Dice Capers by Marvillo

There is no doubt that Eddy Taytelbaum created the best version of this effect in both the standard size (2 1/4″ x 1″ x 1″) and jumbo size (3 1/2″ long box). What I am not 100% sure about is who invented the effect. According to Anverdi’s book (page 177) it says Anverdi first saw the German Marvello perform it. I believe this is a typo and the book is referring to the German Marvillo (Arnold Liebertz – 1927-1989) who was a semi-pro dealer and inventor.  Marvillo sold most of his magic through the company Rolando Studio of Kurt-Jürgen Schwarz in Remscheid, West Germany. This is Marvillo’s version.

This was created by Marvillo and based on an idea by Mavo from Holland.  Here are the details from Marvillo’s  Dice-coveries:

“In August 1970, my good friend MAVO from Holland came for a few days to our home in Euskirchen-Western Germany. He had, as usual, a lot of new tricks and improvements on old classics. Among these were one that tickled my family and I to death. In September I took the model to the I.B.M. Convention at Llandudno and showed it to some magical friends among them Eddie Burke, Roy Johnson and Bill Stickland. To put it mildly they were enthusiastic about the effect.

A box was shown to contain 3 dice. One dice was removed and the box closed. The die had vanished ….. the box opened ….. and there were again 1….2…..3 dice!

It was a very cleverly designed piece of apparatus using a slice from a dice which came up by aid of a small spring. After playing around with the model, I discovered there were some weak points that had to be eliminated. So I dipped into my workshop, accompanied by a bottle of beer, put on my thinking cap (Patent pending!!) … and the result was a completely new effect.”

Effect: The now classic effect where three dice are shown in a small case, one is dropped out and the lid replaced. The die vanishes and is found back inside the case. Another one remade by Magic Wagon as The Majestic Homing Die, Eddy Taytelbaum, Anverdi, and others.

(Notice: the final photo is of 3 matching Marvillo effects which are not all included with this item.)

(Description supplied with permission by Joe Long)

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