Self-Locking Card Box by Wayne Sanderson, Tannen’s

Locking Card boxes have been around at least as early as 1876 with Professor Hoffmann’s seminal Modern Magic and also  1897 with the publication of August Roterberg’s amazing and detailed book New Era Card Tricks but the locking mechanism’s in both Hoffman’s and Roterberg’s designs use springs and/or pressure.   Even Thayer’s beautiful mahogany Lock-Flap Card Box c. 1931 used a similar method. 

Most modern locking card boxes use magnets and as far as I can ascertain this one by Wayne Sanderson was the first of it’s kind and it was released by Tannen’s in 1947.  This particular version is designed for bridge sized cards and can hold a full deck (though not in the card case).  The locking mechanism is so perfectly weighted that it does not need an external magnet to release the flap, just shaking the box in the hand with the correct downward motion will release the flap.  This is actually a nice touch if you have lost as many magnets as I have 🙂  The other feature of note on this box is that it has a black painted interior such that you don’t have to worry about the wood grain changing after the reveal.

The wood used is not a fine hard wood like many of the special card boxes produced today, but it works well and the flap works very reliably.

Effect: A Card, or cards, may be caused to appear in the box which has been previously shown empty. Or, a card, billet, etc. placed in the box may be caused to vanish by merely closing the box lid. Also one card, or cards, may be caused to change into entirely different cards. In each instance, when the box lid is closed, the spectator is given the box for safe keeping-he opening it at the finish to discover the magical action that has taken place–and the usual examination will not reveal the secret.

Found something wrong? Help us improve things by clicking here!