Friday, August 29, 2008

Labor Day Excitement!

Greetings from all of us at Hank Lee’s Magic Factory. I am back from what felt like the longest trip of my life. From the moment the flight landed in Charlotte, NC, it was downhill. Every fight on USAir was delayed. Some by a little. Some by a lot. Sitting in the airport waiting for flights drains my energy. I finally made it to Gainesville, only a few hours late. The next two days were spent moving Aron from his old apartment into his new apartment. All while Mother Nature kept dumping water on us. The two of us were just plain wet. By Friday night the job was done and we were both pooped. Aron’s apartment looks great. I hope he will remember the cardinal rule, “if you take something out, remember to put it back!”
I returned to Boston on Saturday morning. Of course the flights were all delayed. Between USAir and Tropical Storm Fay, my planned arrival in Boston was delayed from 11:30 AM to 6:30 PM. I didn’t even have the energy to get riled up. I just bobbed along like a cork in the ocean.
Sunday Bonnie, Lucas and I flew off to Oberlin, Ohio. The flight left on time and actually arrived early. Continental Airlines. My favorite. We flew into Cleveland, rented a car and headed for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. What a great place. After a few hours there, we headed for the hotel where I promptly fell asleep. I was tired. Just plain tired.
Monday , Tuesday and Wednesday we set up Lucas’ room in the dorm and attended a bunch of orientation workshop designed for parents and new students. It was an absolutely delightful three days. By Wednesday afternoon, Lucas was ready for us to leave and get on with his college career. And, we were ready to let him do it!
So, both kids are in school. Now, it’s Bonnie, Bones and me. Very quiet in the house. But, not sad!

As you are no doubt aware, this weekend is Labor Day, the historic end of summer. For those of you who labor for a living, and really who doesn’t, this is your day. To make the most of it, we are having a most exciting event!

LABOR DAY SAVINGS Event: For the next seven days, from the very moment you receive this email until Thursday, September 4th at midnight, everything (well, almost everything) is on sale at 25% off the retail price. All you need to do is enter the special code LABORDAYSAVINGS in the Discount Coupon Box at the bottom of the first page of the online checkout at www.magicfact.com and we will automatically deduct 25% from your order total. If you are calling your order in to the Toll Free Order Line at 800 874 7400, FAXing your order to us at 781 395 2034 or emailing us your order to magicfact@aol.com make sure and mention the special code so you can save a huge 25%!
• The minimum order to use the 25% off discount is $25.00.
• The 25% is deducted from the retail price of the item. No intermediate discounts (such as HankoGram pricing) may be applied. In the case of sets, such as DVDs and Videos, the 25% is deducted from the retail price of each item and not from the set price.
• Certain items, due to contractual restrictions, are not included in this sale. All Joe Porper items, Viking/CW items, Kennedy Enterprises items, Colin Rose items, Mike Caveney Books, Johnson Products items, MagicSmith items, Mikame Craft items, Greater Magic Teach-In DVDs, One Of A Kind Collectors' Items and a few other items are not included in the sale.
• If you place an order for an item that is not on this list or not noted in our online catalog, but is excluded from the sale, we will let you know before processing your order.
• Coupons and Reward Points will be deducted from the order total before the discount is applied.
• As the discount is automatically generated, you must put the special code LABORDAYSAVINGS in the Discount Coupon Box. You may have to scroll to the bottom of the page to find the box, but it is there. If you are not sure how to do this, please phone your order in to our toll-free order line at 800 874 7400, and we will take care of you. We cannot offer discounts retroactively.
And that's it. It could not be easier. So, get your order together and save yourself some serious money! But, act quickly. The sale ends Thursday the 4th at midnight!

Special Note: This week, we are giving you Reward Points, even when you order at sale prices! As part of this sales event, we will offer one Reward Point for every dollar spent, even at sale prices. You don’t need to be a mathematician to know that this gives you an extra 5% discount on every order you place!

Now, let’s take a look at this week’s Hotlist!

Descending Dollars: If you love the effect of Flying Fifties, but prefer to work with Dollar size coins, Descending Dollars is for you! It works with either Eisenhower or Morgan silver dollars.
Place a card box on top of an empty glass. Show a silver dollar, and vanish the coin. Holding the invisible coin, you appear to toss the coin towards the card box. The coin materializes and drops into the glass with an audible clink. The effect is then repeated four more times; a total of four coins dropping into the glass.
The Robot Coins in Glass was first manufactured in the mid sixties by Ken Allen. John Blake has re-released this marvelous piece of magic in a simple to use form that is totally reliable. The basic unit allows you to place a deck of cards (in a box) on top of a clear glass. One by one four silver dollars drop into the glass.
Comes with instructions to vanish coins from your hand and have them appear in the glass. This can actually be done without cover. It is totally automated. No batteries. Simple to load the card box and sure fire in operation. Wind up watch mechanism does all the work. $199.50 (20.398)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9575&cat=0&page=1)


Conjuring Cola DVD Volume 2 – Byrd & Coats: The follow-up to the best-selling first volume. On this DVD you will learn to perform simple, easy and fun magic tricks with soda cans and soda bottles. Learn how to:
• Force a soda can through your body
• Back palm and manipulate soda cans
• Multiply full bottles of soda
• Bite into an empty soda can, and restore it
• Use secret gimmicks, such as, bottle vaults and can magnets
• Force a bottle cap through a glass or plastic soda bottle
• Float a soda can in mid-air
and much more!
The DVD contains a special section just for kids!
$24.95 (DVD00915)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9576&cat=0&page=1)

The Disappearance – Jay Sankey: The performer hands a small pay envelope to someone to hold, commenting that, "inside the envelope is a prediction of the exact card you will select."
A card is then selected from the pack and the magician removes a sheet of clear acetate from the envelope. Printed on the acetate is not one, but nine different cards. Admitting that he didn't commit to his prediction quite as much as he might have, he asks the spectator if she sees the card she is thinking of among the nine cards printed on the acetate. She says, "Yes."
Then while the spectator holds the clear sheet between the palms of her own hands, the image of her card disappears. And when the pack is examined, her selected card has also disappeared!
This powerful two-climax effect is precisely the kind of magic and mentalism combination that hits people hard on many levels!
You can have the selected card completely disappear or have just the face of the card vanish, leaving the card blank! It's your choice (depending upon your magic style) You can repeat the effect with a different card! Everything you need is included with the DVD!
This very fresh combination of magic and mentalism is also beautifully self-contained. Everything fits inside a single small envelope! It's a classic example of 'packing flat and playing big!'
Comes complete with special clear sheet, envelope, Bicycle brand playing cards and a full-length instructional DVD! $29.95 (30.1365)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9577&cat=0&page=1)

Prophecy - Peter Eggink:
Imagine a "Signed Card to impossible Location" routine so practical, so visual, and so clever that you'll have to perform this brilliant effect every single day! Well, imagine no more!
A Red backed prediction card is shown folded in quarters, wrapped underneath a rubber band around the card case. The "Prediction Card” stays in full view throughout the effect. Next, a spectator is asked to freely select a card from a Blue backed deck. The spectator signs the face of their selected card, which is fairly placed back in to the middle of the deck.
Explain, "I've made a prediction, and the prediction card trapped underneath the rubber band came from another deck. Since that card came from another deck, it could also be the "soul mate" of the card that you selected. If my prediction card matches your selection...well, that would be amazing...wouldn't it?"
Cleanly, the folded Red backed prediction card is removed from underneath the rubber band and handed to the spectator. The spectator is invited to unfold the prediction card, only to find out that it's their signed selection!
The spectator can keep the card as souvenir; from this point on, everything is fully examinable!
Comes complete with a specially constructed Bicycle card case (Available in Red or Blue), special gimmick and a rubber band. The full-color photograph instruction booklet also includes bonus handlings and tips.
$34.95 (30.1366)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9578&cat=0&page=1)

Director’s Cut – Simon Shaw:
Director's Cut has been getting some serious attention on the underground mentalism scene for well over a year with big names such as Richard Osterlind giving his endorsement to it!
What is Director's Cut? It's a set of 26 movie poster cards that have been perfectly printed in full color and laminated so they will last you a lifetime of performances! You also received a DVD which features routines, tips and ideas to use with the cards.
You will be able to perform some seriously strong mentalism with an interesting and popular premise.
Director's Cut is Mentalism in its purest form. It's a whole act in your pocket. If you love the idea of using films as part of a routine then the Director's Cut is definitely for you. It can be used strolling, close-up or even parlor. Once you try it you will never leave home without it.
No gaffs, no markings, super clean, resets instantly and best of all everything is examinable!
Simple to perform with really strong reactions. What more could you ask from a performance? There is plenty of room for fun, drama and good old fashioned presentation. $38.75 (40.645)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9579&cat=0&page=1)

"I used Simon's Director's Cut at a trade show last week for 3 consecutive days. Not only did it constantly amaze, but it provided one of the most entertaining routines I have ever used. It is a winner and should be in the arsenal of every serious mentalist!"
- Richard Osterlind - May, 2008

Android – Jay Crowe: Explain how much you like to travel, so you and a spectator are going to make a mind trip to an unknown location.
“You know, in one of my trips I met someone incredible, she lives in the UK and is a psychic. She has the amazing ability to remote view. Would you like to make an experiment?"
Open your wallet, takes out a business card and hand the card to the spectator, saying: "Here you have her phone number, I told her that I was going to have a show today and asked if she could help me. She is very busy today, but she told me that I could text message her."
"I have some post cards of previous trips with me. Would you please select any destination? Do not let me influence you in any way. I want your choice to be as fair as possible, and you can change your mind if you want."
The spectator chooses one of the postcards, let's say "Greece".
Take out your cell phone and ask the spectator to text the psychic. The spectator text messages the psychic’s number and asks which destination was chosen. A few moments later the psychic replies back with the spectators selected destination!
This is an incredible self-working system that you can carry always with you.
Plus, the choices are not limited to postcards. You can use almost any objects! Imagine taking some borrowed objects, asking the spectator to select one, and the psychic guesses the chosen object! Always ready to go.
* No forces
* No software to install
* No stooges
* No assistants
* One time easy setup
Comes complete with everything you need to perform this amazing effect.
In order to perform the effect your mobile phone must be able to allow you to send/receive text messages.
Pages 20 - Saddle Stitched $29.95 (40.646)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9580&cat=0&page=1)

The Sticky Blue Book - Anthony Owen:
This book offers his revolutionary new approach to card magic. It is packed with great tricks and comes complete with the necessary fake cards and Changin' Glue 2-Way Pen. Until now, this great new scientific discovery has been kept a secret by many of the world's top card magicians - but, at last, it is available!
This book contains routines from Peter Duffie, John Lenahan, Angelo Carbone, Julian Dixon and Anthony Owen. These include super-clean handlings of many classic effects and some great new plots.
Contents include:
The Perfect No-Palm Card to Wallet - A free signed selection appears inside any wallet, which was on the table before the card was chosen!
Sticky Intruder - A super clean handling of the Open Prediction effect. The spectator deals the cards face up onto the table. One card is dealt face down unseen - it is flipped over to reveal it is the only card in the pack with a cross on the face. The spectator can keep this marked selection as a souvenir.
On The Level - A quick, visual, entertaining routine. An ideal opener. One of the hits of Peter Duffie's acclaimed lecture - now available to all.
The Light Card - No palming required in this version of Darwin Ortiz's Dream Card effect, in which a marked contrasting backed card sealed in a wallet becomes the signed selection.
Sticky Blue Brainwave - Now you can perform the classic Brainwave Deck effect with any deck of cards. No more counting to thirteen, no more pencil dots, just great audience reactions!
Caravan Travelers - Anthony Owen's acclaimed handling of Larry Jennings' Open Travelers. Now transformed from a finger buster into a great routine anybody can do.
And more...
The book is clearly illustrated with over two dozen illustrations by Marc Paul and is comb bound to lie flat for easy study. Be the first on the block to baffle with this terrific material. $29.95 (BK01593)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9581&cat=0&page=1)

Changin' Glue - Anthony Owen:
This special gimmicked blue substance will revolutionize your card - and other - magic. It comes complete with instructions for a complete trick and other ideas from Anthony Owen the BAFTA award winning producer of The Secret World of Magic, The Quick Trick Show, Dirty Tricks, Monkey Magic, The Greatest Magic Tricks in the Universe, Marc Paul's Mind Games, In Search of the Indian Rope Trick, The Real Hustle, Magick, Thomas Solomon: Escape Artist and Derren Brown's specials and series'. Anthony has also created material for David Copperfield, Paul Daniels, Geoffrey Durham, John Lenahan, Dominic Wood and many others. $10.00 (BK01594)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9582&cat=0&page=1)

And that, fellow kids, is this week’s Hotlist. I really had a lot of fun putting this one together. But, if you ask me how tired I am right now, I believe all you will hear is some loud snoring! Thankfully, it’s a three-day weekend and I can re-charge the old batteries.
Any-hoo, I do hope you will find some time during this very busy weekend to spend with us either online at www.magicfact.com or in person at 102 North Street in Medford, home of our fantastic showroom. Either way, we do love the company.
Hank