Greetings from all of us at Hank Lee's Magic Factory. Snow and more snow and even more snow. For the first time since the Blizzard of '78, we closed the shop for the day on Wednesday. Overnight Tuesday, we had over a foot of snow, with blizzard conditions continuing all day Wednesday. The roads were a mess, and in many cases the snow was blowing so hard that visibility was down to zero. I hope no one was inconvenienced, but there was just no way for us to get into the office on Wednesday. Did someone say it's warmer in Costa Rica? I am sure it is.
By yesterday afternoon, we caught up on all the orders and got them out the door. So, there were no major delays caused by the storm. I was so glad that Lucas is still home for Winter Break. He was a huge help in the snow removal project!
On the home front, yesterday, January 13th was Aron's 24th birthday. Twenty four years of Aron. Oh, how time does fly. A giant Happy Birthday to him. I hope his present got to him in time. I suspect UPS had to use the dog sleds to deliver it, but they are good that way.
Bonnie tells me that we are heading to Martha's Vineyard today. Very little snow there. However, there is the issue of getting from here to there. Maybe we can borrow the UPS dog sled.I feel like I am rambling. Could be brain freeze. So, let's head right to 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, January 18th 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 30% of the total (Hint: Just multiply the total by .30) 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. 30% of that amount is $150.00. You have earned $150.00 in Free Magic. Just list the additional items you'd like in the Customer Notes Box, up to $150.00, 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 $30.00 to take advantage of this promotion. Remember, this sales event ends on Tuesday, January 18th at midnight, so don't delay. Enjoy!
Now, let's take a look at this week's Hotlist.
(1) Newsworthy – Cosmo Solano: Brand new from Cosmo Solano!
Spectator is told that they will "create" the news.
They are asked to name an hour in the afternoon.
They select a place from six choices (church, library, school, etc.)
They choose a famous person from a stack of 20 cards.
Before the choices are shown you hand a newspaper clipping to the spectator. The cards are turned over and the newspaper clipping has a photo of the famous person selected, visiting the exact location selected. And in the photo, in the background, there's a clock that matches the hour that was named!
This is killer stuff!
What's included?
20 famous people cards
6 "places" cards
Special newspaper clippings
1/4 "Q" (the special "device" that makes it all happen!)
Super easy to do! No sleights, no memorization.
1/4 "Q" fits comfortably in your front pants pocket and will allow you to have the proper newspaper clipping at your fingertips within seconds!
Bonus! Q-Net Website membership included with a new, special section on effects using "Q-singles"!
$89.95 (40.770)
Available the first week of February. Pre-order now and we'll pay the shipping anywhere in the world!
(2) Linking Cigarettes: Akira Fuji's famous trick that he has been performing for over 15 years. After many improvements and refinements, this effect has reached the pinnacle of lean, efficient handling. Many Japanese close-up magicians have already added this effect to their routines.
Hold two cigarettes, one in each hand between the end of the index finger and the thumb to make a D-shape. When you bring your hands together slowly, the cigarettes penetrate each other and the two cigarettes are now linked.
Don't smoke? Don't worry. This effect works with drinking straws, mini felt-tip markers, even small twigs found on the ground.
And this effect doesn't need a stage. It can be done anywhere, including as "street magic."
No thread.
No magnets.
No glue or adhesives
Borrowed cigarettes can be used.
Audience can be behind you; good for street magic.
All that's required is: two hands, cigarettes, time to master the effect and the discipline to practice.
This version also introduces this effect with three cigarettes instead of just two. $30.00 (10.1613)
(3) Cesaral Ultimate Calculator: The new Cesaral Ultimate Magic Calculator is by far the most amazing magic calculator ever created! The effects possible with this fantastic prop are endless, and the power of this new calculator will absolutely thrill you!
It combines, in the same calculator, the power of Cesaral ESP Calculator and the power of Cesaral Mental Mind Calculator, plus some additional secret magic weapons. All the effects that can be done with those great two products, plus much more, are now available in this new mental calculator.
Here is just a sampling of effects:
* The Magician places an envelope in full view. Several audience members add different numbers with a calculator until they decide to stop. An audience member opens the envelope and finds a four digit number that exactly matches the number on the calculator.
* The Magician writes down a 3 digit number prediction and gives it to an audience member. He asks an different audience member to type any 3 digit number into the calculator, and then asks another audience member to divide this number by another 3 digit number. When the "=" key is pressed, a decimal number is shown on the display, and the last 3 digits of this number match the Magician's prediction.
Included with this product will you receive: a gimmicked calculator, an 8 digit receiver with an internal memory, a remote control unit, and a battery charger.
Countless effects are available with this calculator.
Important Points
* The calculator can be fully examined at any time.
* The magician never touches the calculator after giving it to the spectator.
* It comes with a slim and powerful receiver with an internal memory that can store many numbers (and operations used) shown on the calculator.
* You can force part of the result or the total result, whenever you want, or when the audience member presses the "=" key. The forced numbers can be easily recorded in the calculator.
* Cutting edge electronics.
* The effect can be repeated several times with different prediction results, if desired.
* No pre-show work or stooges!
* The calculator effect selector can be operated with or without the remote control unit.
* Very nice, slim, and simple calculator design. The calculator measure 6 inches x 4 inches x less than 1 inch thick.
Easy to use. No sleight of hand required; leaving you to concentrate on presentation!
$1190.00 (40.771)
(4) Photo Finish: Open a superbly made hip-pocket leather wallet and remove a laminated
old photo of your Grandad for a spectator to examine.
Replace the photo back inside the window pocket of the wallet
which then remains open with Grandad in full view.
From the other pocket of the wallet, remove ten playing cards and have
one selected, remembered and shuffled back into the rest.
All the cards are now freely shown to be different.
Grandad's photo is now taken from the wallet
and then slid into the pack of cards.
The photo is then removed from the pack and placed between
the spectator's palms so it cannot be touched.
The cards are now counted again, but only nine
remain and the chosen card is missing!
Grandad's photo is displayed again, and, when turned over, the chosen
card is seen to be sealed on the back of the laminated photo.
The spectator may thoroughly examine this sealed photo.
This is a very simple, strong, and 100% commercial effect.
The wallet can also be used for many other effects, limited only by your imagination.
You are supplied with everything you need to perform
this baffling and very entertaining effect.
Special leather hip pocket wallet, all the necessary cards, old sepia
style laminated photos and fully detailed instructions. $40.00 (30.1565)
(5) Trevor Lewis' Homing Card: We love Trevor Lewis. He is one of our favorite performers, and certainly one of our favorite people. Trevor performed his wonderful Homing Card routine at the Cape Cod Conclave, and it was a complete sellout! Here's what happens:
Attempt to show your audience a new card trick with five RED cards. Show the cards back and front. However, the audience notices that one card in the spread is BLACK.
Remove the black card and start again, this time with four RED cards. Suddenly, another BLACK card appears. Remove the BLACK card and start again.
Continue until you only have one RED card left. This single card also changes to BLACK. So it is impossible to perform the trick with five RED cards.
Trevor's version of the Homing Card comes with the necessary cards so you can perform it from platform or stage with good visibility.
Homing Card is a classic effect. Trevor's version is based on the Fred Kaps routine.
Comes with a bonus lesson on the Second Deal!
Produced on the new Phoenix Parlor Size Cards! Complete with full instructions and all necessary cards. $35.00 (30.1018)
(6) Cash Flow – Juan Pablo: Juan Pablo did it again! This time he has created the quickest and best visual bill change ever, using just one hand. A DVD containing a great variety of explained tricks is included with the gimmick. One of the tricks explained is a one dollar bill held by just two fingers. This bill immediately turns into a one-hundred dollar bill and is shown on both sides. Both hands are clearly empty at all times. This trick works with any currency.Another trick is a check held at the fingertips which turns into several dollars that can be examined.
* Easy to do anytime
* Extremely visual
* Easy and quick set-up
* Immediately repeatable
* No palming
This magic trick can be done with your own bills (works with any currency), checks, lottery cards, receipts and so on.
What you get is a ready-to-use gimmick, materials to create an extra gimmick and a full explanations.
English - Spanish version DVD
$40.00 (10.1619)
(7) The Gathering – Jamie Daws & Dave Forrest: Your spectator chooses a playing card. You hand them a marker and have them sign their name right across it. Take out a hole punch and make two holes in one end of the card. Then, borrow their finger ring and impossibly link the ring through the two punched holes.
Immediately, hand them the card with their ring still linked through the holes. It's really on there! It seems impossible, but their own finger ring really is linked onto their signed card.
Finish by giving them back the ring in the only way you can, by tearing it back off the card, which they may now keep as a souvenir.
Jamie and Dave will walk you step by step through the process of prepping the card and then through every step of the handling. Jamie's 'through the top' penetration technique is what makes this effect really fly and all the handling details are thoroughly explained.
Bonus Effect:
Jamie's incredible color changing deck effect. A card is chosen from a blue backed deck. Suddenly the back changes to red! So, you give a rub and change the rest of the deck red to match! But wait, now the selection is blue again! Hang on. Now, the entire deck is blank, on both sides. Except for the selected card. $35.00 (30.1564)
Features:
The Magic Castle
Milt Larson gives Jon Lovick a tour of the Magic Castle.
Columns:
Charles Reynolds , Andrew Pinard - Continuum
Andrew Pinard's continuum interviews Charles Reynolds, his friends, and colleagues.
Banacheck - Subtleties
Banacheck discusses the minor details that make a ring and book amazing!
David Kay aka Silly Billy - Kid Show Fundamentals
Is frying your mind with the dove pan.
Banacheck - Editorial
Banacheck gives us his magician's pledge
Jon Armstrong - Sessions
Los Angeles Part 3 - Jon Armstrong's final L.A. sessions discussing the Himber vanish.
Reviews:
David Regal - Tricks of the Trade
Look at this thing! Three tricks he likes and three tricks he doesn't
Wayne Kawamoto - Choice Cuts
Reviews the fundamentals of magic on Eric Jones metal and the system step DVD's.
Tricks:
Lee Smith - Crazy Cutts
Justin Miller - Shockingly Sweet
Eugene Burger - 21st Century Bill
Move Monkeys:
Derek Ostovani - Fan Half-Pass
Magick - Stiletto
Kevin Viner - I.B.M.
$10.00 (DVD01227)
And that, my fellow snow bunnies, is this week's What's A foot Of Snow Between Friends? Hotlist. How hot is it? Hot enough to melt all the snow in front of our building! I wish.
As always, I personally thank you for taking time out from your shoveling duties to spend some with us. Whether you visit us online at www.magicfact.com, or in person at 102 North Street in Medford, we do love your company.
Hank
