Greetings from everyone here at Hank Lee’s Magic Factory. Zoom! This week has just flown by. It feels like just yesterday I was writing last week’s email Newsletter, and now here I am doing it again.
As you read this, Bonnie and I are winging our way to warm and exciting Gainesville, Florida. It’s time to visit Aron the elder son. To make sure his room is clean. Fat chance. To make sure his laundry is done. Fatter chance. To make sure that he is doing OK in his last year at the University of Florida. Actually, we already know that he is doing really well, so no surprises there. October is a great time to visit Gainesville. The temperatures are down a little bit, as is the humidity. I will still pack only shorts and T-shirts.
I hope that all of our Jewish friends had a wonderful Yom Kippur. So much atonement and so little time. I speak for myself, of course. Lucas the singing son reported in that he had carbo-loaded on pizza the night before, spent the day watching obscure movies and then broke the fast by another carbo-loading at the Macaroni Grill. Can all this carbo-loading be good?
We have excellent news on the Conclave front. Mark Kalin and Jinger have committed to next year’s Conclave. They will be closing the Saturday night show. This is a very big deal, for sure. We have been trying to get Mark to the Conclave for years. He has always been too busy performing in the real world. But, this year, because of a perfect cosmic alignment, he has the dates open and will be with us. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited we are about this. When I told the elves, they were all a-twitter. In the old way. Next year’s Conclave is really shaping up now. If you’d like to register early, do it! Just go to: http://www.hanklee.org/conclave/conclave12.html. I am not sure if front row tickets are still available, but you never know!
One quick note. We have just received a new stock of the Haunted House effect from our friend Derek Rutt. It’s the perfect Halloween trick, and we have several in stock right now. If you’ve been thinking of getting something new for you Halloween shows, this is the one!
And, that’s all the news from here. Now, let’s check out this week’s excitement.
30 And Down Sales Event. The early birds really love this sales event. And why not? Save and save. More today than tomorrow, and certainly more than the day after.
Here’s how it works: No matter what day, from right now until Thursday, the 8th of October at midnight, when you purchase from us at Hank Lee’s, you will save money. But, as you may have heard, the early bird gets the worm! Starting right now, you will save 30% on your entire order, subject to the rules below. We will hold that discount, 30%, through Monday, the 5th of October at midnight. We will reduce the discount by 1% each day after that until the 8th of October at midnight. All you need to do is enter the special code 30ANDDOWN in the Discount Coupon Box of the online checkout at www.magicfact.com and we will automatically deduct the correct amount 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!
There are a few rules that apply, as with all things in life.
• The minimum order to use this discount is $30.00.
• 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.
• Offers cannot be combined.
• 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, Reward Points and Promotional Gift Certificates may not be used during this sales event..
• As the discount is automatically generated, you must put the special code in the Discount Coupon Box, and nowhere else. 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. It all ends on the 8th of October at midnight!
And now to this week’s Hotlist!
Cesaral Magic Pendulum: Straightforward effects that play strong are always the best. The method and possibilities of Cesaral Magic Pendulum are just that.
Using a borrowed object for a magic effect is always a plus, and here you use an spectator’s watch. A watch is always something very personal and as a result the impact of the effect is increased dramatically.
Many effects can be accomplished with this new concept. Here are a few of them:
Magic Pendulum: An audience member picks a card which is then lost in the deck, and the deck shuffled. The magician spreads the cards on the table and asks to borrow a watch with a second hand from an audience member. He ties it to the end of a string, and holds it to make a kind of a pendulum. He looks for the card using this home-made pendulum and the second hand stops when it is above the selected card. When the pendulum is moved away, the second hand starts up again.
Watch Stop: The magician asks for a watch with a second hand. To isolate the watch he ties it to a string, and holds the other end. He concentrates on the watch and the second hand stops ticking. Whenever he wants, the second hand starts moving again.
Hour/Date Prediction: The magician selects an audience member who wants to know the date (or time) when a special event will occur. He borrows the spectator’s watch. This audience member could be a pregnant woman, for example, who wants to know the hour of the day or the date on which she will have her baby. To isolate the watch he ties it to a string, and holds the other end. The audience member says aloud the date or hour when they think the special event will take place. Suddenly, the watch’s second hand stops at that specific number or time. A few seconds later it goes on as normal.
Important points:
The magician is not close to the borrowed watch during the effect. Just holds the string…
The method used is incredible and totally deceptive.
The reset takes less than 4 seconds, and thus is great for walk-around magic.
It is very easy to do, allowing you to concentrate on the presentation!
The watch and string can be fully examined at the end.
$45.00 (40.692)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1046&cat=0&page=1)
Freaky Eyeball Illusions: Perfect for Halloween! Everything you need to perform freaky and amazing, eye-popping illusions! More highly visual tricks and stunts including the Hypnotic Eyes, Growing and Shrinking Eyes, Multiplying and even Floating Eyeballs. You won't believe your eyes! For ages 8-Adult. $35.00 (60.1618)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1382&cat=0&page=1)
Alpha To Omega: Stephen Tucker's 'Omega' has long been hailed as one of the greatest packet tricks ever created. Simple to do, fully examinable and devastatingly impressive, it will knock your spectators for six!
So what is Omega?
You have two sets of four of a kind (let's say, two sets of Aces). One set is tabled. One set is placed behind your back. You have any Ace named. Seconds later, this Ace is face down, in the set behind your back, and it has a different colored back to the other three! You now rub their freely named Ace on your sleeve and its face completely vanishes!
These four cards are now examinable
But that’s not all! Now, you spread the tabled set of face down Aces (that have been in full view throughout) and their named Ace is face up!
But that’s not all! Now someone removes the face up Ace and it has a different colored back to the other three
But that’s not all! The shell-shocked spectator flips over the three remaining face down Aces only to discover that they are all blank! Their named card was the only one they could have chosen!
Now for the amazing bit - they can name any Ace! (It can be different every time you perform).
There are no false counts - The handling looks the same every time!
There are no specially printed cards! (No need to 'ever' buy an expensive replacement set!)
100% self-working? Not quite, but Omega is incredibly easy to perform!
Stephen Tucker teaches you all the inside workings of this fabulous routine, plus five more variations that take the principle and exploit it in amazing ways!
Plus: An extensive range of PDF material for you to print out. These pdfs include many specially designed cards and images (ESP cards etc.) for some of the routines
DVD Contents:
Omega
ESP Omega
Blind Faith
One Eye Open
EZ'Wave
The Amazing Four Aces Trick
Tips & Ideas
* DVD Cards
* Exhibit 'A'
* Matrix Reloaded
$30.00 (DVD01051)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1362&cat=0&page=1)
Sneaky Sneaker – Bob Solari: Ask a spectator to merely think of any card. No force of any kind.
Show a face-up deck of cards in your hands.
A small sneaker is placed in full view on the table. Ask the spectator to name her thought-of card. Let's say for example, the spectator names the 2 of Hearts.
The 2 of Hearts is located and cut to the middle of the deck.
The deck is placed face down on the table.
Place the sneaker on top on the deck.
Explain that the sneaker will find their card. After a few seconds the sneaker is removed from the face down deck.
The deck is ribbon-spread on the table. One card and only one card, is seen to have a sneaker imprint on its back!
The card is turned face up and it's the thought of card!
No force, instant reset, any card can be named, no restrictions, learn in 5 minutes! $16.00 (30.1448)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1185&cat=0&page=1)
Silk In Apple – DVD and Props: In this DVD, Alexander de Cova shares his clever insight, finesse, and subtlety to one of magic's favorite cabaret tricks - the Silk in Apple. This effect, that has been a mainstay routine of many magicians, has been refined by Alexander's great attention to detail, and it has been augmented by his new approach and methodology!
A spectator signs or draws a picture on a silk handkerchief. Slowly and deliberately, the magician vanishes the silk. This diabolical method alone is worth the price of admission. But, it doesn't stop here, the apple is not what you may think. It's totally different from previous methods. Your hands and fingers are in full view the entire time. The "secret move" is not like what the other methods require!
Alexander explains all the preparations, moves, and fine points in his well-known meticulous manner.
The DVD comes with the special gimmick to perform this amazing routine.
$24.95 (60.1619)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1427&cat=0&page=1)
Music For Magic Shows: Original music especially composed by Gustavo Baldrati, an Argentinean musician and a fan of magic, with the purpose of being used at magic shows. Every piece of music has been created with a different kind of magic in mind.
Includes:
Show Openers and Closers
Short pieces for certain moments
Magic Styles
$15.00 (70.976)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1100&cat=0&page=1)
Matrix: Visual Close-Up Coin Magic DVD: Al Schneider’s Matrix is one of the most popular close-up magic tricks of all time.
Four coins are placed on a table, outlining the points of a square. The coins are momentarily covered by cards. Then, visually and instantly, they gather together -- magically moving about the table top - in a visual and inexplicable manner than can only be described as pure magic.
On this DVD, professional magician Tomás Medina demonstrates and explains four versions of Matrix, and outlines every detail, including: --- Versions for beginners and professionals
- All necessary sleights and moves
- Variations both with and without playing cards
- Detailed history and credits of the effect
- And much more!
Matrix is a trick that can be performed with borrowed objects -- pocket change -- at a moment's notice. Take the time to learn it, perfect it, and perform it. You'll be glad you did. $10.00 (DVD01050)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1338&cat=0&page=1)
Chapter One – Asi Wind – DVD and Book:
Excerpt from the Preface of the book:
When I started working on this project, I was searching for a title for this booklet that would reflect my viewpoint on magic in in a nutshell. The title I came up with was "Magic Evolution." This title conveys the idea that magic, like anything else in life, is a process of evolution, where one thing evolves to another. In other words, almost every trick "invented" was based on someone else's "invention." We are just updating, upgrading and modifying (not always with success) ideas and thoughts of other magicians from a prior stage of the evolution.
Now, some might object to the idea that everything in magic is just a modification or improvement of another idea. That might be true to some degree, but I do believe that even "revolutionary new ideas" grew out of influence and inspiration.
Obviously, the title "Magic Evolution" didn't make it to the cover, as it risked the implication of a historical treatise about the evolution of magic: therefore, "Chapter One" took its place. As this is the first chapter - for better or for worse - of my contribution to the evolution of magic.
I hope you will enjoy perfecting and performing the routines described in this booklet, and hopefully it will ignite your mind to take it further in the magic evolution. – Asi Wind
Contents:
Magic Evolution (preface)
Somebody Stop Me
Dishonesty (essay)
Red & Black
Out of the blue (or red)
The oxygen of suspense (essay)
A.A.C.A.A.N.
Subliminal (essay)
Transportation in three phases
Last Words
35 pages. Saddle Stitched. Photo-illustrated. $35.00 (BK01670)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1549&cat=0&page=1)
No Batteries Required – Christopher Taylor: Christopher Taylor is best known for his marvelous electronic contributions to mentalism such as Equinox, T•3, Eclipse and The Real Ghost. Here however, he presents six wonderful "low tech" feats of mental magic. No Batteries Required is a mix of classic mentalism routines and the very strange. All are easy to perform and each one delivers great impact. Christopher performs for real audiences on this DVD so that you can witness genuine reactions -- there are no canned or exaggerated responses here!
Effects:
Room 4
A participant journeys with you to a room she secretly chooses in an imaginary burning building. She escapes unharmed but you returned with a spooky souvenir. Powerful and unconventional mental magic.
Enso
A delightful combination of the "which hand?" scenario with the mysterious appearance of a circle on a signed business card. Christopher teaches you to make a "which hand?" detector that is as effective as many of the high-priced electronic versions! Gimmick included in box.
Catalyst
A piece of simple and direct mentalism in which the performer acts to bring out a participant's hidden telepathic and clairvoyant abilities.
Dinner and a Movie
A powerful billet routine in which a young couple each learn something new about how their partner thinks about them. Christopher teaches one of the easiest billet switches and peeks ever!
Key Effect
Christopher's much hailed Qi Coin principle applied to key bending along with a new key-bending slight.
There and Back
A simplified version of Christopher's marketed effect. A participant secretly chooses a destination for a psychic journey. When they return they are holding a souvenir coin from their chosen country, which they get to keep. $35.00 (DVD01049)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1260&cat=0&page=1)
And that’s this week’s On The Road To Gainesville Hotlist. Very hot. But, not as hot as in July! I hope you will study each and every one of these items. Then, I hope you will run to your computer and order at least some of them! I hope, I hope.
As always, I cannot even begin to tell you how much it pleases me that you find 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 Lee
