Greetings from everyone at Hank Lee’s Magic Factory. A belated Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there. I hope you had a most wonderful day. I know that Bonnie did. As luck would have it, Aron was home for Mother’s Day, which was really nice for Bonnie. Lucas was not home, but he’ll be home next week, so we can celebrate another Mother’s Day. Aron and I took Bonnie and Bonnie’s mother and father out for a nice Sunday breakfast. We had a practice Mother’s Day run the previous week. We took the in-laws out for brunch the Sunday before Mother’s Day just to make sure we would be able to handle the big day with no glitches. Personally, I think I could have handled it without the practice run, but the decision was not mine. Married life is truly a series of compromises.
This year’s road trip is underway. I have filled the tank on the hybrid, all eleven gallons, and am off to Oberlin, Ohio. I was really undecided on whether to take the Northern route or the Southern route. The GPS on the car mapped out the Southern route. But, MapQuest, Google Maps and the Greenbaums all said to take the Northern route. And, who am I to argue with the Greenbaums? So, I am taking the Northern route. In fact, by the time you read this, I might even be all the way to Oberlin. The plan was to leave at 2:00 PM on Thursday. It’s about a ten hour drive. So, depending on how much coffee I have to drink and whether my back holds out, I may do it all at once. Otherwise, I will stop at some point at a Hampton Inn and get some sleep. I do love their free breakfast.
Lucas has already begun packing for the trip home. And by beginning, I mean thinking about it. My guess is that the actual pack-up will begin when I arrive. Maybe he will surprise me. I can only hope.
We have received some really exciting new items this week. If you do kid shows, you really must check out Hattie Hen. It’s a big, colorful, fun prop that will have the kids screaming with laughter. It is not inexpensive, but it is really well made and a great-looking piece. You will have it forever, and more important, you will perform it all the time!
And that’s all the news from here. Now, let’s take a look at this week’s excitement!
FREE MAGIC – YOUR CHOICE! That’s right, absolutely Free Magic! And, all you have to do is a little bit of math. Here’s the way it works: Until Tuesday, May 19th at midnight, put all the items you want to order in your Shopping Cart in the Online Catalog at www.magicfact.com. Check the total (not including the shipping). Now, take 25% of the total (Hint: Just multiply the total by .25) and we will give you Free Magic up to that amount. All you need to do is let us know what Free Magic you want by listing it in the Customer Notes Box of the online checkout. No special codes. Nothing to remember. It’s easy as pie. And, it’s free!
For example, let’s say your order total before shipping comes to $500.00. 25% of that amount is $125.00. You have earned $125.00 in Free Magic. Just list the additional items you’d like in the Customer Notes Box, up to $125.00, and we will ship them along with your order, absolutely free. This is an amazing deal, and you should really take advantage of it!
If you are placing your order by phone at 800 874 7400, just let the order taker know what Free Magic you would like. Same if you are placing your order by FAX at 781 395 2034.
The only rule is that your order total must be at least $25.00 to take advantage of this promotion. Remember, this sales event ends on Tuesday, May 19th at midnight, so don’t delay. Enjoy!
Now, let’s take a look at this week’s Hotlist.
Hen House: Another great kids’ routine from Derek Rutt.
Open the door to the hen house and there is Hattie Hen sitting on her large egg.
But, she needs a rest and she asks us to look after her egg because she knows that there is a snake around who just loves eating eggs.
So you take Hattie out to give her a rest and you close the door.
Suddenly a snake pops up over the top of the hen house. You don’t see it but the kids do and scream out loud.
The snake goes down so you open the door to see if the egg is still there. It is, thank goodness
The snake comes and goes several times and each time you check the egg, but the last time the egg is gone! The snake must have got it!
So you look behind the house and the snake is still there. You bring him out but YIKES, there is a huge bulge in the snake. He has eaten the egg.
What to do now? It’s Magic to the rescue. After much by-play with wands, hats or whatever and opening the door to see if the egg has returned, you finally open the door and the nest is now full of about 10 large eggs which are all separate.
The kids will applaud with vigor!
The house measures almost 15 inches high by 14 inches wide and 2 inches deep. $495.00 (50.963)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1686&cat=0&page=2)
Cesaral ESP Perceptions: Several audience members pick a card from a shuffled deck. They place each card in an envelope so that nobody can see them, and hold onto the envelopes.
You take a piece of paper, concentrate, and write the names of a few cards.
Finally you give the paper to an audience member who checks that your writings exactly match the selected cards.
In another effect, an audience member takes a number of matchboxes from a bag, and places them in another bag. All the matchboxes externally look the same, but each of them has a paper inside with different numbers. You are able no name how many matchboxes he picked, and the numbers hidden inside of them.
During the effect, you are far away from the spectators.
Each card or matchbox has a special electronic chip inside. The electronic device is able to detect the card at 4 meters (13 feet), and send the information to a special receiver invisible to the audience.
You get: Detector, Roman-Code Thumper Receiver, Special ESP Receiver with memory, Special deck of cards, Power source for detector, 2 chargers, Extra elements for the matchbox effect, and for many other possible effects.
Important points:
* Small detection surface for a big detection volume
* Easy access to the information detected. It can’t be simpler
* No forces are necessary.
* Very visual routine, for stage or close-up!
* It is very easy to do, allowing you to concentrate on the presentation!
* The tool is an open door for many new effects. You could combine this tool with any book test, for example.
* All the elements are powered by Lithium Polymer rechargeable batteries. The detector can also be powered by a transformer which is also included.
$2490.00 (40.679)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1653&cat=0&page=2)
Unicorn Coin In Bottle – Nick Einhorn: A bottle appears. A coin penetrates into the bottle. The coin is magically removed from the bottle. The coin vanishes. The bottle vanishes. You take a bow!
Coin in Bottle is a classic of magic. It has stood the test of time. Thousands of professional magicians already know how strong the effect is.
For the past several years Nicholas Einhorn has amazed and amused thousands of people with his handling of this classic effect and now you can learn it and add it to your repertoire.
The routine includes the appearance of the bottle at the start and the vanish of the bottle at the end. Included with the DVD is a very special gimmick that does most of the hard work for you. The gimmick has been designed especially to fit nearly all bottle types, large and small. You will need to supply your own Folding Coin, which we also stock. $29.95 (20.414)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1663&cat=0&page=2)
Flash Silk Production Improved: Imagine showing both of your hands back and front, fingers wide apart, then reaching in the air and producing an 18" or a 24" silk at your finger tips!
The silk is completely ungimmicked and can be used at any time in your act.
You use two gimmicks and produce a silk in each hand.
With this improved version, binding is eliminated. We supply the gimmick and instructions, you supply the silk. $37.50 (60.013)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=3528&cat=0&page=2)
Readings As Entertainment – Richard Webster: How to make money providing entertaining readings for the corporate market.
You can enjoy a lucrative part-time or full-time career as an entertainer who provides brief readings for clients and guests at corporate events. In this book, Richard Webster, who has worked in this market for almost thirty years, shares with you all the secrets he has learned about this little known, uncrowded, and lucrative market.
You will learn how to give brief, yet insightful readings for the corporate market. You'll also discover:
The essentials of reading
The six types of readings you should provide
How to gain experience at giving quick readings
How to get started
How much to charge
How to start part-time
How to build up your reading business
How to create a professional image
and much more
Richard Webster is the author of more than 90 books, 28 of them for the mentalism market. Richard has enjoyed a varied career, including periods as a mentalist, stage hypnotist, magician, psychic reader, and pitchman. He has appeared on Hard Copy, 20:20, and the Mike and Marty Show. In 2007, the Psychic Entertainer's Association presented him with The Dan Blackwood Award for his "outstanding contribution to the art of Mentalism. $45.00 (BK01650)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1660&cat=0&page=2)
Mogar Mini Knives – Set of 8: These 1-inch real knives are a perfect match for all of Mogar’s Knives. They can be used as a fantastic climax to any knife routine where a single knife changes to 8 mini knives. A sensational finish to any routine!
Comes with a beautiful carrying case. $89.95 (10.1519)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1767&cat=0&page=2)
Unleaded – Txema Gico & Devin Knight: A new way to do visible spirit-writing without any chemicals. Showa pad of paper and talk briefly about spirit-writing in the past and how mediums used slates and chalks. They also turned out the lights. You will try some modern day spirit-writing by trying to channel a spirit, using nothing but a sheet of paper and a toothpick, in full light and view.
A sheet of paper is torn from a pad, and you give the paper along with a toothpick to a participant. Ask him to try to write his initials with the toothpick. Nothing shows up, of course. Tell him you want him to mark the paper so it can't be switched. You hand him a real pencil and he writes his initials on a corner. This lets him see what real pencil writing looks like on the paper and also lets him see that it is just a normal piece of paper. A card is secretly selected and left face down on the table. No force. Nobody looks at it yet.
Ask the person to remove any toothpick from a box of toothpicks and to make sure there is no secret writing device concealed in it (such as lead). Explain that you will channel a spirit who will cause the toothpick to act as a real pencil and write the name of the unknown card.
Close your eyes and hold the toothpick against the paper. As you move it, real pencil writing (automatic spirit-writing) appears on the paper. Remember, the spectator’s initials are right above the writing that appears. Finally, the complete name of the card is written, say 5 Hearts. The face down card is turned over and seen to be the same. The spirit has apparently channeled the name of the card and caused it to appear in penciled spirit-writing.
There is nothing concealed in your hands and the spectators see the toothpick causing pencil writing to appear. There are no secret writers, chemicals of any kind, carbonless paper, carbon paper, nail writers, double writing, etc used. No gimmicks of any kind! Your hands can be shown freely at any time, and no amount of hand-burning will reveal the secret to an astute spectator.
Comes complete with toothpicks, pad of paper and complete directions giving several variations. Comes with a hilarious comedy routine in which you channel the spirit of Elvis that will have them rolling in the aisle with laughter!
Bonus: With Unleaded you can do most any effect involving a nail-writer without using a nail-writer. All you need is a sheet of paper and an empty hand (really.) Yet anything can be predicted and shown to have been previously written on the paper.
$20.00 (40.680)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1719&cat=0&page=2)
Bandarizumu: Imagine being able to magically inflict a little property damage on that SUV taking up two parking spaces. Whether you feel inclined to freak the owner or an innocent passerby is your call, and it is definitely your responsibility.
Bandarizumu is a fabulous effect for those of you who work on the street. The performer shows his hands empty, then proceeds to visually tear away an area of paint from a car or other random object! The spectator watches the paint being pulled back and hears the sound of paint peeling! Double heart attack! Before matters can go any further, the performer then merely passes his empty hand over the afflicted area. The property wound is instantly restored in the blink of an eye! The hands are shown empty and that is the end of the matter. Those parked cards are now fair game, along with signs, poles, walls, and random objects. Organic magic at it's best!
$25.00 (DVD1003)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1699&cat=0&page=2)
And, that’s this week’s On The Road Hotlist! I can’t wait to get to the first Stuckies or Cracker Barrel or Howard Johnson’s (are they still in business). Just lovin life on the road.
While I am out there on the Interstate, I sincerely hope you will find some time to spend with us either online at www.magicfact.com or in person at 102 North Street in Medford. Either way, we love the company!
Hank
