Andy Martin

The Square Circle, also known as The Chinese Pagoda, was invented by British Magician Louis S. Histed in 1930 and like many great ideas was pirated by dealers around the world. This is a beautiful and unique version of the classic Square Circle from Wack-O Innovative Magic. It is a Victorian/SteamPunk inspired work of art created and painted by Hollywood Makeup Effects artist, and owner of Wack-O-Magic, Michael Mosher.

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Mary Tomich formed the Thaumysta Magic Co. in 1992 and catered for bizarrists and kindred spirits.  The Elfin Chest is almost a big hit – the props looks very interesting and the effect and method are all workable.  But the props are so small they are difficult to use.  The sun revelation etched into the crystal ball is ok, but not as clear as I would like.  If I was to perform this I think I would get some larger cards and maybe get a better image of the sun on the ball. 

A worthy and interesting attempt with an intriguing patter, but just misses the mark.

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The original version of this effect was invented by the genius Robert Harbin c. 1946 as Dippy Magnet. The Dutch Micro Magic master, Eddy Taytelbaum, created a stunning version which earned him third place at the 1961 FISM Close-Up/Card Competition.  Another beautiful version was built by Carl Williams in the Okito-Williams style.

This version by Georges Proust though not as pretty as Carl’s is still very well made and is a lot cheaper and more practical to actually perform.  There are five routines included and some interesting ideas that I’m sure you will find one to use and perform.

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What a nice looking and clever approach to Winston Freer’s Tile Puzzle.  This is different from other versions I have seen (even Tenyo’s).  It really surprised me when I saw the method and the small size makes it perfect for walk around.

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Here is another item offered through Howard Schwarzman’s Limited Editions Magic line created by Magiro.  It was originally released by Eckhard Boettcher as Mentale Zauberstäbchen.  It uses the same method that was used by Viking’s Trans-Mental c. 1988.  However, I spoke to George Robinson and he has never seen Magiro’s version, instead he came up with the idea from an old Brema effect called Coin Divination.  Viking’s version is certainly a more superior product, but they both work well.

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This is Regow’s House of Enchantment’s version of Len Belcher’s and Harry Stanley’s “Wun Fang and His Chinese Coin” originally released by Harry Stanley c. 1954, and released in America with permission of Harry Stanley.

And what a great effect it is.  The patter would need to be tweaked for modern day audiences but otherwise it has it all. Colorful props, a clever vanish with a great sucker piece and a wonderful final reappearance to really seal the deal. It is also easy to do once you have laid out the props and read the instructions.

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This is probably the prettiest Ring Grinder I have ever seen. Works flawlessly and has a great sound. It also has the rattle box feature so that you can hear the ring in the box before it is grinded or vanished should you desire. Compares with Dave Powell’s wonderful Ring Grinder.

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Another strong effect from Magic Wagon for 2020 and this time based upon the amazing Jack Hughes’ Cuban Release c. 1951.  As with all the big hits from Magic Wagon there are no shortage of Video entries and I’ve also included a great version of Cuban Release by Brotherbor.

This effect is easy to do but it to do it well it does require some attention to the timing and the angles.

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This is a faithful remake of Franz Bieman’s masterpiece the Card Clock, made in the UK by McGee Magic for the legendary performer Paul Daniels (Paul even signed the instructions).  With the exception of yellow dots instead of green and the smooth dial vs textured I could not tell any difference in the mechanism or quality of manufacture between this and the original.  And boy is this a clever and amazing item that will fool anyone not in the know.  Although there are similarities to Dial-X, it very quickly surpasses anything you can do with Dial-X.

Firstly, although you can certainly feel the difference in friction it is more subtle than Dial-X.  Next, the brilliant ruse to remove the “clock-hand” after you have selected the card throws anyone off the scent.  That is a genius idea by Franz Bieman.  In fact when I first tried it I could not really fathom how it could possibly work 🙁 Finally having the four phases that use a combination of three different methods just really confuses them all.

You can perform this with standard playing cards (the originals are included) but if you use the special ESP cards I have included six from Vince Wilson’s great ESP Deck it becomes even more mystifying.  The four stages are easy to do and build on each other to produce a really amazing miracle.

You’ll like this a lot 🙂

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The Elusive Rabbits or Hippity-Hop Rabbits was invented by The Great Norman (Norman Hazeldene) c. 1947.

This set is a one of kind custom set that started life as a standard B.C. Magic Mfg. Co. Hippty Hop Rabbits and then Richard (Rick) Heath worked his a magic and captured the real magic of this piece with his paints and brushes.   You can see some of the before and after comparisons in the last few photos.  These are really a beautiful and adorable set of bunnies that are unique and will look amazing in your collection.

The set is made of wood. The bases to the tops of the “chimneys” measure 12.5 inches. The rabbits stand 11 inches tall. The set has been fully restored and is in excellent working conditions. An addition has been given to the base for added stability. It is painted in artists acrylics and represents dozens of hours of detailed work to create a fanciful piece worthy of presenting to an audience or displaying in a fine collection. A Certificate of Authenticity will be included.

Rick, for 35 years the principal artist for the acclaimed Le Grand David and his own Spectacular Magic Company of Beverly, MA. (1977-2012).  He now works independently building, restoring and redecorating illusions and fulfilling commissions for magicians and collectors. In 2002 he received a Special Fellowship Award in Graphic Design from The Academy of Magical Arts, and in 2014 he was honored with the Milbourne Christopher Award for Visual Magic. His work, nearly all one-of-a-kind, hand-painted pieces, either hand-built or restored in his workshop, is highly valued by collectors and now resides in public and private collections from coast to coast.

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