magic show tips – Page 23

Magic Collector Expo

The only magic convention I’m going to this year is the Magic Collector Expo. My wife says I’m officially an old man that I’m going to this instead of one that’s got the “latest and greatest” stuff. I do like those conventions, but this one worked with my schedule as most other magic conventions are in the summer that is my busy season.

This convention started yesterday as in at The Orleans casino in Las Vegas. I got into town yesterday just in time for the first session. The sessions here are mostly historical talks or things relevant to collectors.

Personally I really like these types of talks. The speakers were telling personal stories of their relationship with the people and collections. I like that style of presentation more than a totally historical talk about someone that’s been dead for 150 years. I will still watch and enjoy the purely historical talk, I just prefer when the person is telling personal stories.

I really liked Bill Schmeelk’s talk about how he got into working as a machinest and doing that for Owen Magic, John Gaughan, and starting Wellington Enterprises! I really like the stories about the different personalities and what they quirks were and the “conflicts” that different builders had with each other.

I use Rich Marotta’s Rat Trap trick, which is one that Wellington used to make. Unfortunately as far as I know that prop is currently unavailable.

After the sessions I made it to the dealer room. I’ll write about that another time. If you’re into vintage props and the stories behind them, you should check out one of these expos!!

-Louie

Apple Air Tag Saved Me!

AirTag in my wallet saved my butt last week!

Recently I left my wallet on the desk in the motel room. I got 2 blocks away and got the alert on my phone that I left it.

If I didn’t get that alert, I probably would have been 2-3 hours away and noticed that I didn’t have my wallet when I went to get gas!

Something people don’t think about is what would you do if you lost your wallet while performing for multiple days while on the road. I keep an credit card that’s not on me with my gear in case my wallet gets lost, in addition to keeping enough cash to fill my gas tank on hand. For longer distances, I try to keep enough cash on hand for gas to get me home. This is insurance for unplanned things like losing my wallet.

-Louie

Magic Collector Expo

Today I’m travelling from New Orleans, Louisiana to The Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas for the Magic Collector Expo!

I’ve realized that I’m officially an old magician because I’m going to this. It’s also a sign that I’m into the history of the magic tricks and props. I’ve always been into the history, but the props is a more recent thing in the last decade or so. I’ve always been into the old magic props, but having the money and space to collect and display them has only been about the last 10 years.

This should be a fun few days and if you’re at the expo, be sure to say HI!

-Louie

Magic Show Prop Box

For my show this summer that I’ll be doing at libraries and summer camps, I wanted to dedicated prop box for it. I found this old RC Cola box at a junk shop. The guy wanted way too much for it, but I talked him down to where it made sense as I didn’t want it as an advertising collectible, I just wanted it as a box.

Once I got the box home I covered it with black fabric, added metal corners and changed the hinges. Here’s what it looks like now:

This was a quick, easy way to make a prop box for the summer magic show. It doesn’t need to last for years, just 3 months!

-Louie

German Vanishing Bird Cage

It’s been a crazy few weeks for adding vanishing bird cages to my collection! At the last Potter and Potter auction this vanishing bird cage was listed:

This one went for an amount that I could afford! Lately the ones being auctioned off have gone for crazy amounts of money, but those were also a bit more collectible. This one doesn’t have a name (manufacturer or performer) attached to it, so I think that’s partially why it went for less than they’ve been going for.

I can’t wait for this one to show up!

-Louie

Mystery School Monday

Last night I was the guest on Jeff McBride’s Mystery School Monday. I think that Jeff said they’ve been doing these Monday meetings for something like 15 years!

It was great to be talk to magicians about who I am and what I do. We talked about performing at fairs, vintage magic tricks and why to perform shows at retirement communities.

I also got to talk about my “That Way More” presentation for the ambitious card. I always love sharing this trick and explaining WHY it is the way it is. If you’re a Mystery School member last night’s meeting should be in the archive.

-Louie

My First Vanishing Birdcage

When I was a teenager I was given a La Galeria -The Gallery of Merlin vanishing birdcage that had a couple of broken bars. I used that for a long time and struggled through the broken bar occasionally snagging on my sleeve. Then about 12years ago I had someone fix the bars, and I used that cage until I got an Owen vanishing bird cage.

Recently one of the La Galeria -The Gallery of Merlin vanishing bird cages popped up for sale and I bought it!

The solder and rivets on the bars of this one appear to be in much better condition that the one I’ve have for 30+ years. I’m happy to add this to my collection and can’t wait for it to arrive!
-Louie

Gold at the End of the Rainbow!

These gold coins are simply Eisenhauer dollar coins that I painted gold. They are for my summer library show.

My show is about colors and have a magic wand that I painted like a rainbow. At the end of the rainbow is a pot of gold, so I’m going to produce a coin from the end of the rainbow magic wand. Then I’ll produce multiple coins (with the Sylvester Pitch), then do a series of vanishes and productions with a single coin that ends with the production of a jumbo coin.

I always try to have some sort of a sleight of hand sequence in my family show. It’s a way I can show that I can do the stuff and it’s not just prop driven. While this isn’t 100% necessary, I do this for me!

-Louie

Breakaway Flower

Another prop for my summer library show is a breakaway flower. This is like the old breakaway wand comedy prop, but it’s flower.

It does have one other bonus bit to it, the top flower separates from the stem. They are attached by a magnet. The idea for the routine will be that the flower is going to disappear. It breaks and it put it back together a few times. Then the flower separates from the stem. I toss the flower in the air and it disappear, but the kids notice it’s stuck to my butt. The flower finally disappears (in a devils hank?) and reappears somewhere else.

Nothing super crazy here, but a way to theme the breakaway wand from a comedy prop that’s added to a routine, to it being one of the main props for the routine.

-Louie