Greetings from everyone here at Hank Lee’s Magic Factory.
There is an old baseball saying that goes, “You win some, you lose some and some it doesn’t even pay to suit up for.” This has been one of those don’t suit up for it weeks. It was a week for techno troubles.
On Monday, the online catalog went down. You could see some things, but you could not see full descriptions of items and you couldn’t order anything. Yikes. Was it a virus, some urchins or that Diet Coke that accidentally spilled into the hard drive. Nope, none of the above. It was just too many log files. Seems that the folks that host our website hadn’t cleared out log files for three years! The size of the files grew and grew until they totally clogged up the hard drive. Once they looked into the problem and found the gigantic log files, they were able to deal with the problem in one minute. Of course, we lost almost a full day of online productivity as a result. Bummer.
But, that wasn’t the end. On Tuesday, our Secure Certificate expired. So, when you tried to place an order, you got a big fat message that the site was not secure. I always thought that our web host took care of renewing the Secure Certificate. And, they usually do. This year, it slipped by unnoticed until it had expired. In a time when we are trying really hard to rebuild confidence, this was not such a good thing. Again, it only took a very short time to renew the certificate and get that one solved.
Now, everything is working A-OK. The online catalog is humming like a well-oiled machine. The site is totally secure. And, I am a little less frazzled than I was earlier in the week.
We have some very exciting new items for you in the Hotlist this week, and a delightful Excitement. Read, on my friends!
Not So Quick, But Really Big Sales Event: The event starts the moment you receive this email and runs until next Tuesday, the 24th of April at midnight. This is one mighty big sales event. Almost too big to believe.
From right now until Tuesday, April 24th, 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 37% on your entire order, subject to the rules below. That’s right, 37%!
We will reduce the discount by 1% each day after that until Tuesday, April 24th at midnight. All you need to do is enter the special code NOTSOQUICK 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 $35.00.
* 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, 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 Viking/CW items, Kennedy Enterprises items, Mike Caveney Books, MagicSmith, theory11 products, 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 24th of April at midnight!
Now, let’s take a peek at this week’s Hotlist.
(1) Victorian Add A Number: The latest in Dave Powell’s high-quality line of fine magic.
A sealed envelope which contains a prediction is sitting in plain sight.
Bring out a small writing pad and ask a spectator to jot down a three-digit number.
When done, the spectator gives the pad to someone else who, in turn, writes down a three-digit number.
After a third person from the audience has done this, you take the pad and pass it to a fourth person on the other side of the room. Ask him to add up the three sets of numbers that were chosen at random.
To the astonishment of your audience, the sum of those three sets of numbers is equal to the number that you predicted, written on a piece of paper sealed in the envelope in full view at all times.
This wonderful utility prop looks like something you would see on a doctor’s or lawyer’s desk, but it is specially made to switch numbers, letters words, etc. Completely self-working.
This ingenious prop is entirely made from the ground up. It is not a modified desk pad.
Solid walnut, with stainless steel ball chain.
$159.00 (40.830)
Note: This is a non-discountable item.
(2) Quadrant - Brandon David & Chris Turchi: With the Quadrant gimmick you can perform visual magic with an ordinary card box.
Not only can you perform a super visual color changing box effect but you can make the box shrink, turn inside out, transform to a completely different object or even make it disappear.
The handling is very easy and something that you can take with you anywhere because it takes up no pocket space.
Here's just one of the many effects possible with the Quadrant gimmick: After having a card selected, signed and returned to the box, you explain to the spectator the idea of being able to invert objects so they are permanently inside out. With a wave of the hand, the card box is now visibly transformed and can only be described as inside out. The inverted box is immediately handed out for examination. After you let that moment of amazement sink in and explain that not only did the card box turn inside out but the previously signed card is found to be inverted too.
What makes the Quadrant gimmick so valuable is that you receive a high quality, custom made gimmick that is built to last. Also included on the instructional DVD is a color changing deck routine where you visibly change the box. You will learn how to shrink a deck of cards and extract their selection from the box. The real question is what will you come up with when you have the Quadrant gimmick?
$49.95 (30.1684)
Coming in stock May 1st. Order now and we will pay the shipping!
(3) Definitive Ring On String: Imagine borrowing a ring, then cutting a very thin length of string from a spool.
The string is given to the person who loaned you the ring.
A book is placed upright on the table.
While the person holds both ends of the string, its center is dropped behind the open book.
Take hold of their ring and place it behind the book as well.
Explain to the person that she will feel a little tension on one side, then the other.
She's instructed to never let go of the ends.
After a moment, ask her to raise her arms slowly. As she does, the full length of the string comes into view. As the string's center emerges from behind the book, you will see the look in her eyes. You will hear the reaction from her and your audience. It is total disbelief. Her ring is threaded on the string!
Everything appears totally innocent.
The ring is borrowed
The string couldn't be any thinner.
They handle everything.
It is a moment of pure magic.
This is one of those pieces of magic that you dream of performing. It is strong and commercial. It's truly a signature piece that will help create your reputation.
You receive explicit written instructions. You will learn the subtleties that will allow you to create a performance piece that your audiences will remember and talk about for a long time.
$19.95 (10.1696)
(4) Money Card – Shaun Robison: The Three Card Monte plot is easily one of the most commercial routines in all of card magic. It would be hard to find a more magical card routine that only uses three cards.
Shaun Robison's take on Three Card Monte takes an already commercial routine and makes it easier for the spectator to follow and much easier for the magician to perform. All the phases in the Money Card routine use moves that a beginner could perform and the basics of the routine can be learned within minutes of opening the package.
Like Shaun says in the demo "if you got hands then you can perform this trick." The cards practically do all the work.
The Money Card is a very special Monte routine that has a huge kicker ending where the Queen disappears and in her place, you find the money.
The Money Card gimmick is very clean and allows you to perform an easy version of this classic.
Included with the routine on the DVD are all the necessary gimmicks and an additional routine using the Money Card gimmick.
$34.95. (30.1685)
Coming into stock May 1st. Pre-order now and we’ll pay the shipping!
(5) Jumbo Joker Die: Show the audience an empty tube and a jumbo die.
Explain that the die could be placed into the tube from the top or the bottom, but these methods would be no challenge for a magician.
Hand the tube to a spectator and place the jumbo die in his pocket (or his hat).
A moment later the jumbo die appears in the tube held in the spectator's hands.
Everything can be examined immediately! Comes with all necessary props and an instructional DVD including both seated and stand-up presentations.
$90.00 (60.1847)
(6) Practical Thinking: Display a stack of nearly two dozen plastic cards, each with it's own geometric design printed on it. Also display a laminated sheet and a marker.
The designs are mixed and then each one of four spectators is asked to select one of the symbols; the selection is free, no force of any kind.
The spectator is asked to concentrate on their symbol as you begin drawing on the sheet. The image comes into focus and you are able to draw a perfect replica of the selected symbol!
The effect is repeated with all of the selected symbols and each time you match the chosen symbol with complete and unfailing accuracy!
All may be examined and the effect can be instantly repeated!
Comes with everything you need: the geometric plaques, marker, laminated drawing sheet, and full instructions.
The drawing sheet is re-usable and you'll never have to replace it!
The effect can be performed close-up or it can play easily in a platform show. There are no sleights necessary and you'll be able to accomplish the effect within minutes of opening the package!
$35.00 (40.259)
“Practical Thinking” is great for close up, platform, or stage! Packs flat, plays big, and all at an affordable price!" Jeff McBride
"A diabolically direct handling makes Practical Thinking great mentalism for ‘real world’ performers." Alain Nu
(7) Secrets Of Oil And Water DVD – World’s Greatest Magic By The World’s Greatest Magicians - The basic plot of the card effect that we know today as Oil and Water can be traced back to the 1940s and a Walter Gibson trick from the pages of The Jinx. It was Ed Marlo who attached the name "Oil and Water" to the effect (in addition to most likely creating the greatest number of methods for the effect.) The premise of the trick is maddeningly simple: black and red playing cards, usually in small packets, continually separate despite the magician's best efforts to mix them.
On this DVD, you'll see an amazing variety of ways to accomplish this easy-to-follow and very magical-looking trick.
Bill Malone begins with two methods; the first, an Ed Marlo creation, while technically challenging, is wonderfully visual while the second, created by Dave Solomon, uses some superb subtleties to accomplish the effect.
David Regal manages to magically separate cards not only by face, but by back color while Larry Jennings presents a simple yet very theatrical version.
Michael Ammar performs and teaches Roy Walton's classic trick where the colors not only separate but turn into completely different cards while Dan Fleshman uses just the Aces to wonderful effect.
Josh Jay presents a hybrid routine with methods from a number of creators that will have your audience's eyes popping while Darwin Ortiz finishes up with his aptly named effect where not only do the cards in two small packets separate but so do the rest of the cards in the deck that was completely shuffled by a spectator.
The Oil and Water effect has been dismissed by armchair performers as something that only interests other magicians, but you'll soon find that to be a spurious claim when you see the reactions these performers get from their audiences. The biggest problem you'll have with the material on this DVD is choosing which one to add to your act first!
$19.95 (DVD01340)
(8) Secrets of the Endless Chain DVD – World’s Greatest Magic By The World’s Greatest Magicians - The very puzzling and entertaining con game known as the Endless Chain has its roots in an old Gypsy swindle from the 1500s called "Pricking the Garter." It was subsequently adopted by magicians in the 1800s and has been used to delight, captivate - and humorously frustrate - audiences to this day.
On this DVD, you'll meet three different performers who each take a turn at demonstrating this classic scam.
Johnny Thompson leads off with a three-phase routine coupled with a very funny kicker ending while providing additional moves and subtleties in the explanation segment.
The UK's Bobby Bernard also demonstrates and teaches a three-phase routine but also supplies an ending that can add a bit of magic to the effect.
Finally, Canada's Phil Matlin performs a three-phase routine with a pseudo-explanation segment that brings his version to a very satisfying end.
Audiences are enchanted by tales of con men and swindlers and with the help of the world-class performers featured here, you'll be able to add a routine to your show that is not only inherently interesting but is something that your spectators are unlikely to have ever seen before.
$19.95 (DVD01339)
And that’s this week’s Everything’s A-OK Hotlist. Some fine new items for your perusal.
As always, and now more than ever, I want to thank you for taking the time to visit us. Whether it’s online at www.magicfact.com or in person at 102 North Street in Medford, we really love the company.
Hank
