I like the ending too, MagicMike. Thanks to Frank and Spellbinder for their guidance.

Anytime, pal. You know I'm here for you!!

I like's Wolf's concept, but if you're in front of too large a crowd, the details of the graphics become blurry and hard to see what you're looking at. However, I also agree that the ending for Wolf's is far superior to the normal ending...I think if Chance made the graphics simpler to be seen farther...that would make them absolutely flawless. And I like the magician and assistant idea...Chance did a great job with that and should be commended.

I like the rabbit's Randi had the link to, and they're the kind I use when I use them (I've swapped them out this year). I cover up the loudness with my voice during my script, and when done right they kill the audience (I think MagicSanta already knows this). HOWEVER: I had to hunt through two shops for ones that were not warped...and that was not fun.

For something like this, I like the Indian kind she posted. They are highly visible for any venue, and to me their simplicity makes it easy to touch up bad paint spots and fix them easily (although mine have never needed it and I've had them for years). Preference, I guess.

As for Abbott's rabbits, I don't want to say something negative, so I won't

Mine are the Mak Magic set with metal s****s and metal covers. I bought them about 15 years ago and I do not know if this set is still available. The rabbits themselves are painted on masonite rectangles. I think the square shape makes for simpler operation compared to those with cutouts, and I prefer the artwork to many of the more expensive versions. The "high-end" models often have detailed artwork that does not read well from more than a few feet away.

Yeah chris...
The look of the rabbits are the cutest ever made... I'll give them that.
Just wish they were made better.

So...
No one has mentioned Magic Makers???
They are knock-offs of Maks.
Anyone?

Randi

That's why I did'nt mention them.....

Yeah, but what's the quality like?

If Mak isn't going to make them any more...
And if they are nice...
Oh well. Buy them.

Randi

True.
They're "ok"...but still, if you can get a good pair of the Indian ones..they'll last for a long time. The Magic Makers do look cute, and are visible as well....

Still agree about the India-made HHRs. None better (except Wolf's)!

Steve

I have know idea who made mine. They are a fairly old set I bought at my local dealer. They were on consignment. I think the rabbits are 6 inches tall. The are plastic with a picture like the the Magic Makers version, but not as cartoony. They have tall ears and use the hook method, the are made pretty well. The base is yellow plastic and the box is red painted wood. I had to fix the wood, as it had warped.

I have no idea who made them.

I also have that set, Matthew! It's old as well...wish I could tell you who made them...

I am a ventriloquist, just starting to dabble in "Magic". I just purchased a vintage pair of rabbits on Ebay, wood and metal. Heavy Duty....... problem is, I don't know what to do with them. No instructions, can anyone HELP! M.Davis

Click here to view attached image.

Greetings All,
Maybe I can help a little here as one who now has 29 sets of these things (don't ask, it's an addiction)lol.
Matthew your set sounds like the early Indian sets of the miniature Hippity Hops. the yellow bases are the indication, I just checked my set here, they were from Sam Dalal in India and made for D. Robbins in New York. Having said that, a few years earlier I obtained a set from Viennamagic that was identical but had wood bases and made far better on the quality point. The Indian set is just not as nice.
I have several old sets including one giant set where instead of different colored rabbits, the finish is baskets of carrots.
I also have a set from Harries in Sweden that does not use covers, instead you use cloth or silks. The method on these is something someone should have done some experimenting with further. Instead of flaps, there are cloth inserts that slide down in-between plexi cut out panels, when the silk is pulled off, the insert cloth comes with it changing the color. very unique concept.
I have to agree with Randi about the quality, I too have had several of the same sets she mentioned, out of a dozen sets, I had three sets that were able to be sold as is, the others needed some work, and two of the sets I just tossed, they were beyond repair. Steve you were lucky in getting a good set as was anyone else that got good sets of these, but there is a reason for that as well.
Edwin Hooper of Supreme Magic Co. in England was a very good friend of mine, and I know from the many talks with him and even seeing much of it first hand that ordering items to be made overseas is a problem.
Edwin would order an item to be made and get say 500 sets. they would come in perfect. When his stock would get low, he would re-order, and there is where the problem came in, the second or third orders were never up to the quality of the first. That is one of the reasons Edwin worked with so many woodworkers and metalworkers there in England, he could control the quality of the products that bore his name.
Let's move further to here in the States. Comapnies like Robbins and others get a lot of items made overseas, I have seen many items that I used to buy when I was doing a lot of conventions. The first runs were always very good with few exceptions, but again that second order or third order and the quality went downhill so bad that I just gave up.
When I had my woodworking factory and we were cranking out products, we always maintained the same quality of a product. everything was jigged and patterened and with the overhead router and equiptment we were able to make the 100th. item the same as the first and so on. Unfortunately making quality woodworking here in the U.S. is just too costly today unless you are a one man shop. The cost factor was so bad that often a dealer who bought the item at wholesale and then sold it at retail, made more profit on it than I did. Case in point, we had one item that retailed for $150 sold to magic shops for $90. The shops made $60 profit (minus their shipping costs). That same prop cost us $78 out the door of our factory and we were making them 100 at a time.
Sorry for going off subject here but it helps let you know why some items are the way they are today.
Back on course: I admire the work of Chance Wolf, Michael Baker and others who are making quality props here in the U.S., and I encourage all of you to support them. If you do not support these guys, then you will be left buying only the imports. I still do custom work, but to be honest, it is only when I have free time, as the income is not there, it is for the love of magic rather than making money. I'm sure you will find the same with Chance and Michael as well, they are not getting rich folks, nobody becomes rich making magic.
Randi mentioned the Magic Makers Rabbits. These are coming from China rather than India, and I have to say that they are exceptional quality at a great price.
These rabbits were modeled off the second design of the Supreme Magic Co. sets known as Elusive rabbits. Edwins first sets were more robotic looking and he later went to the second sets that are downright..just cute. When Edwin sold Supreme and started his Edwin's Magical Arts he produced a version known as FIFI, a single dog (poodle) that was adorable. His routine and reasoning behind making it a single made sense, and he sold them faster than he could have them made. Just a thought for all of you that never tried using just one unit.
These are not knock offs of Maks rabbits, because they are different, and Mak does not own the hippity hop rabbits. This outstanding Children's trick was the invention of a genleman by the name of The Great Norman. He was always credited in the Supreme catalogs, and even in the old Abbott's catalogs prior to #24 I think. Abbott's obtained permission through Jack Hughes & Harry Stanley. Harry Stanley had the rights from Norman to make the rabbits, Harry Stanley had Jack Hughes make the rabbits for his Unique Magic Studios in London. Edwin bought the Unique Magic line from Harry Stanley which included the hippity hop rabbits and had Jack Hughes making them for him same as Jack was making them for Harry in the past. Not too long prior to Jack's passing, Edwin started having his own woodworkers making the rabbits. So while Mak has made the hippity hops for years, it really was not theirs to make. In all fairness, this trick is now at the age where it is pretty much out of ownership.
Here is a rundown of the sets currently available that I think are all worthwhile to buy (in no particular order) I leave it up to you to decide, but any of these sets will give you good value and years of service.

Chance Wolf's Hippity Hop Magicians
Abbott's Hippity Hop Rabbits
Abbott's Hippity Hop Chinamen
Abbott's Hippity Hop Santas
Magic Makers Hippity Hop Rabbits large size
Magic Makers Hippity Hop Rabbits medium size
Harries Magic Hippity Hops (different methodology)
Maks metal cover set of hippity hops
Nigel Whitcombs Hippity Hop Ghosts
Nigel Whitcombs Day at the Circus (different style as well)

These are the ones that I feel very comfortable in recommending to anyone. I am sorry if you make or sell one that I did not mention, but these are the ones that I know the quality of and recommend.

Sorry for having gone on so long, but I needed to cover all the details while they were still in my head. I have many smaller sets as well that are no longer made so if you have a particular set, just ask and describe it, maybe I can help with who made it for you.
All the Best
Marty

Just my opinion, but I've had a set of MAK Hippity Hop Rabbits, 20" (Stage size) that are wonderful. They were the first stage prop I got, and they still look as good today as they did when I got them, many years ago. The starting colors are black and white, finishing are red and yellow. The cutouts are nice and simple, so even a young child easily recognizes them as rabbits. Always plays well, very easy to see... even in the largest auditorium. You can expect to pay at least $150 for these, but they will last you a lifetime.

If you are looking for the top of the line, anything made/sold by Chance Wolf is going to be pure quality. If you have the $425 and like the routine, then get Wolf's. The size is still nice at 14", but realize it's smaller than MAK's. Chance has the nice ending, where a rabbit's full face is shown.

Either of these would do good for you. Do you want size, visibility, and to a degree, price? Or more modern/cartoonish look, different ending, more rare, and more expensive?

Hope this helps,
Wook

If your doing stage try to find a set of "Lion & Cobra" they are about 2 feet high, on wheels.