George Guerra

Ahh..junior is still good magic

Wow..I had reviewed elsewhere Blasted, by England’s Harry Stanley, and mentioned Blasted Jr. in the review. Well, looks like Andy found one. As I stated in my original review, this is a very visual effect that I have very fond memories of being bewildered at Hollywood Magic when the staff magician at the shop fooled me badly with it. This was many years ago and I have owned both.

This version is not as "dramatic" as it’s bigger brother. The use of half dollar sized coins and the champagne glass really adds to the overall magical effect. If there are two strong points to this version, they are 1) the effect is more "compact" and can probably be carried in your pocket, and 2) the smaller coins probably are easier to handle, especially the "vanish" of the copper coin moments before the "penetration".

Still, it is Blasted and one of my favorite coin effects..so, it gets 5 stars.

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Newton’s Nightmare OUTDONE!

Richard Gerlitz has the ability to study a standard effect or idea, see the potential, and take it to that next level. He embellishes it with markedly improved quality props and a patter that makes sense to the magic. He did this with an interesting effect called "Hydro Die". The method was a great concept but it just seemed awkward to have a die in a column of water. Richard re-invented this effect with the release of "Lead to Gold" and the result was entertaining and smooth flowing magic.

Well, Richard has done the same with "Newton’s Nightmare". This effect was released in a deluxe version by Wellington Enterprise, followed by a simpler cheap prop on the market. Both were made in aluminum. Paul Green also released "Field Sobriety Test" based on the same idea. Now, we have the Gerlitz touch and what I believe is the ultimate version of this effect.

First, the props are a joy. Two, not one, 6-inch solid brass tubes are used. The diameter is 5/8 inch and the wall thickness is over 1/16 inch around. These are definitely not flimsy metal tubes but hefty well-machined props. The tubes are polished and decorated with black banding at each end and a center Oriental dragon design as pictured. They are a beauty to own and use.

One always hears that presentation is the key to any magic performance. Well, Richard uses the idea of Ying and Yang, represented by each tube to validate the magic. Apart, the tubes are "normal" but bring the tubes together and in unity the magic occurs as the steel ball warps the law of gravity. I like the acrobatic interplay between the two tubes as shown on Richard’s video demonstration. The slow falling ball is "caught" in the second tube held below. The action is repeated several times, in a sort of a loop, with reversing the tubes till the performer eventually decides to catch the ball in the palm. Separate the tubes and gravity becomes normal again, the harmony of Ying and Yang broken. What a great routine! Here is another winner and probably the nicest of his "affordable" releases to date.

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Great Title..Great Routine

Finally picked up the parcel from Doug this morning and found inside No.4 of this little series and it’s a very impressive item! Jim Riser is to be commended on the props. I have yet to be disappointed with his workmanship and his stuff is truly collector quality. The routine is enlightning and entertaining. Doug gives you a professional quality video guide to the routine along with a booklet, but it’s the DVD-ROM disc that gives you the details. It was fortunate that I gave my wife for Mother’s Day yesterday a new Apple iBook, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to play the disc!

As already mentioned this is an all sleight of hand routine but as Doug commented in the video it does blow away at one point in the effect those who suspect a shell. It’s pricey but considering the props, the instructional media, and professional quality of the routine, I would say it’s money well spent..well, at least, I am happy and I tend to be rather picky in selecting magic for my collection as Andy will attest.

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Think of a Card..CW Nova at a Bargain

One of the most interesting concepts in card magic with a mental twist has to be the "Any Thought of Card Rise". Dr. Hooker’s model, unavailable at any price, depends on a method that simply doesn’t make sense today. Other attempts include the Joseffy Rise, the Neyhardt model, and the current wonder, Collectors’ Workshop Nova, which sells for $12,000..Oh, would I love to own this treasure!

Marakesh Mystery was created to fill the void at a very affordable price, but it still required very tedious handcrafted work to accomplish the effect. It was advertised in both the 1987 and 1990 catalog, but was already gone when the 1993 CW catalog was released. Nick Ruggiero realized that it just wasn’t practical to continue making this item and keep the price reasonable, so it was discontinued.

The method apparently wasn’t original to CW as I have seen "older" versions of this particular effect appear on ebay, though the CW version was likely the "Rolls-Royce" of the bunch. A spectator thinks of a card and writes it down on a slip of paper. A solid brass case with a simple "skeleton" brass frame shown; frame is withdrawned containing a deck of cards. Both sides of the frame can be shown as in the images. Without removing the deck, the frame is held up with one hand only and the thought of card just rises out of the deck. It’s beautiful magic at its best. One limitation was that the deck will rise any pip card called for, but not the face cards. This was not a problem as the suggested patter easily eliminated the face cards in the spectator’s choice. That is still 40 different cards under your control! Amazing prop and stunning magic.

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Always loved this one!

Blasted is one of those effects you just have to love it when you see it performed for the first time. It is dramatic..Copenetro without the fancy mechanics. This is particularly true when you are an adolescent, many years ago, new to magic, and a demonstrator at Hollywood Magic brings this out to blow your mind. It was then made by Tannen’s and somehow it left my collection many years ago.

However, recently Mario Carrandi put this beauty on ebay, a mint Blasted made in the 1960’s by England’s Harry Stanley and I went for it. Oh, what nostalgia!

Tannen also released in a "smaller" version, Blasted Jr., using a simple low plastic cover instead of the glass goblet, The coins were a dime/penny instead of the larger English coins (though Tannen’s used a Kennedy Half for the English Silver in their version of Blasted).

The effect is two contrasting coins are shown. The Silver one is placed on the metal tray and covered with the inverted glass. The copper is held above on the glass, then suddenly and visibly, it appears inside alongside the Silver coin. Glass removed and the coins freely showned. Beautiful magic!

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Now this is Paddle Magic!

Paddles have always been interesting props. I own most of Porper’s current line but something was always missing. I realized it was "drama" or the lack of it that made these props less interesting to perform. Though beautifully made I now keep my paddles somewhere in my closet. Now comes Chance with a twist to this old prop and you have an entertaining piece of magic with storylines to turn it into a wonderful routine.

Chance craftmanship is to be admired. Granted, this is the only piece I own from him, he has earned the praise and respect of many very happy customers. I am always keeping my eyes out for releases on his "Vintage Recreations" line(I would have bought his Hughes Snake Basket, but already had a CW Khyber Kobra). These props are well made, come in gorgeous little velvet bags with the Wolf trademark embroidered, and accompannied by very clear photo-illustrated instructions(remarkable!). Oh yes, the price is a real bargain for the magic you are getting. Most Highly Recommended!

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The most versatile gaffed coin set

The Hopping Half is the most versatile coin set one can buy, especially for someone coming aboard coin magic for the first time. The gaffs can be used individually for other effects as the most important gaffs make up this set.

Johnson Products is still the leader when it comes to commercially produced coin gimmicks. There are others in this business but their quality is questionable. Once you have reached a certain level, you can turn to custom coins by the likes of Todd Lassen using more "exotic" coins for that ultimate presentation..

I have a set I bought over 15 years ago and the qualtity is very good. Johnson also makes this same set using a 1964 Silver Kennedy Half and the Walking Liberty.. the latter set I recently purchased and was very disappointed with the expanded Walker shell. However, I have heard that Johnson Products has exceptional customer service, but I decided to turn to Todd for a replacement.

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Just Love Mini-Magic!

OK, I was excited when I received this little beauty from Mel today. I had been waiting for it since October but it was well worth the wait. I already own his "regular sized" Instant Transposition and it is probably one of Mel’s best items. Well, in July I received my "last" parcel, barring new releases, from Alan Warner. I still had that "hunger" for more mini-magic. I had received the new book on Mel Babcock "The Magic House of Babcock" and two things struck my attention: 1)he had previously released a "mini-sized" version of this desirable and clever piece, and 2)one of the exotic woods Mel has used in the past was Teak.

It didn’t take much thought to realize the potential magic here and I asked Mel for a custom made teak mini-sized version of his Instant Transposition; he agreed. It’s gorgeous and the pictures don’t give justice to the beautiful workmanship and the grain/color of this wood. I have placed a quarter in the images so you have an idea of the size of the apparatus. This little gem is definitely going on display among my Warner collection. Thanks so much, Mel..hmm, let me think now, what other items does he make in a mini-sized version.

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Stull Prediction with the Modern Touch

Rich Bloch of Collectors’ Workshop introduced an award winning effect back in 1979 called "Stull Watch Outdone" using a modern digital travel alarm clock. As CW was perhaps an idea to be borned, this item was released through Tannen’s. With CW coming into the picture in the mid 1980’s, this best seller was modified and improved. It was renamed Stull System III in their first full catalog(1987).

The effect is the usual Stull prediction. An innocent looking digital travel alarm clock(Radio Shack) is introduced and shown the two buttons to change the hour and the minutes. Next, a prediction is introduced and set aside in full view. A handsome hard leather case is shown and the clock inserted into it. There is an opening for the buttons and a flap to view the screen. Again the controls are shown to change the time. The flap is made to cover the screen and the spectator starts playing with the buttons to randomly set an unknown time. As you would expect the clock is removed from the case and the time matches your prediction. Once the clock is inserted in the case, the performer never needs to handle the clock again.

Great effect and one of the most practical effects released from Collectors’ Workshop. One problem..this was discontinued many years ago( I bought this item in the late 1980’s). Unless George Robinson decides to reintroduce this little gem, it’s now highly collectible, a beautiful item from the early CW years.

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Another winner from Richard Gerlitz

Remember the item Hydro Die? Well, Richard took the concept to a higher level with an appropriate and fascinating theme..the alchemist’s ultimate goal of changing lead to gold. You now have a reason to put the water inside the glass chamber..Richard introduces a "secret" potion poured from a nice Oriental flask that colors the water a reddish tinge, only to become crystal clear again after the metal transmutation has occurred. What a remarkable concept and what an entertaining piece of magic. The magic occurs smoothly and practically automatic.

Unfortunatley, this was a very limited editon item and is now all sold-out. You may find one on ebay one day, but be prepared to spend a bundle as Richard’s older stuff is starting to become expensive and desirable collectibles.

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