Greetings from all of us at Hank Lee’s Magic Factory and a very Happy New Year to all! The family spent New Year’s Eve together, and it was really nice. Late Wednesday afternoon we took public transportation, the best way to get around on what must be the craziest night of the year in Boston, into Boston and toddled off to the New England Aquarium. Bonnie just loves those penguins! We saw all kinds of fish. One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish. There we sharks and rays (not the ones from Tampa). Aron could name every fish. “That one’s a lazy-nosed buffel carp!” Lucas could name them too. “That one’s Marvin.” When the aquarium closed, we went for dinner at Legal Sea Food. Dinner was excellent, if a bit ironic. Then, it was back on the train, and home again.
Lucas and his friend Adrienne, who came in from Cleveland to visit for a few days, headed out for a pajama party at a friend’s house. It was really a sleepover, but I hate using that term when boys and girls are involved, know what I mean? The rest of us hunkered down in the front of the TV and switched between Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve (why don’t I recognize the name of a single band or song?), The Twilight Zone marathon and the Three Stooges Marathon, nyuk, nyuk. What could be better? At midnight, we watched the brand new ball descend on Times Square, kisses all around, and then off to slumberville. Fun, safe and asleep by 12:03. The perfect New Year’s Eve.
Now, it’s time to look ahead to 2009, the New Year. Normally, the New Year, turns out to be the same as the old year, with a different number. But, I am still holding out for hope and change. I think it is already happening. The economy is going to take some time to fix, as are some of the other trouble areas. But, I have a really good feeling, looking ahead. It’s not based on anything concrete, it’s just a feeling in my tiny little magic dealer’s heart. So, keep your chin up and we will all be just fine.
Now, let’s check out the very first excitement of the New Year!
NEW YEAR SAVINGS: For the next seven days, from the very moment you receive this email until Thursday, January 8th 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 NEWYEARSAVINGS in the Discount Coupon Box 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 to mention the special code so you can save a huge 25%!
There are a few rules that apply, as with all things in life.
• The minimum order to use this discount is $25.00.
• The discount 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 discount 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, Paul Harris Prime Time Magic items, Viking/CW items, Kennedy Enterprises items, Colin Rose items, Mike Caveney Books, MagicSmith, Martin Breese, Mikame Craft items, Johnson Products 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 NEWYEARSAVINGS 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 ine 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 at midnight!
Now, let’s check out this week’s Hotlist
Confessions of a Needle Swallower - Steve Spill:
For over 25 years Steve Spill has been amazing audiences worldwide with his fantastic version of the classic Needle Swallowing act. The act is without question the definitive routine for the discerning performer. It's got it all!
First, the method is easy to do so that anybody can do it. This allows the performer to concentrate on performance. Hidden inside of the method is a diabolical strategy that has fooled audiences for decades.
Second, Steve's presentation is hilarious. The script has been used for thousands of shows and the jokes always get the big laughs. The routine is crystal clear and packed with entertainment. It's taken Steve around the world!
Third, the act packs flat and plays big - anywhere! You can perform this routine on stage, in parlor situations, even close-up. The entire act weighs an ounce!
Steve tips it all. The training goes into incredible detail covering all of the fine points that separates Steven's routine from the rest. Nothing is left out. Use Steve's time-tested patter word for word and you'll get the gasps, laughs and ovations only a professional routine of this caliber can deliver!
This DVD contains 3 Live Performances which are a Master Class in comedy!
* 1988 Television Show
* 1998 Comedy Club
* 2008 Magicopolis
This product is supplied in kit form. Included are the incredible training DVD and the special gaff! Purchaser must supply the Needles, Thread, and Flashlight.
WARNING: This Training DVD contains instructions that if not completely followed as taught could result in injury to the user. Use as instructed will result in standing ovations! The User must agree to our disclaimer before watching the shows and instruction. Purchaser must be 21 years old or older.
$49.95 (DVD00953)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9775&cat=0&page=1)
Creepy Classic Matches: The latest from our pal Rick Haslett, and it’s really hot!
Bring out a large box of kitchen matches, and show it on both sides.
Place the box of matches on the table.
Suddenly, the drawer starts to open in a most creepy manner, revealing the matches within.
In a blink, the matches ignite themselves in a large burst of flame!
This is the grand-daddy to the Psychic Spontaneous Combustion Matches.
The matchbox is totally self contained.
You can do it anywhere anytime showing both hands empty.
No threads are used!
$119.00 (10.1492)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9777&cat=0&page=1)
Mighty Mini Light-Heavy Chest – Gimpy’s Magic: Perfect for close-up, yet plays big enough for parlor or cabaret!
Don’t let the size fool you! A mere 6.5-inches x 6.5-inches x 4.5-inches, this little jewel has just as much weight as a full-size Light-Heavy Chest.
Made of cabinet grade oak plywood and trimmed in solid oak and solid brass veneer. Made from scratch in Gimpy’s shop, its distressed wood finish has the patina of a 200-year-old antique. Your audience will easily believe they are holding a piece of history.
It can be performed on a table or the floor. You need only reach inside to set the gimmick. This box will not wiggle between reset, or when it is being lifted. It sets solid and totally silent.
But that's not all! This box comes with one extra surprise. Have them try to lift it by the sides; it won't even budge! When the spectator tries to lift the box, the handle comes off right in their hand. No harm done! Just a good laugh!
The handle is held by magnets that adhere to a piece of steel built into the surface of the lid, so you can use the chest with or without the handle, and the box still looks great. $250.00 (60.1569)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9771&cat=0&page=1)
Hugard’s Annuals Of Magic (1937-1939): The end of the Great Depression was near. World War II was only a few months away. And, Jean Hugard was publishing great magic!
In this extraordinary time of transition and turmoil, Jean Hugard, one of conjuring’s finest authors, was recording the magic of the period, from illusions to close-up: tricks with coins, cards, silks, cigarettes, cigars, billiard balls, matches, newspapers, thimbles, paper, the Egg Bag and Linking Rings. Hugard clearly explained the newest tricks of his time, tricks that were to become both forgotten gems and modern classics: tricks such as Paul Curry’s Touch, Magician vs. Gambler, Sam Horowitz’s Knock Out Card Trick, G.W. Hunter’s Silk Routine, Hugard’s Floating Ball and Bullet Catching, Hugard and Holden’s Smoke Pictures Act, Ten Ichi’s Water Fountain Act Improved and much, much more. This book reproduces Hugard’s Annuals from 1937 and 1938-1939 in one fine hardcover volume containing over 270 pages of magic from an historic time. $39.95 (BK01625)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9778&cat=0&page=1)
Paralies – Joshua Quinn:
Lies, damn lies and mentalism!
Imagine being able to:
• Divine freely thought-of words which have never been written down, whispered, pointed at, picked from a list or book or stack of cards or otherwise physically manifested in any way; words which exist solely inside someone’s mind.
• Visibly bend a signed coin, which has genuinely never left the audience’s sight since being shown, in its entirety, to be unmistakably, perfectly straight.
• Make someone unable to see a picture drawn on a card at the same time the rest of the audience sees it clearly; and then show her a video of herself looking at the picture but not seeing it.
• Subliminally influence someone’s mental choice of a playing card with a hidden-in-plain-sight prediction that’s on display all along, but that no one notices until you point it out.
• Surreptitiously learn the favorite colors of up to three audience members with absolutely no writing or speaking on their part, then use the info in your favorite chair routine, one-ahead, Q&A, etc.
• Let your audience experience a powerful and incontrovertibly real manifestation of their own mental abilities by successfully duplicating a picture drawn by one of their own.
These are only a few of the highlights from ParaLies, the highly-anticipated, first full-length book by Joshua Quinn. At 257 pages, the book contains 21 items in three sections: Pareidolia, Paronomasia, and Paraphraseology (plus two Pasteboard Interludes, for those with an interest in things card-related). It’s brimming with solid, workable material and fresh, bold ideas representing the best of Joshua’s creative output in mentalism: from stage and parlor pieces, to close-up effects, to impromptu demonstrations, to over-the-phone routines, to utility devices. Some of these secrets have been quietly creating a buzz for some time among the few who knew them, while prompting eager inquiries from those who had heard about them. Now for the first time, they’re being released to the community at large. $80.00 (BK01624)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9770&cat=0&page=1)
“One of the most clever—and fun—collections of ideas I’ve read in a long time. The thinking is devious and sometimes borders on twisted. There’s something for everyone here. Except Greg Arce. There’s nothing in it for him. Absolutely nothing.” – John Riggs
Dangerous DVD Set – Daniel Madison: One of the most talked about projects of 2008, Dangerous represents the definitive work of underground magician Daniel Madison - a massive two volume (two-disc) DVD anthology of d+M's work, past and present.
Volume I is entitled Mystique, and is dedicated to the magic of d+M. Complete with live performances shot on location in the U.S. with additional footage filmed in the United Kingdom.
Volume II is entitled Motion, teaching d+M's signature style of flourishing and cardistry.
Each disc is over 60 minutes in length - jam packed with rock-solid material.
The instruction quality is beyond comparison; unparalleled and true to d+M's trademark style. Each item is taught with vocal instruction, on-screen text, multiple camera angles, and extra tips shared by Madison. $49.95 (DVD00955)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9774&cat=0&page=1)
Secret Soldier - Wayne Fox:
After several failed attempts, the magician calls in the Army to find the spectator's chosen card.
A spectator places a small pewter toy soldier is placed on any face down card, but when it is turned over it is not the chosen card, it’s a code red!
However, when the spectator takes a closer look at the small figure they are holding, molded into its hands is a 4 and a Diamond.
The spectator's chosen card, the 4 of Diamonds!
• Instantly repeatable with a different card.
• No reset
• Top grade molded pewter figure
• Complete with all props and instructional DVD.
$60.00 (30.1402)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9772&cat=0&page=1)
S.O.S. Coin Production - Tim David:
Live the dream! Make money by magic
Much more than just amazing coin productions, this DVD teaches 9 eye-popping, underground, visual coin tricks. Vanishes, penetrations, even a coin levitation are revealed in step-by-step detail by well-known magic teacher Tim David. Includes a very special gimmick and contains some of the most exciting and visual magic to come out in a long time.
Coin Through Face - A highly visual freakout-fest where the coin is actually seen ripping halfway into your cheek!
S.O.S. - If you were really a magician, this is what you would do. No sleeves, both hands are shown clearly empty (they are), with absolutely no cover, a coin simply materializes on your flat open palm. Then a second coin, and a third, etc. Not the same coin produced over and over. No threads, wires, or strings, no sticky stuff, no body loads, no clothing requirements. You’ll laugh out loud when you see the fiendish secret behind this gem of a trick.
Eclipse - A very bold move with a huge payoff. This could be the most visible glass penetration ever because you stop in mid-penetration and let them look things over. They actually look right at the "secret" and they're none the wiser.
Raze - A completely clean coin vanish that shows the spectators no mercy. The best part? The signed coin can instantly reappear virtually anywhere you want. In their shoe? In a book at a certain page? Get creative with how you use this power.
The Insight Vanish - A quick, barehanded vanish and reproduction of a coin that's easy to love. First it's gone, then it's back, and they're just left rubbing their eyes.
Off-Hand - A coin levitates off of a spectator’s hand. They actually feel an unseen force "lifting" the coin. $39.95 (DVD00954)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9773&cat=0&page=1)
Hardboiled Ultimate Egg Bag: After showing an otherwise empty bag a previously invisible egg appears in the bag. After explaining how the egg appeared, it disappears again. The bag is shown completely empty, but on command the egg returns!
Included is a full and complete explanation of the Egg Bag. From appearances to vanishes, John Fedko explains it all. Learn and perform one of magic's best routines.
The complete Egg Bag collection!
Includes:
• Egg Bag
• Twenty minute DVD
• Performance footage from the great John Fedko
• Explanation of each and every move.
You will learn:
• Bag & Egg Handling
• Egg Vanish
• Egg Appearance
• The "sucker" explanation routine.
$29.95 (60.1570)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=9776&cat=0&page=1)
And that’s the First Week Of The Rest Of Your Year Hotlist. It’s a mighty fine one if I do say so myself. And I do. I hope you will find some really great stuff to start your year on the right foot. Oh, and don’t forget to register for the 2009 Conclave, this year’s big event!
As always, I am very glad that you are able to find some time in your busy schedules to visit us either online at www.magicfact.com or in person at 102 North Street in Medford. Either way, we love the company!
Hank
