The Miser’s Cocktail Shaker by Joe Porper, R. Paul Wilson

This clever and beautiful prop was created by Joe Porper and R. Paul Wilson in 2004, and as with most of Joe’s items it is made perfectly with some ingenious ideas.

I’ve always liked the idea of the Miser’s dream but most coin ladder’s and similar devices that try to make the work simple do a great job of display and sound but don’t do too much to remove the skill and sleight of hand element. Also they are large and require a stage to perform on.  Some people really like Bob Solari’s Miser Miracle but the downside is you don’t actually get to see lots of coins 🙁

Joe Porper and R. Paul Wilson have done a really good job here to provide the props to perform an entertaining routine with almost no sleight of hand in a relatively close-up situation.  You have to be able to pull off a vanish and appearance of a coin which does take some practice, but if you put in 30 minutes a day for a week you’d be golden.

The cocktail shaker itself is a work of art and really is well constructed with a clever way to deliver nine coins with or without any sleights.  The dropper is another innovative design that works very smoothly.  The coin wand is perfect for the task, and even the rattle gimmick is very clever.  I did not use it in the video because it was one more thing for me to practice and I was pushing my limits in the time I had already

My video performance had me practicing for about 2 hours total – so I could certainly do more, but it is starting to get fairly smooth – another week I think it would look even better 🙂

Effect: The Miser’s Cocktail Shaker is a mechanical device that allows you to drop coins into the shaker in concert with a simple sleight. This creates the illusion of producing coins from thin air and dropping them into the shaker. In actual fact only one coin is produced repeatedly. As the magician pretends to drop it into the shaker, another coin falls instead, creating the required sound. Finally you will be able to end your performance with a shower of coins from your hands, thanks to Joe’s special ingenious gimmick!

This simple effect has captured the imagination of audiences for years as a stage effect. The Miser’s Cocktail Shaker can now be performed close-up for adults or children. A miniature Porper Coin Wand is also included, allowing you to produce coins at the wand’s tips, behind peoples’ ears, under your leg, etc.

This incredible project has been in development for many months. Dozens of prototypes have come and gone while Joe continually refined the device to perfection. Many hours in the workshop and a lot of money have been invested to create this unique effect. The set comes complete with the specially constructed and machined cocktail shaker, miniature Porper Coin Wand, special gimmick, and detailed instructions!

For the collector, the Miser’s Cocktail Shaker represents a valuable addition to your collection while the performer has a powerful and appealing new effect for his or her audience.

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