Greetings from all of us here at Hank Lee’s Magic Factory. It has been a week, for sure. Busy, busy, busy. The new EXTRA is at the printer’s and will be hitting the street in about two weeks. I am amazed at how much great new stuff is contained within the pages of that one little EXTRA. For those of you who just can’t wait, and we know who you are, the new EXTRA is up online at www.magicfact.com. Just click on the EXTRA Button and off you go.
On the factory side of things, we are working on two great items from Howie Schwarzman’s Limited Editions line. Translucent Cups and Die Prediction were two of the most popular items in that line, and we feel it is time to re-release them. The R&D process is ongoing, and I will let you know as soon as each item is available. Stay tuned.
On the home front, the kids are all set for the summer. Aron is on Martha’s Vineyard working at his favorite store, Bunch of Grapes Book Store. For him, it’s like having a job in heaven. Lucas is getting ready to end the school year and then will be off to Eastman College at the University of Rochester for a three week intensive program of voice instruction. He will spend the rest of the summer taking voice, piano and music theory classes. He will also be at home at Camp Dad, and will learn how to paint house trim. He doesn’t know that part yet. Surprise!
I almost forgot to mention that this weekend is Father’s Day. If you are a Dad, I hope you have the nicest day and I also hope you get all the new magic you have been dreaming about! I think I am getting a ladder.
I know I have mentioned this before, but it is important enough to mention again. We are producing a really nice version of the weekly Email Newsletter in html format. If you are still getting it in the Text Only format, just drop me an email and I will set you up for html. It is really worth changing over, trust me on this!
And now, to this week’s excitement. I really didn’t know what to do this week, so I decided to let you guys decide what you wanted!
GIMMEE SUMTHIN’ SALES EVENT: I think this is a really good one. You get to decide what you want! Here’s how it works. For the next seven days, until Thursday the 21st of June at midnight, you can pick your deal. You can choose between Free Shipping (all the usual rules apply), Free DVDs (all the usual rules apply) or 20% off your entire order (you guessed it, all the usual rules apply). You need to figure out which deal is the best for you. You do the math, and then let us know. For all the usual rules, click here.
All you need to do is put your choice, Free Shipping, Free DVD (with the DVD or DVDs you want) or 20% Off in the Customer Notes Box of the Online Checkout at www.magicfact.com. The computer system will show the full amount of your order, but depending on which choice you make, we will make the adjustment before the order is processed.
Of course, if you are calling your order in or FAXing your order in or emailing your order to us at magicfact@aol.com, just let us know that you want the GIMMEE SUMTHIN’ DEAL and which of the three choices you want.
Remember, this all ends on Thursday the 21st, so get going!
Now, let’s look at this week’s Hotlist!
Mona Lisa 2: Now with two performance options! Sagiv Levy's Mona Lisa 2 is an absolutely wonderful stand-up routine. Perfect in any type of show!
A volunteer from the audience examines the pieces of a puzzle and freely selects one of the hundred or so pieces.
All of the pieces clearly show different areas of a puzzle and are shaped differently. Once the spectator has chosen her puzzle piece, you whisk away the black cloth covering a framed puzzle of the famous Mona Lisa.
The puzzle is missing one piece, however. To the audience's amazement, it is the exact piece that the volunteer freely chose!
You receive everything necessary to start performing this show-stopping effect immediately:
* Complete, 100-piece puzzle of the Mona Lisa, pasted and handsomely framed
* The extra puzzle pieces
* Black velvet cover
* The unique special gimmick that makes this routine possible
* High-quality plastic carrying case
* Compact Disc with free classical music for your performance
* Sagiv's full routine
The high-quality, laminated and framed puzzle measures 21 inches wide and 28.5 inches tall, making Mona Lisa 2 just as easy for audiences in the hundreds to see as it is for smaller, more intimate parlor-type performances.
The completely self-working method behind this amazing effect ensures you won't have to worry about anything except your presentation and performance. $450.00 (60.1056)
Huan Hin Dice: A beautiful wood box and two black dice are shown. Both of the dice are placed inside the box which is then closed and given to a spectator to shake. The spectator is now asked to open the box and add the total of the numbers showing.
The dice are shaken two more times, by the spectator, and each time the total showing is added to the previous total.
You never see any of the totals on the dice, yet you are able to reveal the final total!.
Offer to repeat the effect by adding one more die, making it even more impossible. Still you are able to predict the total of the dice after they are shaken several times.
This is one of those effects you can repeat over and over again and it gets even more puzzling with each repetition.
Collector's quality; hand finished in mahogany & sycamore.
Points to remember:
The three dice used are completely normal.
Everything can be examined before and after.
The effect can be repeated with a different outcome each time. Handmade and available in limited quantities. $89.95 (10.1394)
Jumbo Mental Jackpot: Show four large transparent plastic envelopes. One contains a banknote, while the other three have a piece of white paper inside.
On the back of each transparent envelope is a colored dot (red, yellow, blue and green).
You also show four jumbo cards numbered 1 to 4. These too have colored dots on the backs. Three spectators freely choose a Jumbo card and receive the envelope with the corresponding color.
Of course, all three spectators end up with envelopes containing a white piece of paper while you get the banknote.
The effect uses only the four cards and four envelopes. No switch is needed. The spectators can freely choose any of the cards.
No force involved! At the end everything can be examined. The routine is surprising and clear, performance is very simple, and does not require any sleight of hand. $150.00 (40.573)
Half & Half DVD Volume One – Doug Brewer: Practical magic for the working performer!
Ultimate (?) Wild Coin Routine
* History Production: A devilishly clever way to produce 3 coins while ringing in a gaff.
* Ultimate (?) Wildcoin: Doug's handling of the classic effect. 3 coins change one at a time into a Chinese coin. A super clean, visual change turns them back to silver.
* Payout (Performance only): A favorite from The Unexpected Visitor Vol.1 fits perfectly here.
* Chinese Change: The finale for the entire routine brining it all full circle.
A Bill Routine
* Transporter Malfunction: Doug's surprising variation of the classic $1 and $5 transposition, based on a routine from Joshua Jay.
* Skullcracker Correction: Bob Sheet's visual, in-the-hands change, corrects a horrible situation.
* bill2box: A killer ending to the entire routine. They never see it coming.
The Triple Crowns (Based on Larry Jennings' Triple Discovery Routine)
* Ace Revelation: Two jokers morph to reveal the Aces.
* Royal Crown: A demonstration in cheating leads to a progressive revelation, ending with a Royal Flush.
* Australian Crown: A reworking of LJ's Triple Discovery routine to reveal 3 selections in a surprising and magical way.
Shell Game Finale
* Borrowed Ring: So you want to end the Shell Game magically? Here's how Doug does it with a borrowed ring.
* The Pearl (explanation only): A beautiful surprise ending, particularly useful for your female spectators.
$34.95 (DVD00721)
Ghost Spoon: An incredible spoon bending effect. A complete sellout at the most recent FISM Convention. Bill Toob bought the first one, what more need be said!
Words do not do this effect justice. You must watch the video. You will not believe what you are seeing, yet it is exactly what the audience sees! You will be fooled when you see Ghost Spoon in action, so imagine what your audience’s reaction!
The effect is simple and direct, as all the great ones are. Hold a solid metal spoon at your fingertips. As you concentrate, it slowly and visibly bends, until it is bend almost in half. Drop the spoon on the table, and the spectators can examine it immediately and I promise you, they will find nothing!
This is a real spoon, not a gimmicked spoon of any kind! The method is brilliant. The effects can be performed anytime, anywhere as no reset is required. No extra pieces. No chemicals.
Comes complete with instructional DVD. $54.95 (10.1393)
Lester Lake Guillotine: A classic magic effect! The legendary head chopper!
The Lester Lake Head Chopper is a full size stage illusion standing some three and a half feet high.
A solid examined blade passes right through a spectator's neck, chopping through vegetables placed on the sides of the neck,
but leaving the neck unharmed. With special additional features that allows the audience to see the blade pass through holes on the side of the neck, as it emerges at the bottom of the neck stock.
Deluxe construction with a locking feature for the blade.
Measures 3.5 feet high by 2.5 feet wide.
Packs flat in an instant, and comes with handy carry case, allowing you to carry this in the trunk of your car.
$475.00 (60.1441)
Red Light Dancing Cane: Created by our friend Juan Mayoral, the Red Light Dancing Cane created a sensation the first time it was shown!
The lights are bright and dazzling and when you "dance" with the cane animated lights move all around the stage. With the house lights low and you wearing only white gloves, it makes an awesome "black light" effect.
You might also combine this dancing cane with you D’lite, or with your Vanishing Cane for a visual transformation.
This cane works like any other Dancing Cane; you can make it fly using all the usual moves. The cane seems to dance as you wish, dancing from left to right and making nice arabesques around you.
Length 39" (99cm) $239.00 (60.1442)
Half & Half DVD Volume 2 - Doug Brewer: Stand-up and Be Counted Routine
* Coin Catch: How do magicians play catch? Based on Fred Kaps Coins & Silk routine. Simplified and amazing.
* Shell Fly: Not again! A super clean and logical extension of the previous routine.
* Savior Faire Vanish: A stunning way to instantly vanish 3 coins in a silk.
* Cointinuum: a shorter variation of one of Doug's own routines. 3 coins vanish one at a time at the fingertips. Look out for the surprise ending.
Card in Motion Routine
* Quick Card Through Table: Make a card visually penetrate up through the table, and a chosen card penetrate down into your hand. All at the same time!
* Three-zers: A silly pun leads into a killer revelation of a signed card. Based on ideas from Br. John Hamman and Alex Eimsley.
Imaginary Air Mail
* Direct from Doug's lecture, a handling of "thought card across" that Gordon Bean loved.
Syd's Quartet
* Syd Segal's ultra-clean version of LJ's Monarch's Quartet. You'll fool yourself.
$34.95 (DVD00722)
And that’s the great new stuff for this week along with a great new “excitement” for you. Oh, and the Red Sox are still in first place. What more could you ask for?
I hope you will find some time on this Father’s Day Weekend to spend with us either in person at our delightful retail showroom at 112 South Street in Boston or online at our delightful website at www.magicfact.com. Either way, we love your company.
Hank Lee
