Friday, January 30, 2009

Buy More Save More!

Greetings from all of us at Hank Lee’s Magic Factory. Well, I am mighty pleased this week. Seems we dodged a major weather bullet. The weather guys were predicting a giant snowstorm on Wednesday. We got a snowstorm, but it was not giant. This winter any time we don’t get a giant snowstorm, I am happy. We are so very done with winter. We have shoveled and blown entirely too much snow. Time for sunshine and warm temperatures. Like they have in Flordia. The people in Florida love it when anyone mentions how sunny and warm it is there. They love even more hearing how cold and snowy it is here. So this is just for their benefit.

I need a minute on the soap box. To talk about life in the magic business. Before I get started, let me say that I love magic and I love being in the magic business. Looking back on my life in this business, I can honestly say that I would not have chosen any other life path. I love what I do, and I consider myself extremely lucky. That having been said, I need to tell you that I think the magic business has gone just a little crazy. There are now people in this tiny industry who think they can operate like Wal-Mart. And, it just can’t be done. The magic market is just too small, and the markup on magic is too low. So, when you see mind-staggering discounts, something is wrong. It is impossible to run a business when you are selling at below cost. When the cost of overhead is factored in, these items are being sold at a loss. How long can a company stay in business selling goods at below cost? Your guess is as good as mine. Now, some companies have less overhead than others. If you are buying online from a dealer who operates out of their garage and pays no rent and has no employees and no other costs other than the electricity to run his computer, he can sell at lower prices. But, what kind of service do they offer? Do they even answer the telephone when you call? How long does it take to get an answer to an email? And, when they do answer, do they really know what they are talking about? I think you already know the answer to that question.

I cannot speak for any other business than Hank Lee’s. But, I can speak for us. We are here every business day, including Saturday. Normal business hours. 9AM to 5PM. We answer the phone all day long. And, the people answering the phone know what they’re talking about. With 35 years of experience, we have all been around the block a few times. While we won’t tell you how an item works, we will tell you if it will work for you, in the places you perform. And, we ship from our own huge warehouse, from stock. Need something tomorrow? We can do it. That’s what customer service is about.

The thing is, customer service does cost. It requires a building in which to stock the items. It requires knowledgeable staff to answer your questions. And, the other usual overhead items: rent, utilities, taxes, insurance and more. Selling items at huge discounts doesn’t leave any margin to pay these costs. Which is why the Wal-Mart Magic Dealers cannot offer the kind of customer service you have come to expect from us. Personally, I think it’s nice to call a place where they recognize your name and where they have done business with you long enough to know what you might like and what you won’t like. A business relationship, I believe it is called. Having said all that, it’s time to hop off the soap box.

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

BUY MORE GET MORE: Starting right now and running through Thursday, February 5th at midnight, we are having a Buy More Get More event. Here is how it works. For each order you place during the event, you will get a coupon which you can use towards any future purchase here at Hank Lee’s. The value of the coupon depends entirely on the size of your order. Here is the breakdown:
• Order between $25.00 and $100.00: Coupon is for 15% of the merchandise total. (Orders less than $25.00 get our sincere thanks, but sadly no coupon)
• Order between $100.00 and $200.00: Coupon is for 20% of the merchandise total.
• Order over $200.00: Coupon is for 25% of the merchandise total.
When you place your order online at www.magicfact.com, please put the secret phrase BUY MORE GET MORE in the Customer Notes Box of the online checkout. If you place your order by email or FAX, just include the secret phrase with your order. And, if you place your order by phone, toll free at 800 874 7400, please mention the secret phrase to get your coupon. The coupon will be sent along with your order and can be used whenever you wish, no expiration date. You will get a coupon for every order you place during the event. Just don’t lose the coupons, please. Unlike other sales events where certain items are not included, the Buy More Get More event includes every item we carry! This is your chance to, really save for the future.

And now, this week’s Hotlist!

Squash - David Loosley:
A real world worker! Perform it in almost any situation and leave your spectators with a unique souvenir.
A card is selected and signed by your spectator, then returned to the deck. You now set the deck on the table, or your spectator's hand and a regular bottle cap is introduced.
The cap is slammed onto the deck and instantly vanishes without a trace!
You now spread the deck face down to show that the image of a flattened bottle cap has appeared on the back of one of the cards. The spectator is allowed to feel the card to verify that the image is stuck tight. You now turn the card over to show that it is the signed selection!
Now for the kicker! You take the single signed selection and hold it over your spectator's cupped hands and pop the card. Instantly a real flattened bottle cap falls into the spectator's waiting hands!
You now turn the selection over to show the cap really has fallen from the back of the selection. Leave the spectator with the signed selection and flat bottle cap as a reminder of the strange happening they have just witnessed!
Points to remember:
• The cap that vanishes is totally normal and can be taken straight from the bottle
• The card is a free selection with no force
• Leaves the spectator with a memorable souvenir of the effect
• Perform this in bars, at private functions, corporate engagements - always packs a punch
• Full training DVD included with multiple handlings and in-depth instruction
• All gaffs included to perform with either red or blue Bicycle cards
• Full guide on how to replace the gimmicks or adapt to different bottle caps
• Supply your own deck and bottle caps - full setup tutorial included $24.99 (30.1410)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=2114&cat=0&page=1)

Mikame Craft Collector's Mirror Box:
The name Mikame Craft is synonymous with the highest quality magic money can buy!
This ornate, beautifully crafted, wooden mirror box, is a joy to use and will soon become a favorite addition to your show!
This is truly a beautiful piece of Mikame Collectable magic.
Effect: An ornate box is shown. Open the doors and remove a silk. The box is otherwise empty. Close the doors. Now, in a blink the silk vanishes. Next, a sword is removed from the top of the box. With a magical gesture, the box is opened, and the silk that vanished seconds ago has reappeared inside the box!
Approximately 7.5" tall, 5" wide and 5” deep. $199.95 (60.1571)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9809&cat=0&page=1)

Extreme Magic Seminar - Nathan Kranzo:
You will learn more than ten extreme effects! Aside from the killer effects, you will also be subjected to Kranzo's hilarious performing style. To top it off you will learn several of Kranzo's signature comedy gags that will have your audience laughing and begging for more!
Here are a few highlights...
THE Coin Routine
This is the coin routine that Nathan performs when asked to "do something." Kranzo uses this to open almost every close up set he performs.
Voodoo Card
Nathan's highly requested handling of the classic Steranko plot is so commercial you'll see the marketing potential and smile.
The Tail
A hilarious sight gag that always gets a huge laugh
Al Baker's "The Knife Dial"
Kranzo's modernized take on a forgotten effect. A borrowed table knife, or pen, eerily moves across the table pointing at the selected card.
Kranzo On Three Fly
Fifteen years of trial and error! Nathan teaches his take on Three Fly. Maybe we should call it Two Fly. You'll be surprised.
The First Trick I Ever Saw
If you have ever seen Kranzo lecture you have probably seen this hilarious effect/gag with a silk or napkin. Nathan uses it as an opener for all of his lectures. It fools magicians to boot!
Rub A Dub Card To Wallet
Straight from Expert Card Technique! Kranzo teaches some powerful subtleties for the Rub A Dub Vanish as well as his ending for the classic effect.
Kranzo on The Mullica
Kranzo teaches killer ideas with the wallet. You'll Learn "Go Text Yourself". This is Kranzo's routine where he talks about "texting small objects" rather than words. A very fun routine.
Wheat Fly
You will laugh out load when you see Kranzo's version of Three Fly with Wheat Thins. 0 Grams Trans Fat!
Cashing In
This fools magicians AND laymen. Coin magic that is visual and interactive. Poker chips magically transform into Silver Dollars. Features a bare handed production that fools everyone. $35.00 (DVD00968)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9818&cat=0&page=1)

Envelope Prediction: From Mr. Daba, whose Six Pack Surprise has been such a huge hit, comes the Envelope Prediction.
A card is selected and lost in the deck.
Explain that you have an envelope with a prediction. Show the envelope to the audience.
The spectator holds the deck.
Toss the envelope into the air and it visibly turns into the selected card!
Ribbon spread the deck, and in the place of the selected card, there is an envelope that contains a small duplicate of the same card selected by the spectator.
A very visual magic trick!
Very easy to do! $25.00 (30.1408)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9813&cat=0&page=1)

Burning Frame: The Burning Frame is the very latest from Rick Haslett.
The photo in the frame will burst into flames, and reveal a message if you wish.
Comes with very special frame and instructional CDRom explaining everything. Supply your own Flash Paper one "N" size battery. Includes Rick’s famous warranty.
$145.00 (60.1572)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9812&cat=0&page=1)

Foresight - Devin Knight:
A killer effect that starts out like a comedy routine but packs a wallop at the end.
Hold up an envelope and explain that it contains a prediction. Ask a spectator to name any playing card. Exclaim that the named card is inside the envelope. Remove an 8.5 x 11 inch picture that has the whole deck spread out. “Look, there is your card, right there!”
The audience laughs but isn't impressed, so you ask the participant to just think of a card in the picture. No force. Then ask a second participant to also think of a card in the picture.
Now for the amazing part, you name the first participant’s thought-of card. You make two comments about the card. Both are correct (you are never wrong), and then you name the card.
Point out that you have been wearing a clear cardholder around your neck from the very start. You can see the back of a playing card inside the holder.
Ask the second participant what card he has in mind. The participant names the card. Immediately and with no switches, you turn the clear cardholder around and sealed inside is the very card he just named.
The back of the card is in full view at all times and never leaves the audience's sight. The card can be removed and the badge holder examined. Nothing else is inside.
Foresight takes revealing thought-of cards to a new level. One of the most advanced techniques yet devised, yet it is easy to do and uses no sleights at all.
Comes with envelope and an 8.5" x 11" durable plastic gag picture that looks like it has a spilled deck on it. No duplicate cards are printed on the picture. Every card in the picture is different! Also comes with a smaller picture for street magicians to carry in their pocket. Includes high-quality clear cardholder complete with cloth lanyard. $29.00 (30.1409)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9817&cat=0&page=1)

Enclavor and Liberator DVD – Duraty:
Two fully-examinable, 24-inch cords pass through each other like smoke, linking and unlinking in increasingly impossible ways, without the benefit of gimmicks, boxes, or difficult sleight-of-hand.
Next, a finger ring is borrowed and threaded onto one cord, whereupon it travels instantly and impossibly to the other.
And that’s just the beginning! 18 tricks and techniques are taught on this detailed DVD featuring Duraty's legendary strings-and-ring routine! Every phase is eye popping, every method ingenious, and the routine can be performed close-up or on stage! Comes with the perfect cords and rings so you can start learning this astonishing miracle right away! $35.00 (DVD00964)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9810&cat=0&page=1)

Beautiful Moves DVD Set – Michael Boden:
Michael Boden is one of magic's best kept hidden secrets, until now!
Beautiful Moves contains almost two hours of one-on-one time with Michael in a workshop format, where he shares two beautiful moves that are responsible for six wonderful effects.
Beautiful Moves, Disc One:
You will learn a move so beautifully natural in appearance and easy to execute, that you will find many uses for it immediately. The three effects below are all accomplished with this same move. Michael also shares four variations of this move, each variation opening up yet another door of magical possibilities for you.
Who Clipped My Sandwich - An isolated sandwich effect that will have everyone scratching their heads!
Write On - A prediction effect that is so squeaky clean in method and directness that it will become one of your favorite think-of-any-card effects.
The Informer - The perfect stand-by effect, always ready to be performed as part of an existing card routine.
Intermission - Before moving on to another beautiful move on Disc 2, it's time to take a break and pick up a few tips and ideas that will give some of your old sleights a new look.
Beautiful Moves, Disc Two:
You will learn a move that many magicians have tried to make invisible but couldn't because it was either beyond their skill or their comfort level.
Card In The Shoe - This version of Signed Card In Shoe will leave the room silent, as everyone is amazed by what they have just seen.
Card In The Balloon - The Signed Card In Balloon is a classic that has now had an easy to do face-lift. It’s now easier than ever to make the spectator’s signed card vanish from the deck and appear inside a previously inflated balloon.
Identity Theft - Identity theft in the real world is a never-ending topic of interest in the news. On the table is a Sharpie marker with an unknown red-backed card (folded into fourths) clipped under the marker’s cap. The spectator selects a card from a blue-backed deck and signs it with their name and a random four-digit pin number. The spectator's signed card is lost in the deck. The red backed card, which is still clipped to the Sharpie, is slowly unfolded to reveal the spectator’s signature and their secret pin number!
Bonus Effect:
Fan-See Coin Production – Performed by Troy Hooser - After shuffling and fanning a deck of cards, a coin suddenly appears perched at the top of the card fan! The coin is removed and pocketed as a second coin makes its appearance! Take that coin away and another and another appears! Producing coin after coin is easy with Fan-See Coin Production.
$29.95 (DVD00966)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9814&cat=0&page=1)

Gafftastic DVD - Liam Montier:
A collection of mind frying, easy card magic using special gaffed cards. All of the required gaffed cards come free with the DVD. That's 13 cool gaffs printed by the USPCC!
Contents include:
The Chosen – Eliminate cards from a small packet until they match a selection, before eliminating the rest of the packet for good!
Mass Hippy-Nosis – Hypnotise a spectator into seeing their selection in three places at once. Or has their mind just gone blank?
Laser This – Splitting cards has never been so quick and easy, as a laser slices a card right through. Fear not – we can fuse it back together in a jiffy!
Four Eyes – Demonstrate that you own special glasses that allow you to read marks on cards. Well, you don't really, but they don't know that.
Off Colour – A cheeky demonstration of how hard it is to find a selected card, even when it looks easy!
Twisted - Show how cards can be squeezed together and pulled apart at will. Watch it – it can break the cards!
Punched – A lucky card, kept on your key ring, changes places with a spectator’s lucky card just because you liked their’s better.
Beauty Spot – A small circle, clearly drawn with a marker pen, visibly and visually becomes real in this piece of eye-candy!
Flink – Show how bad printing can be on the faces of some cards by rubbing it clean off. And you should see what it does to the backs!
Blush – A clever 'wild' card routine based on several Stephen Tucker ideas, this is a cool effect with an examinable ending.
Bonus Effects:
These two non-card effects were originally recorded for "The Wicked World of Liam Montier" but they simply didn't fit on! Our loss is your gain!
Air-Zooka – Use a mini Air-Zooka to force air back into some packing bubbles, with this crazy off-beat effect and classic (and easy!) handling.
Upside Frown – Visibly 'Turn that frown upside down!' on a stickman drawn on your business card, making an ideal handout.
But it doesn't end there. Included free on the DVD is a pdf of Liam's smash hit 'Cherry Cola Queen' booklet. Cherry Cola Queen features 17 routines over 48 pages.
$29.95 (DVD00965)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9811&cat=0&page=1)

Giant Milk Glass: A classic of magic available in giant size!
Show a full glass of milk to the audience. Insert a straw, and the level of milk begins decreasing magically, as if an invisible person is drinking it!
Replace the Milk Pitcher with the Giant Milk Glass and use it for multiple applications and tricks such as pouring the milk into a paper cone, doing some magic passes and finally showing the cone empty and dry.
The Giant Milk Glass has a very large capacity and works perfectly! $25.00 (60.1573)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9815&cat=0&page=1)

Magic With Everyday Objects DVD – Nicholas Byrd & James Coats: You will learn more than a dozen mini-illusions that can be performed with everyday objects. These tricks require no complicated sleight of hand. Within minutes of watching the step-by-step instruction portion of the DVD, you’ll be able to perform magic with everyday objects anywhere and anytime.
This DVD will teach you how to:
• Bend metal with the power of your mind
• Read a person’s thoughts
• Make ordinary items vanish into thin air
• Magically restore torn business cards and paper money
• Make items move without touching them
$10.00 (DVD00967)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9816&cat=0&page=1)

And that’s this week’s collections of amazing magic! As always, I hope you will find some items that you just can’t be without!
And, as always, we are so glad that you find sometime in your business schedules to visit us either only in ate www.magicfact.com or in person at 102 North Street in Medford. Either way, we love the company!
Hank