5 Stars

This is the nicest quality of the full deck switching devices I have seen.  On Alakazam’s website it mentions this is based upon an Alexander De Cova idea without any other details (as is so often the case).    The box is almost identical to Peter Scarlett’s Pimpernel Card Box but I don’t have any reference for De Cova’s version.  The one big and useful difference is that Heirloom Workbench’s version handles Poker sized cards – whereas Scarlett’s only handled Bridge size.

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A Super Card Penetration that was originally called Phantom Penetration and was invented by the English magician and inventor Brian “Tish” Godfrey c. 1933 and sold by Davenport’s.  Brian Godfrey also created an improved version c. 1936 called Penetrating Giant Card Mystery. This was also released by Davenport’s, who purchased the sole selling rights.

It was subsequently renamed to Improbability and released c. 1937 by the National Magic Company in Chicago, Sherms Inc. (Robert Sherman), and Stanyon’s.  None of these versions gave credit to Godfrey.  Even Dr. Albo states it was invented by National Magic Company in Vol. 3 of his Classic book series.  A notable version was also released in 1970 by Buma’s House of Magic in San Francisco.

This is the Sherms version I believe although I am not 100% certain as it came with the N.M.C. instructions, but it is very different from N.M.C. version here (which I have confirmed is a genuine N.M.C as I have matched it in the color pages in Dr. Albo Vol. 3).

This really is a beautiful illusion and thanks to John Davenport the real inventor, Brian Godfrey, is finally been given his recognition and I’m happy to promote that information on my site too 🙂

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This beautiful effect was invented by Charles Waller from Australia in his book Up His Sleeve c. 1920 published by F.G. Thayer.  Shortly after the book was printed Thayer created his first elegant version of The Candle That Was c. 1921.    It was subsequently manufactured both by Owen Brothers and Owen Magic Supreme.  Sherms also created their own unlicensed version c. 1930.  The Candle That Was is discussed in book five of Dr. Albo’s unmatched series of Classic Magic.

This is the Owen Magic Supreme version c. 1990  using their beautiful red, black and gold color scheme which I prefer to the earlier Thayer version in gold and green (a photo appears at the end with the Thayer colors). 

When it comes to taking photos (and certainly doing Speed Demos) nothing is more scary than taking such a beautiful (and expensive) prop and setting fire to it!  This prop is spectacular and Owen’s did an amazing job with it, and if performed correctly you have a really impressive vanish, especially if you light the candle 🙂

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This effect has been around from at least 1886 when it appeared in The Amateur Magician by J. Dazley Theobald c. 1886 (pg. 23 The Magic Hammer of Mysterious Disappearance).  My suspicion is that it was certainly before that.  Thayer made some beautiful versions and you can see some brief demonstrations by Dr. Albo in The Ultimate Thayer.  In addition to Thayer many dealers have crafted their own versions including: A. Roterberg c. 1904,  Inez 1904, Heaney Magic Co. c. 1924,  and N.M.C. c. 1936.

However for all of these and other versions, it is hard to beat this gorgeous version created by Richard Spencer.  This beauty is made from Blue Marble and African Blackwood with #002 on the base.  It is very solidly made and works perfectly.

The routine I would use is described below.  I think you will absolutely love this 🙂

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Mike Rose creates some great small run, custom items and I just picked-up his latest releases.  This one is Arch Arcs which is a wonderful, non-mechanical, close-up version of the Stretch-It Boom-E-Rang released by P&L c. 1934 and later produced by Viking here.

These little arcs are beautifully crafted by expert magic apparatus builder Louis Paul and feel great in your hands. They are made in maple and walnut.  Mike has produced eight pages of very detailed and high quality, photo illustrated instructions to go with his great routine.  These days with online downloads you almost never see such detailed and well produced instructions – they could easily be part of a book Mike is working on (I don’t know but the quality is that good!).

There is a switch required but because you start with the optical illusion the switch is very easy and clean and happens quite naturally either under the cover of the black velvet carry bag or with an alternate handling in your hands.

The routine is surprisingly easy and effective and reset takes an instant and you have nothing to go wrong or recharge.  Which is a welcome change to some of the magic I try these days 🙂

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Mike Rose creates some great small run, custom items and I just picked-up his latest releases.  This one is his Mysterious Paddle Set which includes five different paddles made from solid cherry wood.

The five paddle routines are detailed very clearly on high quality, photo-illustrated instruction sheets that could easily be part of book which is a nice change from the abundance of online instructions these days.

These paddles are not mechanical like some of the amazing Joe Porper ones but the routines are quite fun and different and Mike gets a lot out of some simple ideas.  Also the paddle motion is very smooth and they are perfectly sized and roll very easily in your fingers.   Mike spent time devising some of the cleanest and most entertaining routines you can do with well crafted wooden paddles.

I think you might find a little more here than you expect.  I could certainly see these also being used with other items to enhance some otherwise basic effects and if you did that you could really create some miracles 🙂

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What a great and clean prediction effect from Kaymar Magic.  The custom printed mini-postcards look great and the effect is easy to do and a fooler.  Great value for money too.

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This is one of my favorite Magic Wagon effects based on T.A. Waters’ amazing Box Office. You can read more about the original version released in 2012 when I first purchased it here. 

When I obtained The Man Who Knows by Kaymar Magic I realized that almost all of the posters featured were also featured in The Porcupine and so I devised this routine using the Mind Paintings II props and the Kaymar Magic effect which I’m quite happy with 🙂

Includes:

• The full original Mind Paintings II as released with original art and instructions.
• The Man Who Knows by Kaymar Magic
• Custom printed artwork and predictions based on the Kaymar postcards.
• Full Original Instructions for both effects.

The effect is easy to do and basically self-working as long as you follow the sequence of actions and adds a little more depth to the standard Box Office effect which is normally over a little too quickly.

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Wow what a beautiful and impressive book.  This is the one that they all want, and you’ll almost never find one in this amazing condition.  Filled with 240 illusions and 374 pages.  I’ve filled out the full contents below (which I have not seen anywhere else) so you can appreciate all the amazing illusions in this impressive tomb. 

Not only did I appreciate the depth of detail described for each illusion but  I also enjoyed seeing so many photos of the illusions being performed live on the stage by famous illusionists through the years.

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What an adorable prop this is 🙂

I am pretty sure this is a one off created by a very talented British craftsman but I have no other information on the creator.  However, I can share what I have pieced together. The creative British inventor and Children’s magician, Len Belcher, wrote an article in Abracadabra (October 10th, 1949) titled “See That Wet!” which featured a weather house with a man and a woman, and the man figure disappearing and reappearing in place of the woman.  Then c. 1954 Supreme Magic started selling their Little Weatherhouse with a similar premise.  Then in 1983 Len Belcher was back in Abra (January 22nd, 1983) with a new article “Weatherman“, where he recalled his original article, the subsequent  copying by a dealer of his idea, and came back with some more thoughts and a better routine.  This is where the idea of the man going back and forth to the lady’s side is introduced.  Len also beefed up some patter details, and included a sketch of a weather house.

From these beginnings I believe this prop was created.  Although it didn’t come with a routine from reading the Len Belcher articles and the Supreme ad copy I came up with the effect below which seems to be in the spirit of what Len Belcher was going for and whoever the very talented craftsman was who created this.

Just look at the attention to detail – it is all solidly made from wood with metal figures, and the figures are even painted on both sides.   Each brick is painted individually, and even the doors have extra grain painted on to add to the realism of the little house.

Here is the routine I came up with after studying the prop and reading the Belcher articles and Supreme advert.

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