any of the above routines.

There is some really great magic here, in a neat ready to perform package 🙂

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Wow what an amazing tool Chris Wasshuber from Lybrary.com has created for the community.  If you ever need to show fans of cards in a book, instruction sheets, online or anywhere else Chris has created the perfect tool to use.  It has ESP cards too and a variety of back designs.  And I’m sure if you have a legitimate need Chris would most likely add more designs, he’s that sort of guy 🙂

The tool is very easy to use and costs nothing – you just have to have a free account at Lybrary.com.  And while you are there you can purchase 100’s of the amazing ebooks that Chris has created over the last 20+ years – he has over 9,000 now.  Chris also has the best ebook search engine on the planet with his Magic Knowledge Base Search – also free to account holders.

Great job Chris and thank-you for providing this amazing tool to the community 🙂

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