Flip Over Box (Flip-Over Vanish) by Worth Magic, Jack Gwynne

The Flip-Over Vanish was invented by Jack Gwynne c.1928 , and first marketed by Thayer c.1933 and first published in The Sphinx in March 1935 (Jack Gwynne by David Charvet).

Though some claim that Gwynne did not invent the box at all. For example, Okito (Theo. Bamberg) wrote a letter to Alton Sharpe on Jan. 15, 1953 claiming it was absolutely untrue that Jack Gwynne invented the Flip-Over box (Potter & Potter Winter Magic Auction, Feb 2nd, 2013, lot 235). So as is often the case when tracking down the originators of these classic effects there is often some controversy.

Which might be why Jack says in the first paragraph of the Sphinx description:

“Although the fundamental principle is not entirely new in this effect, the method of presentation and the clean cut effect given, overcomes this fact and makes a startling trick.”

In David Charvet’s fascinating book about Jack he states (pg. 209):

“The Okito version, as explained in Dr. Robert Albo’s book The Oriental Magic of The Bambergs, was different in principle than the Gwynne version, with an expending load chamber used to conceal the birds; although the effect to the audience was the same. It is the author’s opinion, (his prejudice toward Jack Gwynne, notwithstanding!) that Jack was the originator of the Flip-Over effect and the Okito version was the first successful improvement on the original Gwynne concept.”

What I particularly like about this box is although it is often used to vanish livestock it is way more flexible than that. See some of the effects below for some ideas.  Interestingly Okito was also quite critical of the standard vanish that he says Gwynne did not invent and his criticisms are detailed in Dr. Albo 1 (pg. 92).  However, even though most versions of the prop do not have Okito’s improvements it doesn’t seemed to have harmed the success or adoption of the box as a classic way to vanish things.

In the video the routine I do is called Unfriendly Silks by Tan Hock Chuan, The Sphinx, Jan. 1937 pg. 317 (Effect 5 below). I read it and thought that was a novel use of this prop and thought you might like to see something different from a basic vanish 🙂

This is a beautiful, high quality version of the classic effect and made at a quality that will make you smile.  Whether it was Worth Magic or Milson-Worth later on, they both created the gold standard for parlor props that has rarely been improved upon since.

Includes:

• The beautiful Worth Flip Over Box.
• 12 x 12″ Green Silks (bonus).
• 12 x 12″ Yellow Silks (bonus).
• Seven pages of instructions from various sources including the original and short Worth ones (bonus).

Effect: The audience’s attention is called to a nicely decorated box on the magician’s table. A rabbit, or any other comparable object, is placed into the top of the box and the box is closed. The magician picks the box up from the table between his two hands and comes forward. He rapidly flips the box over and the front and back fall open. The object placed within has completely vanished.

Effect 2: Three small red silks are placed in the top of the box. The performer then opens the bottom of the box and instead of the three small red silks one large red silk about three times the size of the small ones is found. Box is then shown completely empty.

Effect 3: A red and white silk handkerchief are tied together and placed in the box. The ends of the two silks are allowed to hang out the side holes. A blue silk is now vanished. A spectator is allowed to pull the silks out of the box and the blue silk is found tied between them. The box is opened and shown empty.

Effect 4: A live canary is placed in the top of the box. It is then held over a glass bowl filled with water. The bottom door is opened and a small baby duck drops into the water and swims around. Box is then shown completely empty.

Effect 5: A chain of twelve silks, in which the two colors, red and green, are tied alternately, is put in a box. The two ends are then pulled out of two holes in the sides of the box and left showing. After some hokus-pokus these ends are pulled out in two chains in which the colors are seen to have separated themselves, all green silks from one chain and all red from the other. (The Unfriendly Silks by Tan Hock Chuan, The Sphinx, Jan. 1937 pg. 317)

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