You don’t care, but I do. My mom and dad we’re divorced when I was 12. I was (and am) the oldest of the group. As a present for the hard work I expended in keeping my siblings from walking into the street or drinking Drano, I was allowed to pick out any trick I wanted from the magic shop downtown.
I picked out Expert at the Card Table by S.W. Erdnase. I practiced the Mexican Turn-Over for hours on my bed. I eventually got the skill to do it even without doing a monte trick. I still use it when I screw up a prediction and need to do a top switch. I also learned — I think, the wrong way — to deal seconds. It was fine without an audience watching, but once I did it in public, I left the Mechanic’s Grip and moved to a modified Vernon version.
But then I received the Stratospheres. My pop’s friend told me that he received this from Jimmy King when he visited MAK Magic back in the 1970′s. It was beautiful and it was a stage effect. I finally had a stage effect. I later got the candle through arm — also by U.F. Grant and sold by Jimmy King — but this was my first.
It is such a great trick and can actually be done close up. I used to use the same outer tube as the one I would use for the Crystal Silk Cylinder. It made the cylinder seem magic rather than any other part of the trick.
If you have this effect or you have seen it, you know the kicker is when the yellow and green balls are put into the clear cylinder and the red is put into the box. With a flash, the box is broken open to be shown empty and the red is between the yellow and green.
I love my old set and I’ll put it in my magic case near my two trophies and ribbons. But I need a new one. As far as I can tell, the price for which it is being offered is about 1/3rd the price (in real dollars) of the one I received that was purchased in the early seventies.
I get nothing for this recommendation. Tim does, but I don’t. I recommend you buy it. You’ll love it. Buy it from Penguin Magic by clicking on the name and Tim will be rich!
The first thing you notice about Mike Miller is that he is normal. He looks like someone you’d meet either in a magic shop, at a convention, in the mall, or at any get-together. The second thing you notice, is that he is a funny, charming guy. His wit is sometimes subtle, never degrading or blue. He seems genuinely interested in entertaining and even more interested in entertaining with novel and commercial effects.The theme of the lecture was basically, “Giving the Old Tricks New Life.” He began with his version of Tenyo’s “What’s Next?” entitled “What’s Left?” If you are familiar with the Tenyo trick (also marketed by Fun, Inc. under the title “Dubious Dominos”), you know that the punch ending is when you show that the card has gone from having one spot on the first side, four on the other, three on the first side, six on the other and finally a pay-off with eight spots on the second side. Mike takes that one step further. He turns the card over one more time and the three spots on the first side are gone and then slowly turns to the back side of the card to demonstrate that all of the spots are gone and he is left with just a white card.
Mike and “Al the Only”
It is clear this is not some theoretical trick assembled to fool magicians. This is a commercial effect designed for real, working performers. Mike took the time to explain how to make the effect and then demonstrated it again. This was when I realized we were in for a great lecture. I was one-for-one on material I could actually use. Often I attend lectures and watch the beautiful moves but realize that even after I buy the $50.00 of lecture notes, gimmicks and effects, none will crawl from my magic drawer to my suitcase table. (That doesn’t keep me from buying them though. I’m seeing a professional counselor about this).He followed with a close-up card trick where a spectator correctly stops the magician at the location of all four aces. This trick passed the ultimate test. I performed it for my wife after I returned home. She watched carefully and at the end said with a smile, “hey, that’s a pretty good trick!” My poor wife has selected so many cards in her life that for her to even comment on the effect, indicates it has risen to the level of near miracle. Mike then gave us a very entertaining method of introducing the linking ropes. The style sort of reminded me of something Billy McComb would use. He produced a single piece of rope, and said that if he were to cut it in the center, it would be essentially two halves. He put the rope back into his pocket and pulled two pieces from his other pocket. He then explained that if he was magic, he could make the two pieces join with a magic knot. He put the rope away into another pocket and from a third pocket, he produced a piece of rope with a false knot attached. He didn’t act as if this was a trick but at the same time, he did give the impression that… Continue reading Mike Miller Lecture – A Humble Review
The federal civil court jury of five women and three men ruled in favor of Copperfield’s insurer and awarded the Master Magician nothing. The insurer argued on Monday that “this was a business dispute that the Copperfield organization attempted to portray in exaggerated and overly dramatic terms.” Copperfield’s attorneys countered that the magician was forced to pay what amounted to extortion to recover approximately $4,000,000.00 worth of props and effects. The Russian company, Ris LisS was allegedly working on Copperfield’s behalf to help set up show dates in Russia. Following the final show in Moscow, Copperfield alleged the company seized the papers he needed to get the effects and props out of Russia and to continue his international tour. Both sides agreed that the company, Ris LisS had ties to the Russian Mafia. Copperfield’s lawyer informed the presiding U.S. District Judge, Howard McKibben, that the magician would likely appeal the verdict.In closing arguments, Copperfield’s lawyer described a tense month after Copperfield’s final Russian show in Moscow in December 1999. Ris LisS seized essential shipping documents and threatened to destroy $4 million worth Copperfield’s show equipment unless Copperfield paid $250,000. Copperfield spent $256,343 on individuals with knowledge of the inner-workings of the Russian underworld to free the props including a former CIA operative and an ex-general in the KGB Soviet secret service. The jury spent six hours in deliberations on Tuesday.According to the jury foreperson, Geri Luna, the jury was most concerned with the documents in the case including letters, contracts and other materials. Firemen’s Fund alleged these documents demonstrated Copperfield was actually a business partner with Ris LisS. The insurer claimed the relationship between Copperfield and the shadowy Ris LisS went sour; resulting in the seizure of the documents.Copperfield was in not present for the verdict. He testified last week but is currently performing in Dayton, Ohio. Continue reading Copperfield Loses Trial Against Insurer for Russian Mafia Theft
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