5 Stars

This beautiful and practical utility device was first manufactured by Thayer c. 1936 as the “Wu-Ling” Pagoda Mystery and was originated by Englishman Wu-Ling (aka Mr. Richard C. Ritson, MMC, The Magical Mandarin).  In the Thayer literature it is also often referred to as the Pagoda Cabby. Owen’s carried on with their version and dropped the “Wu-Ling” from the title.

This one from Owen’s is very much Carl Owen’s style and looks beautiful.  For the most part the operation is very smooth and slides easily.  It is possible to put the sliding door back into the wrong track for the slider and this can cause the door to stick, but keep your wits about you and you’ll have a beautiful utility item whenever you need to vanish or appear or even exchange a large number of items 🙂

The routine in the video allowed me to vanish items twice instead of the normal single vanish or appearance you are used to.  By choosing a matching silk I could go back in and vanish two silks after I vanished the silk and the bottle to begin with. I thought this really maximized the use of the apparatus.  If you want to see an appearance instead of a vanish you can look at the video for this effect.

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This beautiful utility device is based on the Thayer Pagoda Mystery that was also created by Owens Magic Supreme as can be seen here.

Homer’s version is a fraction larger than the Owen’s one but otherwise is very similar (look at the last three photos for comparison). However, one significant difference is that the door is made of tin instead of wood so it is slightly thinner and can move more smoothly.  The Owen’s one works beautifully but if wooden props have one flaw it is that they are known to warp and expand just enough to make a sliding movement more difficult.

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The Escaping Vampire (or Vampire Block or Vampire Die or Visible Vampire as this type of block penetration is often known as today) was created by Ben Wallace c. 1945.

This beauty was built in 2020 specially for Hocus Pocus in a limited edition of just 12 units by a good friend and craftsmen.  It is a real beauty and works perfectly.  The tower is sturdy and interesting, the block is heavy and solid with a strong brass chain, and the spike is also hefty and memorable.

The tube is a little taller than many  versions (e.g. Homer Hudson’s) which I prefer because it aids in hiding the method. Also, when looking for versions of this effect you should always seek one with a chain or cord to pull the block out, as they are normally the most visual and are easiest to perform.

This is very convincing version of the vampire block illusion and I hope to track down more items from this craftsman.

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Disecto was invented by Lester Lake (Marvelo) c. 1938 and it was first marketed by Abbott’s c. 1942.  It is one of my favorite mini-illusions and certainly one of the most convincing magic choppers.

This is Tannen’s version and is easily as well made and smooth as the early Abbott’s versions.  I personally prefer the red and white color scheme too and if I was performing Diescto this is the version I would use.

This was first advertised by Tannen’s as “Abbott’s Disecto Illusion” but over time the Abbott’s was dropped 🙁

When it comes to chopping things off Magician’s have no end of methods and contraptions to do this. The problem often is that the method looks obvious. For the small stage and parlor show I don’t think there is a more convincing and reasonably priced version than the classic Disecto. It just looks impossible.

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If you ever wanted to freak out your audience these Ragged School Slates would be a fine way to achieve it 🙂

Although they have lots of programmable features, for me the routine that is included called The Foundling is just the ticket. I created a story about a tragedy that happened to the orphanage and kept the lights down low and the rest is solid freak out.

These slates work very well, but you do have to get used to the hands off triggering of the mechanism.  Lebanon Circle Magic have just released a remote control and I could see that being preferable for some performers.

Bizarre magic is not really what I perform, but the Porcupine is a perfect place for this type of story and these slates look very much at home here.  Hope you enjoy the video.

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This beautiful effect was inspired by Eddy Taytelbaum’s Cork Penetration.

Colin also produced a different version with a wooden peg, however, I like how he uses the nut in this version it adds credibility to the bolt and provides cover should you want to switch out the nut. You don’t need to do this, but it is quite a nice touch.  I also like how he breaks down the props piece by piece handing each for examination, it seems to flow better than the standard cork penetration.

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The Triple Mystery Cube was first created by Carl Brema c. 1932 with a brass cube. His son, William Brema, continued to make a high-quality version in plastic during and after the Second World War for Kanter’s and others called Cubio.

This is a great fooler that can be set and cleared in front of the spectator, and it wasn’t until 1964 when Tenyo started selling their version which is probably what most people will remember.

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This is a beautiful looking brass container with a smooth moving dial.  The method is based on the earlier Yot but The Vault makes a lot more sense.  It is less like a puzzle, more versatile, more perplexing, and looks and feels so much better. The original idea is apparently in The Sphinx, but I was unable to track it down.

The secret is simple when you know with nothing added or taken away. The instructions provide four different ways to open the vault and you’ll find one or more that will fit your performance style.

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