Beauty Contest (Pin-Up Girl Transposition) by Magiarte

Magiarte were a magic dealer and manufacturer in Portugal of a unique line of magic c. 1956-1996.  They were founded by Armindo de Matos and Eduardo Franco.  Their beautiful hand painted props are quite rare today and are perfect for display.

The instructions that came with this item say that the photo album starts off with all six color postcards and then just one vanishes to appear later in the ornate frame.  But a listing on Potter & Potter says the album starts empty and then the six color postcards appear inside the album.  I think the best way to present this would be like this:

• Show the empty stage stand and six color postcard and flags.
• Place the six flags (Portugal, France, Spain, UK, USA, and Brazil) with the back out on the stand
• Show the six color postcards.
• Flip through the empty photo album that has place holders for six countries with flags.
• Have a flag chosen from the stand to select which country wins the contest.
• Vanish the six color postcards (using your favorite method – the video shows a custom change box that I built just for the demo!).
• Show the appearance of postcards inside the photo album.
• But one is missing and instead a large flag is shown in its place.
• Reveal the chosen flag (it is the same flag as appeared in the album).
• Show the chosen color postcard appearing on the stage stand.

This seems to be a better routine with a lot of magic and some beautiful colorful props the likes of which you probably have not seen very often.

This effect certainly could be performed, but it probably has more appeal to the collector. The stage stand where the beauty contest winner appears is a little temperamental and has to be handled with some extra control. The photo album and flag cards are cardboard and paper and they probably would not stand up to too much abuse. Having said that they look very good for a sixty year old prop!

Effect: The performer flips through a photo album showing six color postcards of bathing beauties from different countries. He also cleanly shows a raised stand with a front panel that resembles a curtain or screen. This is removed and the stand shown empty.  Another display stand (with a colorful hand painted dragon on the front) is shown to have six separate compartments which hold six white cards….each printed with a different flag (that match the girls in the photo album).

The white cards are shuffled and placed back outward on the display stand. One is freely chosen and the flag on the other side is revealed. The performer picks up the photo album and flips through again … this time only 5 postcards are found inside. The postcard missing is the girl of the chosen country! When the panel on the upright stand is removed, the postcard of the chosen girl has magically appeared.

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