I am also in a great mood because the Conclave is coming up in two short months! Man, is this one going to be great! Great talent. A great new venue. Great dealers. And, me, the great Hank Lee. Hold on, I think I twisted my arm patting myself on the back. The dates are April 9th through the 11th. I hope you have already registered. If not, why not? We’ll all be there. And, we hope you will be too! Really, we do. By the way, if you go to the Conclave page, you can click on the Conclave Schedule and see all of the events for this year’s Conclave!
I hope you have been paying attention for the past few weeks. I have gone into great detail to let you know about all the ways you can save here at Hank Lee’s, even when there are no weekly sales. So, now it’s time for a little quiz to see how much attention you have been paying. Name the three ways that you can save money all the time right here. Hold on, I’ll give you a couple of seconds to think.
OK. Pencils down. The answer is: Magic of the Month Club, Reward Points and the Platinum Club.
On the home front, Lucas the Singing Son, auditioned for and got the lead in Oberlin College’s production of Candide. We are very proud. The show runs the second weekend in March. I’m thinking we will be there.
And, that’s it from here. Stay dry. Stay warm. And check out this week’s ongoing excitement.
FREE SHIPPING EXTENDED AGAIN: Until Friday, the 12th of February at midnight, we are offering free ground shipping on any order over $30.00 to anywhere in the US, including Alaska and Hawaii! Just enter the special code SHIPMEFREE in the Discount Coupon Box at the bottom of the first page of the online checkout at www.magicfact.com. We will happily pick up the ground shipping charges on your order. Of course, if you want your order sent Fedex Three Day (Express Saver), Second Day or Next Day, you will just have to pay the difference.
Note: Your email confirmation from our online system will still list the shipping as free, but we will charge the difference when we ship your order.
Overseas customers will save as well! We will pay one-half of the Air Post shipping charges on your orders until the 12th of February! Just remember to enter the special code SHIPMEFREE in the Discount Coupon Box, or let the person taking your phone order know when you place your order at 800 874 7400.
Now, let’s take a look at this week’s Hotlist
(1) Three Card Joe: This could very well be the best purchase you make this year!
Close-up magicians become stage performers and stage performers will have a card routine that can be seen from the back of the room!
Why is this routine better than other "3 card" routines? Of all the Monte routines on the market, this will be the one you'll keep in your act because it's bigger, more professional and designed to "bring the house down."
This is not just a routine. The large cards are specially gimmicked. This is not a small close-up trick. It is a stage effect that plays as big as an illusion but much cheaper and easier to travel with. The props/cards are bigger than your head! Easy enough to handle for anyone.
The cards are long-lasting durable plastic made with the best screening process available. What separates this effect from so many other Three Card Monte effects (with all due respect to their creators) is that the ending doesn't lead to the conclusion that you've used gimmicked cards.
Three powerful segments of the routine validate your expertise as a skilled serious or comedy magician. You can play it either way. This is a professional effect for real-world workers. Audiences of all ages follow the routine from start to killer finish! No boring bits.
Perfect for trade shows, private shows, corporate events, fundraisers, cruise ships, comedy clubs, children's shows, close-up, stage, & TV because the cards are held in front of you!
Joe Monti takes you through the easy to learn method & demonstrates every move & nuance in detail on the enclosed DVDs. Theory included. This personal instruction alone is worth the price of the kit!
Can be used as an opener or closer. It’s that strong! This is solid time added to your act. Priceless!
Includes the Teaching DVD, TV performance DVD (unedited), and 3 large 12” x 8” specially-made durable plastic gimmicked cards. $99.95 (60.1650)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1223&cat=0&page=1)
"You can't do better than this routine direct from a professional's repertoire." - Jeff Hobson
"Practical. Simple, compelling plot. Clean handling and lots of surprises. What more do you want?" - John Carney
"Awesome & hysterical routine that plays really big. Everything I need." -- Bob Sheets
(2) Rubik Predicted: A fantastic Rubik effect that you can carry in your wallet!
This new effect from Rubik's Cube expert Mark Elsdon allows you to tap into the fun, mystery and impossibility of solving the Cube - without even needing to carry one! A spectator freely chooses a random mixed-up Cube design and without any sleights, gaffs or 'outs' the performer reveals a photo that predicts the design exactly!
Comes complete with Rubik's Cube: Expert Practice Cards and the photo prediction.
Everything is examinable.
Only one photo used.
No sleights or moves required whatsoever.
No memory work.
$30.50 (10.1560)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1577&cat=0&page=1)
"It's a brilliant prediction trick, it's visual and colorful, dead easy to do, spectator proof and nastily deceptive. I love it, so will you and your audiences. Ten out of ten to Mark Elsdon for devising this elegant gem." - Ian Rowland.
(3) Magic Menu – Winter 2010: For more than ten years, from 1990 through 2001, The Magic Menu was a continuing and trusted source of practical information for close-up magicians, particularly those who performed in restaurants, bars and night spots. Each issue brought real-world advice, information, reviews of the latest magic and audience-tested effects from some of the best magicians in the world.
After an eight-year hiatus, The Magic Menu is back with a renewed vision and a brand new staff for another generation of professional and semi-professional close-up magicians.
Some of the columnists and contributors you'll meet include Paul Green, Al The Only and Mark Zacharia (all held over by popular demand from the original staff), in addition to Richard Osterlind, John LeBlanc, Diamond Jim Tyler, Paul Gordon, Scott F. Guinn, Christopher Lyle, Dan Doyle, Mark Byrne, James Prince, Tom Frank and, of course, founder and editor Jim Sisti.
And, unlike the newsletter format of the original, the new incarnation of The Magic Menu has a magazine-like look with a full-color cover. Inside, however, is the same quality of information, insights and original magic that made The Magic Menu one of magic's most unique periodicals.
Inside this issue:
The Editor's Desk by Jim Sisti
Cover Story - Are Online Forums Hurting Your Magic? by John Leblanc
In The Trenches - The [Legal] Ties That Bind by Paul Green
Mobile Mysteries - Being Seen by Everyone by Richard Osterlind
Sleightly Delusional - The End is Where We Begin by Christopher Lyle
Ask the Only 2.0 - It's All in the Approach by Al the Only
The Way I See It - Written in Stone...NOT! by Scott F. Guinn
Yesterday's Treasures - Eric C. Lewis's Martin's Miracles by Dan Doyle
The Bar Top - Some Tips, Some Answers...and a Worker by Paul Gordon
Magic in Review - Old News is Good News by Mark Zacharia
Tricks for the Trade - The Magic of Halitosis by Diamond Jim Tyler
Profile of a Worker - In the Spotlight: Alec Negri [Slyhand] by James Prince
Frankly Speaking - You in Show Business...or Just a Magician? by Tom Frank
24 pages. Saddle Stitched. $10.00 (BK01695)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1371&cat=0&page=1)
(4) Caution: Magician At Work Sign: A very funny visual gag. Why, the mere idea of it makes me laugh. “Magician At Work” What a hilarious concept! But, seriously.
These are high quality, lightweight, hi-impact plastic signs.
Bright yellow background with black lettering. The sign reads Caution - Magician at Work. It lets them know two things. That you are a magician. And, that you are at work.
Can be used with Velcro and attached to the front of a Pro Suitcase table.
Also can be wall mounted, or attached to the door of your magic room.
We bought ‘em all, so you will only find these cool signs here at Hank Lee’s Magic Factory, and not there.
Priced way too low! $15.00 (70.981)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1030&cat=0&page=1)
(5) Ghost Tag: Imagine a spooky card revelation inside a sealed photo key-tag! Peter Eggink's brand new effect can be examined and carried with you at all times!
Effect:
A spectator freely selects a card from a shuffled deck and is asked to memorize it. Explain that you actually learned how to perform magic from your grandfather.
Pull out your keys and point out the photo frame key-tag with your grandfather's photo sealed inside.
In that specific photo, grandpa carries a playing card face down in his jacket pocket.
Explain that sometimes you still can communicate with your grandfather through magic. Visually and magically the face down card in the photo turns face up only to reveal the 4 of spades, the spectator's selection!
Right after the revelation of the card in the photo, the key-tag may be handed out for examination!
No funny moves or whatsoever! Ghost Tag is a unique effect and will fool everyone who sees it. Simply attach the Ghost Tag to your keys and you're always ready to freak them out!
Comes complete with custom handmade key-tag and everything else you'll need to perform this stunning effect. It even comes with different images to customize the key-tag to your own preferences! The full training DVD will guide you step by step on how to perform and customize your Ghost Tag. You'll love the clever concept!
Resets in seconds!
More outcomes possible!
Self-contained!
No switches!
Key-tag can be handed out for examination!
DVD and special hand crafted Key-tag
$50.00 (30.1469)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1202&cat=0&page=1)
(6) Secrets Of The Professor’s Nightmare DVD: World’s Greatest Magic By The World’s Greatest Magicians - In the mid-1950s, Bob Carver created a sensation with a rope effect he created based on ideas from Hen Fetsch. In fact, before he could be awarded the IBM Originality Trophy in 1957, he had to expose his creation's pure sleight-of-hand method to the judges. Later dubbed Professor's Nightmare by Gene Gordon, the effect of three completely examinable ropes of differing lengths magically becoming the same size has become a classic of magic
On this DVD, you'll meet six different performers, all with their own singular takes on this wonderful effect.
Funnyman Michael Finney starts off with his version, honed by years of exposition on countless comedy club stages and he shares many performance tips that make the routine both easier and stronger.
Dan Fleshman follows with a great walk-around version that would fit quite nicely into the repertoire of any strolling performer.
The great Bob Read's performance is an object lesson in how to take a well-known effect and make it truly your own while Al Schneider's version brings the mystery of this effect to the close-up table.
Marc DeSouza is next with a stage routine choreographed to music that features a synthesis of ideas that begin and end with a single length of rope.
Finally, Dan Tong also begins with a single piece of rope, continues through the Professor's Nightmare sequence, and ends with a completely restored length, a perfect routine for working a large table while strolling.
Many have relegated the Professor's Nightmare to a stock trick but this is a mistake. As Michael Finney so aptly says, "Don't be embarrassed to do it. It's a great trick. The layman loves it...and you'll like it!"
$19.95 (DVD01097)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1443&cat=0&page=1)
(7) Fourth Key Book Test:
Have you ever dreamed of any of the following?
1. A book test that can fit in your pocket.
2. A book test which is fun to perform.
3. A book test that will allow you to describe so much more than a single word.
4. A book test that will enable you to describe an image in your spectators mind.
Well dream no more! - The Fourth Key is the answer!
Based around a New Age book of love spells the Fourth Key allows your spectator to open the book at any page and memorize a very simple spell. With no fishing whatsoever you will be able to describe the spell in full glorious detail
You can use the Fourth Key as a stand alone book test, as part of a one-ahead routine or even to help you reveal the name of your spectator's first love.
The Fourth Key is the ideal way to inject a solid piece of mind reading into your close up or stage act and by its very nature takes a light-hearted approach to the sometimes boring revelations of the standard think of a word book test.
The Fourth Key is the ideal book test to carry and perform at all times, and will be a dream to perform at your upcoming Valentine's Day gigs.
Easy to perform, Learn in minutes, perform forever! $41.00 (40.709)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1242&cat=0&page=1)
(8) Magic Enhancer CD Volume 2: With more of the great stuff you love. This volume has more openers, closers, segues, sound effects and more. Additionally, there are audio cuts for escape artists and comedy magicians too.
Magic Enhancer Volume 2 is a professional compilation of studio enhanced voice and audio tracks aimed at improving any show or entertainment business. Each track is designed to solve some of the most common problems facing performers today. With solutions for audio voice-overs, show openers, show closers, vocal drops, sound effects and more- the Magic Enhancer Volume 2 will make you look more professional. Your audience will believe you have a full production studio at your disposal! $29.95 (70.982)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1544&cat=0&page=1)
(9) Secrets Of Ambitious Classic DVD: World’s Greatest Magic By The World’s Greatest Magicians - A small packet Ambitious Card routine circulated in the underground among the cardmen cognoscenti before it finally saw print and was dubbed the Ambitious Classic. The plot is simple enough: several cards, usually and Ace through Five, each rise to the top of the small packet one at a time until there's only one card left, which is usually discovered to have magically changed into a completely different card, much to the delight of spectators.
On this DVD, you'll find five master card magicians each with their own interpretation of this modern classic of card magic.
Fittingly, Larry Jennings leads off with his routine which has served as the jumping-off point for many variations that have followed.
James Swain is next with his interpretation of the Jennings routine but adding an eye-popping climax.
Derek Dingle turns the routine into a humorous experiment in spectator perception while Michael Ammar boils the routine down to its most basic components, complete with a Super Practice Session to make all of the moves that much easier to learn.
Finally, Bruce Cervon adds his four-card version where it seems all of the magic is happening under the most fair of circumstances.
Larry Jennings felt that the Ambitious Classic was one of the most entertaining routines that he performed for laymen. It was his "go-to" routine when someone asked him to do a card trick. Learn any of the versions of this marvelous card trick presented here and you'll always have an any-deck miracle at the ready.
$19.95 (DVD01098)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1457&cat=0&page=1)
(10) Special Effects – Wayne Dobson: "Special Effects is my latest, and I honestly believe my best book to date. Within its forty pages, you'll encounter thirteen really strong close-up and stand-up routines, and all my own offerings appear here in print for the very first time.
There are routines with business cards, playing cards, bottles and bottle caps and even one with a silk and a borrowed packet of cigarettes.
Finally, I'd like to thank Pat Page, Steve Beam and Stephen Tucker for permission to include their three routines.”
Contents include:
Guesstimation - You always know how many cards have been cut off. How? Guessing? Estimating? No...guesstimating!
Some You Win Some You Lose - This one you win...always!
Continuous Do As I Do - Pat Page's superb routine with a regular deck of cards and a spectator.
Possessions - All you use are 12 of your business cards and a few borrowed objects for this amazing demonstration of the psychic.
Mobile Phone Keys - Three times you predict a spectator's actions!
ACAAN Almost - A 'Hands-off' version of Any Card At Any Number.
Invisible Deck - No deck of cards, and the very first time I've ever tipped the method!
Lucky Card - My version of Vernon's classic routine 'The Trick That Cannot Be Explained'.
Bottle Opener - The Bottle Vanish routine to end them all.
Marked Phenomena - A brilliant routine from Steve Beam where you find the card they thought of and, incredibly, they find the card you thought of!
Silk In Cigarette Box - Does what it says on the tin!
Five Card Repeat - My opening stand-up routine for more years than I care to remember.
Nailed - A six inch nail, impales a signed, selection.
$35.00 (BK01694)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=1441&cat=0&page=1)
And, that’s this week’s Hotlist. More great new stuff that we have carefully mixed in with all of our other great new stuff. The beat goes on. I hope you will take your time perusing all the new items, then click on the Online Catalog and peruse the other 7000 items that we carry. So much magic.
As always, we truly appreciate the time you take out of your busy schedule to spend with us. Whether it’s online at www.magicfact.com or in person at 102 North Street in Medford, we love your company.
Hank Lee
