Greetings from all of us here at Hank Lee's Magic Factory. Well, all my talk about what a warm winter we were having and how we've had so little snow put the curse on it. Last Saturday night we were hit by a giant snowstorm. Around 20 inches of snow all up and down the East coast. I blame myself. The good news is that the weather is once again warm and sunny and the snow is all melting nicely. I will not mention snow again until April, which should be safe.
This weekend is President's Day weekend. We always have an exiting day in our Boston store. This year it will be even more exciting than usual because I will be there, live and in person! Behind the counter. Doing the meet and greet. All day, or until I get bored. This is your big chance, you know. Drop into the shop on Saturday and tell me what a good job we are doing, or (heaven forbid) not.
Now, let's take a look at all the great magic in this week's Hotlist.
Deluxe Silicone Thumbtip: Made in France by Fredi Up, this is the first hyper-realistic thumb tip. Cast in silicone that looks like real skin. Includes visible fingerprints, fingernails with a light sheen, specially designed “non stick or suction” interior, hand painted details, no trace of casting, non reflective, soft, silent. It is everything you want in a thumbtip, and more.
Available in four skin tones and four sizes.
For full details,check the Hotlist. $37.50
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8174&cat=&page=1)
Stealth Assassin Wallet: The Stealth Assassin Wallet is:
* A Peek Wallet, 2 ways (includes the SUC peek with permission from Mark Strivings)
* A Billet Index
* An Out To Lunch wallet
* Written information in and out of the wallet.
The effects possible with the Assassin are endless!
When Peter Nardi created Mind Spy and Stealth he had a very special wallet made for himself. The Stealth Assassin.
Peter has used this wallet for the past 3 years and to this day only one other person has had the pleasure of owning and working with it.
Unveiled for the very first time, Peter Nardi lifts the shroud of mystery and presents to you his greatest creation.
An incredible utility device for the mentalist. Carry the Assassin with you and you will have a mentalism act in your pocket!
Those in the know have been waiting for the release of the Assassin since it's creation and for the lucky few that wait is almost over.
The Stealth Assassin comes complete with an instructional DVD featuring Peter Nardi and Marc Spelmann which includes full routines, handling, timing tips and bonus effects and ideas!
Manufactured in high quality leather with an attention to detail that is unsurpassed.
Stealth Assassin takes all the greatest elements of its predecessors and combines them to create something new and powerful! $179.95
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8175&cat=&page=1)
Rising Signed Card To Wallet: Karl Bravosky's Signed Card To Flaming Wallet is one of the most exciting items we have seen in a long time! I am sure that the gigantic flames coming out of the wallet have a lot to do with the excitement.
In answer to numerous requests for a high-quality Hot Wallet, our good friend Karl Bravosky has created the best one we've seen. Here are some key points;
• The wallet is a hip-pocket style, so it is easy for everyone to carry
• The leather is top grade, hand polished, designed to remain very flat.
• The are no metal parts, no asbestos. And, no refill is required for three hours!
• The wallet can be shown "normal" after the flames are extinguished. And, you can use it to carry money, credit cards, etc.
Plus, it is not just a great sight gag, it's a complete routine!
Have a card selected and signed. The card is then shuffled into the deck, lost forever. Explain that you will make the card appear inside your wallet. Bring out your wallet, open it up, and YIKES! Gigantic flames! Quickly close the wallet to douse the flames. Suddenly, a card begins to rise from inside the wallet! As the card continues to rise, the audience will be amazed to see that it is the signed selected card!
In addition to the high quality wallet, you get several excellent routines and full instructions. Very limited production.
Note: Since this effect uses real fire, we cannot sell it to anyone under the age of 18. $149.95
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8167&cat=&page=1)
Chess Gambit - Devin Knight & Al Mann - Invite two chess players on stage. These are not plants, but random people who understand something about chess. Tell the audience that, before the show, you gave a chess book to an audience member. You asked them take the book to the lobby, circle a chess piece on any page, and then note the page they circled. They were then instructed to seal the book in an envelope and keep it in their possession. They were further instructed to tell no one, even you, which piece they circled.
Call for the sealed package and place it on a table in full view of the audience. The table also contains a fully set-up chess set.
Ask the first spectator to stand in front of the chess set, blocking it from view. Give him an unprepared paper bag and ask him to secretly drop any chess piece in the bag. He is cautioned not to let the audience, or the other spectator on stage, see the piece he chose. He remains standing in front of the chessboard, blocking its view from the audience.
Now, open the package and have the second spectator remove the book. You do not touch the book once it is removed from the package. There is a note in the package (or stuck to the book) that tells the page number of the circled piece. Spectator Two opens to that page number and shows the audience the circled piece, say, Black Rook. The spectator is then asked to riffle through the book and make sure there are no other marks in the book. No other marks are seen anywhere in the book.
"The chess piece circled in the book, before the show, is the Black Rook. Wouldn't it be incredible if the piece the person secretly put in the bag is also a Black Rook?"
Spectator One removes the chess piece from his bag; it is shown to be a Black Rook! A totally amazing coincidence that appears impossible. Comes complete with everything you need, including full routine and instructions. $150.00
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8168&cat=&page=1)
Que Raro DVD - Dani DaOrtiz is a "devil" with the deck of cards. And many famous magicians only have one thing to say about him: If you have the chance, see this man perform!
Christian Engblom has lectured on his original magic in several countries, including USA, Sweden, Spain and Finland. Have you heard about the move called "Anti-Faro"? Now you can see it and learn it from the originator
Christian and Dani met for the first time in Spain, 2004. The fell in love with each other’s magic! Half a year later Dani came to Finland to give a lecture, and to film this DVD with Christian. The collection of tricks and techniques on this DVD were the ones Christian and Dani showed each other when they first met. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Tricks
* 5, 4, 3 And More
* Magic Nine
* Another Torn And Restored
* Twin Souls
* The End
* Anti-Faro
* The Lost Corner
* Cascade Control
Extras
Bloopers, biography, etc. $49.95
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8169&cat=&page=1)
Coin Man Walking DVD - Dan Watkins’ Coin Man Walking features nine coin routines and three utility sleights/items from his professional repertoire. The material is designed for the strolling / walk-around performer. There are no tables required to perform any routines taught on this DVD. The routines on this DVD are designed to be interactive with your spectators, often having the magic occur directly in their hands.
A professional businessman by trade, Dan uses the material found on this DVD to entertain his customers at various business functions. Each routine is a blockbuster that will amaze both magicians and your audiences.
Dan's routines are polished professional level presentations. The explanations are detail oriented with nothing is left out.
Contents:
The Middle Finger Backclip – An extremely useful and deceptive utility sleight that enables you to show your palm up hand empty, while concealing a coin.
The Holster Holdout – An innovative one coin holdout that can be worn in plain view.
outsDANding – Adding to ideas of Troy Hooser and John Ramsay, Dan teaches a very clear, direct, and entertaining three coin fingertip production-vanish-reproduction sequence utilizing three solid silver dollars.
Fingertip Coins to Pocket – Dan’s version of "The Gadabout Coins" (two in the hand, one in the pocket plot) from J.B. Bobo's Modern Coin Magic performed at the fingertips.
CSB Assault – Dan's stand up Copper/Silver/Brass routine. The routine features a rapid fire, triple transposition that occurs in and out of a spectator's hands, without the magician’s hands ever coming together.
Coinvention Crossing – Dan performs a very clean stand up coins across routine where three coins travel, one at a time, from the left hand to the right hand.
Double Take Transposition - A spectator is given a silver coin to hold and the magician holds onto a copper coin. With just a wave of the hand, the coins change places!.
Flash Hop – A quick variation of Mark Jenest's "Short Hop," (Hopping Half routine without the Hopping Half gimmicks) ending with a surprise dollar bill production.
Flash Bill Fold – Dan teaches his new money folding technique to create a self contained 1" x 1" packet that can be secretly manipulated and then instantly produced at the fingertips.
Lightning Copper/Silver – Dan places a silver coin in his left hand and a copper coin in his right, somehow they change places!
Breaking a Dollar – Dan appears to bend a silver dollar at his fingertips. Instantly, the silver dollar breaks into two half dollars.
4 Coins, Your Hands – This is one of Dan's most reputable effects. It is a Coins Across routine that is revolutionary in both method and effect. All of the magic apparently happens in a spectator's outstretched hands.
Cylinder & Coins (Performance Only) – Dan performs his favorite formal close up routine: An exceptionally streamlined version of John Ramsay's famous "Cylinder & Coins."
$39.95
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8170&cat=&page=1)
Extreme Beginnerz DVD - De'vo - This is an all new DVD from Handlordz productions, featuring De'vo vom Schattenreich, Jerry Cestkowski, special appearances by Daryl, Jeff McBride, Greg Irwin, and a brand new artist by the name of Q.
This DVD is geared toward the beginner all the way to experienced card handlers in the art of Xtreme Card Manipulation, and will cover all the basics as well as some intermediate work!
There are also many ideas and moves that have never been published before!
Never before has a DVD featured so much Xtreme Card Manipulation. This will be the definitive beginner resource for this art form for years to come.
De'vo decided to include a concept from the Ulmen group in Germany called "perching"! The entire section looks amazing! So many ideas for your creativity!
Also a one hour fanning workshop starring Jerry Cestkowski! This section alone is worth twice the price of the DVD! Real world info that you will not get anywhere else!
This 2-DVD set is 3 hours and 50 minutes long. $39.95
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8171&cat=&page=1)
Incredible Self Working Card Tricks DVD Vol. 3 - Michael has painstakingly researched and compiled what he considers to be the most amazing "self working card tricks," ever created - amazing tricks requiring no skill! These are killer card tricks to have in your arsenal for those special occasions when someone hands you a deck and says, "Show us a trick!" Even if you have never handled a deck of cards before, you can easily master these diabolical effects. Special care has been taken to include effects that are not generally known, even to knowledgeable card men.
. The Telltale Pulse
. Play it Straight (Triumph)
. Emotional Reaction
. Miraskill
. Do As I Do
. Three Proofs
. Linking Cards
. Card Sealing
. Simple Arithmetic
. We 3 Find 3
. Unbelievable
$34.95
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=8172&cat=&page=1)
And, that's all of this week's cool stuff. Something for everyone!
I hope you will find some time to spend with us at www.magicfact.com or, if you are in the Boston area, at our terrific retail showroom at 112 South Street. And, remember, I will be there live and lively on Saturday!
Hank Lee
