Greetings from everyone here at Hank Lee’s Magic Factory. Before I mention anything else, let me remind you that Sunday, May 9th is Mother’s Day! A Hallmark Holiday created to celebrate mothers, wives, mothers-in-law, sisters and basically anyone of the female gender in your life. Trust me, there are even cards for your female pet! Anyway, it is really important to get to the card store and make the appropriate purchases. Flowers are also a good idea. And, if you are feeling particularly flush, something of the gift nature is good. I remind you of all of this in order to keep you from sleeping on the couch in the garage, which is neither comfortable nor healthy. You can thank me later.
On the home front, Aron is getting ready for his big trip to Italy. When he first said he was going to be abroad for the summer, I was a little concerned. Was he simply talking about cross dressing, or did he have something more drastic in mind? (Bad joke; I apologize. But I am chuckling anyway). He has made a list of all the electronics he will need for his sojourn. It’s a nice long list. Luckily I have a red pencil to do some serious editing. Several deliveries of cigars and cigar-aphenalia have arrived at the house. Silly me, I thought he was going to study. Turns out, it’s all about smoking cigars and drinking Italian wine. Why did I think otherwise?
April was a mighty fine month here at the Magic Factory. Of course, the big event was the Cape Cod Conclave. But, aside from that, we were busy as busy can be! Packing and shipping and shipping and packing. Our Buy Some Get 100% For Free event was a huge success. Folks were placing big orders, and getting huge boxes of brand new free magic in return. I am sure we will do it again in the near future, so keep your eyes open!
I think you will really like this week’s Excitement. It’s a twist on last week’s excitement, and it’s just for you folks on our email Newsletter list! Enjoy.
FREE SHIPPING PLUS FREE GIFT! Until Friday, the 14th of May at midnight, we are offering free ground shipping and a free gift 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 14th of May! 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.
FREE GIFT: If you place the words FREE GIFT in the Customer Notes Box, we will also include a very nice magical gift with your order! Something brand new, off the shelf!
So, you need to do two things:
Enter SHIPMEFREE in the Discount Coupon Box
Enter FREE GIFT in the Customer Notes Box.
Do both things and you will for sure be a happy camper!!
Now, let’s take a look at this week’s Hotlist
(1) Ring In Gumball Machine: This is the only authorized version of the Ring In Gumball Machine, hand constructed by the originator of the concept and effect - World Champion Magician Joe Givan.
After winning first place at FISM and being only the third person in history to win the IBM Gold Cups, Joe was compelled to release an earlier version of his effect, due to unauthorized copies being put on the market. We have the rights through Joe to offer his latest and greatest version of this (now) classic effect! With many improvements, here is the basic effect:
A gumball machine has been on stage through the entire show, either visible or covered by a cloth, to be revealed later. The magician borrows a spectator's ring, which either disappears or magically changes into a quarter. At this point, the magician never touches the machine. The spectator places the coin in the machine, turns the handle, and out drops a prize capsule. The spectator removes the capsule, pops it open and finds here missing ring! The magician never touches the capsule.
And, there is more!
The ring can emerge in the first, second, or third capsule; it's up to you!
A popular routine is to have the first capsule contain a joke prize, the second contains a signed card or bill, and the third has the spectator's ring!
It's the ultimate 'Ring in Nest of Boxes' presentation, using an ordinary, recognizable object - not a contrived looking 'magic prop'.
It plays for 2 - 2000 people!
Includes an hour long DVD with routines, tips and more! $699.00 (60.1668)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=10069&cat=0&page=1)
(2) Mad Scientist – Peter Loughran: Bring out a thin tray with a large test tube on one side and a second test tube on the other side. The second test tube is elevated off the tray on its own mini stand. Show a silk handkerchief and place it inside one of the test tubes, explaining that you have the ability to manipulate the molecules of certain objects and can make them teleport short distances. Offer to demonstrate.
Place a large playing card in front of both test tubes and explains that the silk will teleport from one test tube to the other one that is elevated off the tray with a clear view underneath the thin stand. Make a magical gesture and say that the silk has indeed teleported. Offer to prove it by checking the tubes yourself. Look down and say, "Yes, it has indeed teleported to the other test tube. But the hard part is to make it return." Make a magical gesture and this time remove the cards to show that the silk is back in its original place! The audience demands to see it again but this time without the card!
OK. You throw away one of the cards, and place the other one in front of the test tube containing the silk. This time you pick up the card but secretly pick up the silk, so it is hidden behind the playing card. Place the card (and silk) in front of the other test tube that is resting on the mini stand. Secretly place the silk into this test tube and immediately remove the card. The audience is less than impressed. This time they want to see done with no cover at all.
Offer to do it again, but tell the audience that they better not blink or they will miss it. A magical gesture, and this time, the silk visibly vanishes from one tube and instantly re-appears in the other tube which is isolated off the tray on its own stand.
Stunning visual magic, and a great sucker effect. This illusion is perfect for kids and adults alike. A guaranteed hit at your next show!
Easy to do
Completely self contained
Self working
Test tubes are made from of durable Acrylite Plus Plexiglas
Tubes may be removed
The audience has a clear view at all times under the mini stand that elevates the second tube
No mirrors are used inside the tubes.
Tray is beautifully built, deceptive and tricked out in polished aluminum
Mechanisms are ingeniously designed
$350.00 (60.1669)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=10075&cat=0&page=1)
(3) Houdini Credit Card Lock Pick Set: Houdini was known for being able to hide lock picks in plain sight until he needed them to escape. There were no credit cards in Houdini's day, but if there were he probably would have invented this item to hide his escape tools on his person.
The first thing you will notice is the haunting, ghost-like image of Houdini in the background!
Not so obvious is the fact that the credit card numbers, if converted to the text letters on a telephone, (6= either "M" or "N" or "O" and so on) spell out: "Nothing can hold me"!
Finally, the "Member Since" and "Valid Thru" dates represent Houdini's exact birth and death dates.
These are credit card size lock pick sets. The back portion of the card slides off to reveal 4 individual picks and a double-sided tension tool. The credit card sets are less than 1/8 inch thick and fit into the same wallet space as a credit card! The picks are top quality, solid stamped Stainless Steel made in the USA.
The set is a collectible tribute to the greatest escape artist in history.
$39.95 (70.987)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=10073&cat=0&page=1)
(4) Six. Impossible. Things – John Bannon: The new lecture booklet.
A deeper, layered kind of surprise. A mathematical drive-by. Poker and more. Go all in.
Counterpunch
The Dunbury Delusion slams into the Biddle trick. It's not just a card trick, it's a con job.
Four Faces North
Bannon's "Last Man Standing" leaner and meaner. Shuffle the cards face-up and face-down. No way! Only Aces staring upward.
Watching The Detectives
Continue your guided tour down the garden path. A sandwich trick from the twilight zone. You won't see it coming.
New Jax
Next stop: A highly-engineered, stealth fighter-like transposition. Welcome to the future.
Origami Prediction
A mathematical drive-by. Multi-stage prediction with error-correction. Fools you when you see it. Fool yourself when you do it.
Origami Poker Revisited
A delayed, self-referential prediction structure. In other words, a Royal Flush ending.
Riverboat Poker
Poker on the dangerous and unpredictable riverboats. One opponent drops out after each round of cards is dealt. A royal flush beats a full house. Showdown.
The Bannon Triumph
Re-branding Bannon's classic four-packet Triumph routine. You know it; you love it. Or, will love it.
The Einstein Overkill
Fooled Einstein; might fool you. Einstein didn't get to see the kicker ending. He wouldn't stand a chance.
64 pages. Softbound. $15.00 (BK01705)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=10068&cat=0&page=1)
(5) Encyclopedia Of Impromptu Card Forces – Lewis Jones: Lewis Jones agreed to allow our friends at H&R Books to reprint his out-of-print instant classic, an encyclopedic collection of card forces. The original British edition was limited to just 300 copies and sold out quickly at a higher price. This new printing makes the book available to a wider audience and is more popularly priced. It contains over 500 forces, and these are illustrated with more than a hundred photographed illustrations. These forces don't make use of gimmicked cards of any kind. Many of them are well off the beaten track, and many have never appeared in print before.
Steve Bryant, in reviewing the British printing, said "Lewis Jones's hardbound Encyclopedia of Impromptu Card Forces, weighing in at a whopping 294 oversized pages, is all its title claim it to be. And to repeat that number, it's five hundred practical forces ... This is a grand resource."
Hardbound with dust jacket. 294 pages. $50.00 (BK01707)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=10069&cat=0&page=1)
(6) Color Changing Knife – Rodger Lovins: This Color Changing Knife is built to last! It is a custom made, high quality knife with 3 high polished stainless steel blades, solid brass liners and pins and nickel silver bolsters. This knife has deep etched thumb pulls located on both sides of every blade for an added subtlety. The slightly rounded shape makes the paddle move easy to perform and very deceptive. The size is 3 1/2 inches long, 1/2 inch wide and 3/4 inches tall. This is not a cheap dollar store knife. The machine work is precise in every detail. The handles are absolutely beautiful. A matching Sunset Yellow ungimmicked knife is also available in a limited supply.
Available Colors:
Sunset Yellow/Antique Red
Sunset Yellow/Pearl Black
Sunset Yellow/Burnt Amber
Sunset Yellow/Sunset Yellow (Ungimmicked)
Instructions and routines not included.
$25.00 (10.1569)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=10070&cat=0&page=1)
See what some working pros say about our Color Changing Knives!
"Beautiful Workmanship! They are one of the prettiest sets of knives I have ever seen." -Whit Haydn
"Really the best I have ever felt or seen" -Tim Wright
"What a great job you have done. I cannot believe the quality of these knives for the price." -Mark Mason
(7) Restless DVD Volume 1 – Dan Hauss: In 2007 Dan Hauss brought up the idea of doing a massive film project unlike anything else on the market. The idea was simple, to make a multi-volume DVD set packed with effects that could be released on their own. Over three years have passed and the dream has become a reality.
Restless is the result of many sleepless nights where Dan created some truly unique and sometimes bizarre magic. On these DVDs there is magic with shoe strings, gum, name tags, water bottles, matches, straws, candy, coffee creamers and many other ordinary everyday objects. Plus fans of Sleeping Queen and Lit will get a deeper look at the visual and unusual card magic of Dan Hauss. This is truly unique, practical and unforgettable magic from one of magic's fastest rising stars.
Volume 1
Box Prediction- Dan's ultra clean change of one card for another uses an incredibly simple gimmick that you can use for many different routines. This is one of the most convincing in-the-hands change your spectators will ever see.
Blurred- Spectators will not believe their eyes... seriously. In this routine a spectator concentrates on a bottle and stares at the label. Shortly after they begin to look, the label becomes blurry and then returns to its normal state. Unbelievable.
Torisit 1- Awesome souvenir routine. A corner of a card is torn, the card is signed as well as the one below. The restoration happens in the spectator’s hand and the signed card now has half of the other card permanently attached.
Unmatched- Eric Jones stops by to help us out with a great handling of Dan's awesome effect with a pack of matches. An empty pack of matches is shown front and back. The magician closes the pack and opens it to reveal that the pack of matches is now full.
Billiard- A wager is offered of a dollar that you will be able to find their card. After an unsuccessful attempt to find their card you change the wrong card into a dollar bill. This is a great, visual way to introduce money into your close up routine.
Hello My Card Is- Super clean; super commercial routine. A signed card is found in a completely impossible location, under your name tag.
Pack Attack- A piece of gum penetrates an unopened pack of gum in the most visual way.
$34.95 (DVD01134)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=10076&cat=0&page=1)
(8) Restless DVD Volume 2 – Dan Hauss:
Jumping Jacks - An old school classic gets the Dan Hauss treatment. The cards get a little funky on this one, cards switch places, they change, they have a party. Extremely visual card magic.
Refilled - Dan's way to turn a ordinary gas station coffee cup into a utility item for making items appear in an empty cup.
3C - A red backed card changes to blue one corner at a time. Finally an insanely visual color change made for real world performance.
Laced – Dan’s very popular effect for making a card appear on your shoelace.
Broke Band Mountain - This is another awesome contribution to the always growing number of great magic effects you can do with rubber bands. A rubber band is broken by a spectator and in a snap (pun intended) it is restored. This is just as great magic should be simple, visual and easy.
TNR Creamer - Ever wanted to have a spectator tear off the label of coffee creamer, completely empty the contents of the creamer just to have it restored by you? No, well if you get the urge here's an extremely clever method for making this effect extremely convincing.
Growing Straw - Just like the title says, a borrowed straw grows to twice its size and shrinks to its original size before it is handed out for examination. You have to see it to appreciate the strength of creating a giant straw in an impromptu setting.
$34.95 (DVD01135)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=10077&cat=0&page=1)
(9) Restless DVD Volume 3 – Dan Hauss:
Puff/Smoke - This is such a powerful way to mix hard hitting mentalism with extremely visual magic. Rarely do you get such big results from such simple methods.
Coin and Marker Transpo - This is Dan's favorite non-gimmicked effect, it has been his impromptu go to effect for years.
Torisit 2 - This is a TNR unlike any other. A spectator tears a card into 4 pieces and they are restored in front of their eyes. This is done in full view of the spectator and the spectator actually sees the cards melt back together.
Footloose - In a town where dancing is forbidden one has plenty of time to create new magic. Footloose is an effect that allows you to combine your laces with a spectator’s laces without tying them, making one long shoelace. There are lots of visual moments in this routine, which is miles apart from the standard card or coin trick. The best part is that this clever gimmick can be on you at all times so you can perform this whenever you want.
Lint - From an obsession with lint brushes an awesome parlor routine is born. This is a routine that has lots of built in comedy and it's definitely a worker.
Kiss The Table - A Hershey Kiss is visually smashed on top of a table and passes through the table leaving a tasty treat unwrapped and ready to be given to someone special.
Fake Take From Box - This is Dan's very special move for removing a spectators selection from anywhere in a card box with all of the cards in the box.
$34.95 (DVD01136)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=10078&cat=0&page=1)
(10) Card Wax Face Up Combo Pack: Introducing the most deceptive means for perform floating, spinning or levitating card effects, face up! These specially formulated waxes vanish on the black pips and white face of playing cards, so you can perform in a variety of lighting conditions without exposing your wax!
The Card Wax Face Up Combo Pack features an amazing new wax that's softer than traditional magician's wax, making it a pleasure to apply. In addition to your favorite levitations, you can also use it for secretly sticking two cards together, ditching, loading; and you can now perform the famous Card on Ceiling as Card on Window!
• Travel-size dispensers are easy to use!
• High-grade wax for professional results!
Included in the Card Wax Face Up Combo Pack is a full supply of this wonderful new wax, both white and black. Made to work with a broad-range of designs, Face Up Card Wax will blend in perfectly with most popular playing card brands. If you use cards, you'll never want to be without Card Wax!
Bonus: Card Colors Invisible Thread! With your purchase of the Card Wax Face Up Combo Pack, you'll receive five feet of Card Color Invisible Thread White and five feet of Card Color Invisible Thread Black, the perfect combination for serious PK magic! $19.95 (70.988)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=10079&cat=0&page=1)
(11) Audience Management – Gay Ljungberg:
A Guide for Magical Entertainers
In this book, Gay Ljungberg shares his performing experience with the reader and reveals a treasure of valuable secrets, about the psychology and the techniques he uses. He teaches you how to select assistants from the audience and how you turn them into instant actors to play with on stage. You will learn how to conquer your stage fright, how to connect with your audience and how to design a strategy for success. You will also discover the secrets of crowd control and stage presence.
Whether you are a performing magician, clown, juggler, ventriloquist, or stand in front of an audience for any other reason; you can improve your act by reading this book.
143 pages – Softbound. $34.95 (BK01706)
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=10071&cat=0&page=1)
(12) Trio by Astor: The 3 predictions written by the Magician are exactly matches with the cards selected by the spectator. The presenter uses a deck of cards and a transparent plexi card stand for the trick. The deck used is normal pack of cards not gimmicked, so the audience can examine it. Before the trick the spectator can shuffle the deck. No sleight of hand is involved. $99.95
(http://www.hanklee.org/xcart/product.php?productid=10067&cat=0&page=1)
And that’s this week’s twelve best items! Don’t forget that you can get free shipping and a free gift with your order!
As always, we really appreciate you taking time out from your busy schedules to visit us online at magicfact.com or in person at 102 North Street in Medford.
Either way, we love the company!
Hank
