Greetings from all of us at Hank Lee's Magic Factory. It must have been a full moon this week, because this has been a really weird week. Without going into the gory details, all of us have been walking around scratching our heads, a lot. I took a vote, and everyone here agrees that this is a definite TGIF week.
WOW - There has been a lot of internet buzz about a new trick from our good friend Mr. Masuda in Japan. The trick is called WOW. The effect is one where an indifferent card slowly and visibly morphs into a signed selected card while held by a spectator. Fukai was selling them at the IBM Convention this year, and totally sold out. Mr. Masuda has promised us that as soon as a new batch is ready he will get them off to us. We will be the only US dealer to have the item! It sells for $55.00. If you'd like to pre-order one, you can do it now, and we will ship just as soon as they come in the door. If you subscribe to Genii Magazine, you can read Richard Kaufman's mini-review of WOW. He liked it enough to buy one for himself!
Now, let's take a look at the Hotlist at www.magicfact.com.
Black Widow - A top-notch close-up artist was at a party recently, doing his award winning sleight of hand. He had just performed a stunning sequence of coin vanishes. When one of the Black Widow "testers" was invited to perform. He did one of the "beginner" Black Widow effects on a spectator's hand. The spectator, in all seriousness, asked if the sleight of hand artist was a "student" of the "tester.".
The Black Widow was designed to do one thing very, very well. It does this one thing better than any other device or sleight of hand technique currently available.
This one thing will let you experience how it feels to effortlessly create perfect miracles.
So here's the one thing:
The Black Widow enables you to invisibly exchange objects on a spectator’s hand, simply by waving your empty hands over the spectator's hand!
Your hands are absolutely 100% empty immediately before and after the effect. There are no ditching, palming or extra finger movements. Just a simple wave of your empty hands and the magic happens, right on the spectators open hand!
Seems impossible? Watch the demo. A spectator's dollar turns into a hundred, a bit of balled up foil becomes a real chocolate kiss, a coin bends, a torn match is restored. And on and on. You can do all this and so much more. On the spectator's own hand, with both of your hands completely 100% empty before and after each effect.
The Black Widow's creator, Darryl Vanamburg, has spent nearly two years perfecting this device, with Paul Harris relentlessly pushing to make it absolute flawless in every possible way:
. The Black Widow is a sleek, compact, mechanical device that can be comfortably worn through out the day under your jacket, long sleeved shirt or sweatshirt.
. The 30 second set up is very simple, with a just a single organic anchor point.
. Incredibly easy to operate. Just move your empty hand forward and back.
. Instantly resets. It’s always ready to go.
. Can also be used to vanish and produce objects on a spectator’s hand.
. Also includes effects using playing cards, business cards, and a driver’s license.
The Black Widow is elegantly constructed with the very best materials. Beautifully engineered by Roy Kueppers, and designed to last a very, very long time. Comes complete with Black Widow device and instructional DVD. $250.00
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8394&cat=0&page=1)
Twisting Spoon - Kikuchi - From Kikuchi Magic in Japan comes the Twisting Spoon. And, you are going to love it.
A solid metal spoon, examined by a spectator, becomes pliable as clay in your hands!
With no effort on your part, the spoon is easily twisted several times and can be handed out afterwards!
There is no switch of any kind. The same spoon that is examined is the spoon that you twist. No pulls. Do it in short sleeves. Do it in your birthday suit (please don't).
Comes with DVD and Gimmick. $49.95
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8398&cat=0&page=1)
Rocky Mountain Magic DVD – Doc Eason - From 1977 to 2004, Doc Eason was the featured performer at the legendary Tower Comedy/Magic Bar in Snowmass Village, CO.
This remarkable DVD, filmed in 1990, perfectly captures a typical performance during Doc's incredible 27 year run.
You'll see how he uses a powerful mix of interactive humor, amazing sleight of hand, and subtle psychology to bring together a spirited crowd and provide a dazzling example of bar magic at its best.
As an added bonus, a "Doctor's Commentary" section offers amusing and informative back stories plus personal insights into the action. Not a "how to" video, there is still much to learn and enjoy about the real magic being created. Plus, enjoy an interactive slide show of photographs depicting years of laughter and magic at the Tower.
So, grab your favorite beverage, settle back in your easy chair and enjoy an unforgettable evening at the World Famous Tower Magic Bar.
The Tower is closed forever but you can re-live those glory days with this DVD. $25.00
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=5665&cat=0&page=1)
The Count's Inquisition Of Shuffling & Dealing #1 - The Count walks you through more than 60 shuffling techniques, tips, and tricks. Magicians need every weapon at their disposal. And, you will find them in the New World of Card Magic Volume 8, The Count's Inquisition of Shuffling and Dealing Number One. Never before has a single CD provided so much valuable insight on shuffling, rendering easy what was once a painful learning process scattered among hundreds of texts.
• The cards will come alive in your hands as you learn shuffles, such as the Overhand, Blind, Mirror, Hindu, The Gear, Rear Guard, Circulation, Cancellation, Weave Shuffling, Riffle, Saw, Push Through, Slop, Greek, Broad Side, Mirror Weave, Chaos, Blind Chaos, Charlier, One Card Triumph Shuffle, and the Spade Shuffle!
• From the very basics of forming a bridge, packet pickup, breaks, distribution, maintaining top or bottom stock, undercuts, and jog control. Slowly advancing to counting and running cards, one-handed shuffling, Faros, weaves, The Gilbreath Principle, multiple shuffling combinations, and in the hands shuffling technique.
• Never before seen exclusives! The Square Shuffle, The Book Shuffle, The Archaic Tabled Bridge Control, Vise Grip in the hands bridge control, The Invisible Strip-Out, and Gamut Shuffling, featuring The Count’s Slop Shuffle concept! Plus Zarrow Shuffling in the hands! And sources for additional shuffling information. The Count's awesome card magic and devastating cheating techniques are unique to his solemn realm. View the Inquisition of Shuffling and Dealing movie trailer!? Full color pictures ride to your aid when the waters turn rough and the battles are fierce. Video clips of The Count performing a few of the techniques explained in this ebook display their full potential. Handy intro screen makes selecting what you need to see or read very easy. $30.00
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8397&cat=0&page=1)
Rainmaker - Summon the Power of the Rain Gods!
Gather several spectators in a circle of chant, and begin to tell a story of ancient mythology surrounding the Mayan Rain Gods. Engulfing the spectators in a world beyond their imagination, you bring forth a sacred piece of cloth. The cloth is unraveled to reveal an ancient artifact, known as a Rain Stone. The Rain Stone was used to summon the great Mayan Rain Gods. By summoning the Rain Gods, ancient civilizations were able to save their crops from drought, as the Gods made it mysteriously rain upon their fields.
Effect
Hold the ancient stone in your outstretched hands and invite everyone in the circle to touch and keep their fingers on the ancient artifact. Asking everyone to concentrate on the Rain Stone, you lead the spectators in an eerie chant.
Suddenly the unimaginable happens; raindrops begin to fall from high in the sky, down upon the circle of spectators. As your spectators look up, droplets of water land randomly upon their face and body. The chant is broken and the rain stops, changing the lives of everyone in the circle.
Important points:
The performer has full control over the rain at all times.
The performer's hands are in full view at all times during the illusion.
Totally safe, and completely harmless.
No assistants or stooges, this is a one-man effect.
Seconds to step up and ready to go at all times.
Automatic rese, and instantly repeatable.
Control the amount of rain that falls.
Control the time the rain starts and stops.
The Rain Stone is completely examinable before and after the effect.
Rainmaker comes complete with the professional apparatus, Rain Stone and a detailed instructional booklet with designer routines. $160.00
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8396&cat=0&page=1)
Final(ly) Aces - The latest in Ron Bauer’s Private Studies Series, it’s Brother John Hamman’s Final(ly) Aces.
Finally, a Four Ace Trick becomes an absolutely entertaining and intriguing Poker Deal Trick. How? By using it to show how a cunning magician will always overcome a cheating card hustler. And, guess who gets to play both roles? $10.00
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8393&cat=0&page=1)
Spirit - Mozique - A sensational Haunted Deck effect, which utilizes absolutely no body hook-ups, magnets or invisible threads of any kind! Easily added and removed to any regular Bicycle deck making it ideal for table-hopping, and it can even be performed on the spectator's hand!
Easy to learn!
Instantly repeatable.
Hand made Bicycle card gimmick.
Absolutely no force.
Card can be signed.
Deck can be used before and after Spirit for any other card routines!
The Ultimate Haunting! $22.00
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8395&cat=0&page=1)
My Ideas DVD - Fantasio - Learn some outstanding tricks and illusions for your own shows from one of the world's best magicians!!!
This DVD contains:
Presentation
Rider, the Runaway Deck
Traveling Image
Bic Lighter to Card Fan
Appearing Golf Club
Paint Brush to Streamer
Bill in Bic Lighter $15.00
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8400&cat=0&page=1)
Ultimate Rattle Purse - Michael Rubinstein's Ultimate Rattle Purse is a new utility item that is a must for all coin workers. This purse can be used to carry your coins, but at any time in your routine, coins can be vanished, only to arrive back in the purse!
Coins can arrive in the purse; coins can come out of the purse magically; and due to the special magnetic properties of this purse, it can be used to hold out a coin or even be used as a chop cup! The magic is up to you!
This beautifully crafted purse is made from genuine leather and measures 2 1/2" tall (not including clasp) x 2 3/4" wide.(6.25cm x 7cm).
Includes companion DVD with moves and routines.
DVD Contents:
Moves:
Double Turnover Click Pass
Slap Down Click Pass
Click Pass Drop Down
Fake Purse Load
Clip Steal
Pull Out
Pull Out Drop In
Dumps
Routines:
Standup Sucker Copper Silver
Coins Across
Three Times Coins to Purse
Michael Gallo - Coins Across to Purse
Michael Gallo - Rattle Purse Vanish
$49.95
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=8399&cat=0&page=1)
And that's the story for this week. Hot magic. Hot weather. Hot Magic at FISM. Hot, hot, hot.
I hope you will find some time to spend with us online at magicfact.com, or in our fabulous retail store in downtown Boston at 112 South Street. We love to see you, no matter how you visit. But, you already knew that!
Hank Lee
