5 Stars

The name for this item was originally coined by Petrie-Lewis c. 1920, and when Milson-Worth developed their version, they retained the same name. While I haven’t personally seen the P&L version, Milson-Worth has crafted an exceptional product, and I believe it’s of comparable quality.

However, one common issue with exquisitely made props like this is that manufacturers often prioritize one part of the effect (the vanish of the candle and appearance of the silk) over the other part (the initial vanish of the silk) and don’t provide an equally impressive method to go with it. In this case, the success of the entire trick relies heavily on the effectiveness of the vanish of the silk. Fortunately, Viking offers a solution with their Wonder Silk Vanishing Tube, making it the perfect complement to the Ultra Candle Tube.

The weakest part of this routine is the appearing candle “with lighted wick”.  The method is a little tricky and it would have been better if Milson-Worth had spent a little more time thinking through the method to light the candle.  Otherwise, this is a true beauty 🙂

One of the things I enjoy about doing my Speed Demos is bringing together all the items necessary to demonstrate a prop effectively. So naturally, when I present a demo for this routine, I’ll include the Wonder Silk Vanishing Tube to enhance the overall effect and presentation.

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I’m a big fan of Magic Wagon’s old jewelry box finish props, and this 2007 beautiful Siam Card Box is no exception. While I enjoyed the effect, I found it somewhat brief, considering the size of the prop just for a single card prediction.

To make it more captivating, I combined it with a modern hip-sized remake of the Himber Thought Control wallet, creating a more intriguing routine suitable even for a unique venue like the Porcupine 🙂

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The first time the Wandering Mummy was available from a Magic dealer was in the mid 1950’s from the German Magic Dealer Joe Wildon.  These were manufactured by Oskar Rey and were almost the same as the set produced by Inzani-Henley in England but about five years earlier.  Remo Inzani and John Henley obtained the rights from Wildon/Rey in the late 50’s to craft and sell The Wandering Mummy. The first mention of Inzani-Henley’s mummy was in The Magic Circular September 1959, then in Abra November 1959 and in their own catalog in 1964.

This is a deluxe version with a number of differences from the standard Mummy released by Inzani-Henley (if you look at the final four photos after the adverts you will be able to see these differences as I have compared them with the original mummy).

• The two sarcophagi are adorned with better quality fixtures.  In particular on the sarcophagus where the mummy vanishes a full-size mummy is used instead of the more common small shrouded figure.
• The mummy’s themselves are much more detailed and less toy like.
• A neat presentation case houses both of the sarcophagi with padded foam and felt to stop them moving around when closed. These mummies are securely protected.  This case is not part of the original set, but looks and works perfectly.
• Even the instructions have been re-typeset and printed on vintage antique stationary, instead of the usual poorly printed photo copy that I have seen three times now.  This is a good thing because the instructions provided by Inzani-Henley are one of the best sets of instructions you will find.  They are so good in fact that Dr. Albo directly copies them in Dr. Albo Vol. 7 when he describes The Mummy (pg. 42).

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Bob Kline crafted only eight of these exquisite frames. Initially, when I received it, I had a suspicion that it might be the work of Eddy Taytelbaum, given its exceptional craftsmanship. However, upon examining Dr. Albo’s Volume 10 photos, it became clear that they were distinct. To confirm, I reached out to Gene Gonzalez, a renowned Taytelbaum expert, who promptly confirmed that it was not created by Eddy.

To delve deeper, I consulted Bill King’s comprehensive book on Bob Kline and discovered a clear photo and description of the frame. What made it a bit challenging to identify was that Bob referred to it not as a Slat Frame but as a Slot Frame.

What’s particularly appealing about this frame, akin to the Taytelbaum versions, is that the frame itself opens up, allowing for a cleaner display. I’ve leveraged this feature to great advantage in my routine. Most of the frames I’ve encountered, such as the Joe Berg and Owen’s ones, are fixed without an opening, unlike this one.

When selecting a routine for this frame, I aimed for simplicity and cleanliness. Working with Jumbo cards requires caution since even basic moves can be challenging or raise suspicion due to their size. After devising my routine, I tested it on my wife, who is a discerning critic, and she not only liked it but also didn’t question any of my actions.

The routine is remarkably straightforward, requires no setup, and is always ready to go. I’m delighted with the positive response from my wife. So when you watch the Speed Demo, rest assured that it has received the coveted “wife approval.”

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This is an understated paddle trick by Willi, offered as a Special Edition with a custom case. What I appreciate most about Willi’s magic is his ability to take a simple concept and enhance it with subtleties, creating an even more astonishing effect.

In “Card Detector,” when you display both sides of the paddle, it genuinely appears as if you’re showing two distinct sides – one with the Ace of Diamonds and the other with the Ace of Spades. It’s all clever misdirection, but this setup improves the final disappearance of the two cards.

This effect can be fully examined, is easy to perform, boasts an instant reset, and thanks to the secure case, the paddle is always ready for your next performance.

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I think Buma’s Orb is incredible – it is no surprise that it was a complete sellout at Blackpool 2020 when it was first released.

However, for the life of me I’ll never understand why the video on Stevens Magic used to sell this item is actually a full exposure video.. Instead of just performing the effects possible they expose the whole method.. That is crazy. In fact I do know why they expose the method because the method itself is magical – however, it is lazy advertising and should not have been shown that way.

If you had not seen the exposure video I don’t think you would have a clue how this works – particularly the vanish of the orb from the full glass of water. It looks completely impossible, though I will admit the water can make a splash which is tricky to ignore in the Speed Demo.

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This wonderful and creative item was invented by Ian Adair c. 1959 and released by Supreme Magic c. 1962.  It is an easy to perform effect with color, magic, and a little bit of sucker action too – what more could you wish for?

Interestingly enough when I was doing kids magic as a teenager I was a regular purchaser from Supreme Magic, but I don’t recall ever seeing this beauty.  I’m sure if I had  I would have added it to my show.  Finding colorful and easy to do effects for the younger children can be quite a challenge and this will keep the young kids happy but also amaze and amuse the adults too.

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Ali Bongo’s children’s routine is a true gem. Ali developed this routine by 1969 when he sold the rights to Ken Brooke. Four years later, Ken unveiled this magical masterpiece in all its glory, and it’s truly remarkable.

The props have a solid and tactile quality to them, and while the routine is simple, it’s precisely what a skilled children’s entertainer can leverage for maximum impact. It almost tempts me to consider returning to children’s shows (almost!).

What’s great about this routine is that it’s always ready to go, requiring no setup, and you can involve as many audience members as you like. One particularly clever suggestion in the instructions is to let the birthday child use the Thingammyjig to discover Clarence on their own, without any magician intervention. It’s a brilliant use of the prop and should be a standard practice for the special child’s involvement.

This is easily one of the finest children’s props I’ve come across. I just wish I had known about it 47 years ago 🙂

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The Coin Pedestal (Münzen-Pokal) originated in Germany, created by Eckhard Boettcher. It’s a clever twist on Eddie Gibson’s Ali-Baba Box.

What’s truly puzzling is that despite showing the cup clearly empty inside all the way to the bottom. When coins are produced, they magically fill the cup without any sneaky maneuvers or hidden loads. Everything happens right within the pedestal.

Performing this effect is straightforward, and although I initially had concerns about angles, it’s possible to develop a handling that’s angle-proof and practically automatic. All the necessary actions are concealed as you hold the pedestal in your hand.

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