Super De Luxe Die Penetration by Harries

The first version of this remarkable illusion was invented by Okito c. 1904 (Dr Albo Vol 1, pg 103).  Among others, variations have also been built by Thayer, National Magic Company, Henry Bohlen and Town House Magic (Deluxe Visible Block Penetration c. 1946), Richard Gerlitz, Mel Babcock, Magic Wagon, Mikame Craft, and Nielsen Magic.  It is performed by Dr. Albo in the Ultimate Okito. 

However, not all Visible Block Penetrations use the same Okito method.  The key tell tale sign in performance is “slow-motion”: can the penetration be done slowly and visibly?  If it can then it is most likely based on the same method.  If it is visible but almost instant it is probably not using the same method.

The version featured here is by Harries and does not use the Okito method.  They do however, have a clever feature that was also reused in later years by Thomas Pohle with his China Block Suprise. Instead of the rectangular insert being blank it is covered with the same dots as the die itself, so the first phase of the penetration looks 100% genuine as you can see the top of the die has penetrated. The tolerances are not as tight on this version as they are with Thomas’ version but the effect is still enhanced and very convincing. If you’re looking for a clever parlor effect to wow them, you’ll find it with this bad boy.

Effect: This is the ULTIMATE penetration – probably the most visual and convincing in magic today. Customers are raving about it: the beautiful finish, the built in precision, the gleaming elegance and the smoothness in working – all typical trade marks for a genuine HARRIES SUPER DE LUXE product.

You show a beautiful, sparkling die (size 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″), a nicely decorated square tube and a rectangular piece of wooden disc – a small tray – that fits tightly in two slits on each side of the tube as shown in the picture. Magician puts the wooden disc trough the slits – thereby effectively closing the tube in the middle. Let there be no mistake: the tube is separated in two compartments all the time during the performance.

Nevertheless the magician takes the big die and puts it inside the tube on the wooden tray. Everyone in the audience can see the die all the time through the front of the tube. They can follow every single move. And this is what they see (not believing their eyes of course): the die suddenly starts to penetrate the wooden tray on magicians command, slowly and magically. After this marvelous penetration you show everything again: die, tube and tray and even better – you are ready to repeat this fantastic effect again! Some of your customers have bought HARRIES SUPER DE LUXE DIE PENETRATION because of the beautiful props, other bought it because of the beautiful effect. Both are right.

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