http://cgi.ebay.com/JAPANESE-PK-BOARD-PO......ViewItem
(hopefully the link works)

Curious if anyone has ever seen this device. If so, what are your thoughts?

Thanks

This looks an awful lot like Tomo Maeda's "2-D Spoon," based on the Out To Lunch principle, and originally published in the July, 2003 issue of Genii. I may be completely wrong about this, but it at least looks like it.

Magiguy may be right. The effect reads almost exactly like the description mentioned in the July 2003 issue of Genii. One point I do not understand though, is that why is this so expensive? If it IS the same trick from Genii, the whole thing doesn't take more than a few dollars to construct. Please fill me in here.

Best,
Charles

I certainly can't rationalize the cost, Charles. It's an ebay listing, so if the seller thinks its unique,and there's no way anyone can check it's 'value,' they'll charge whatever they think they can get! This is why I was asking if anyone knew about this device/routine.

Ebay can sell anything with the right amount of hype. Sometimes the higher the price, the more in demand and absolutely necessary an item seems. "Japan" is a bit of a keyword in the magic community right now (thanks to someone in particular, from this Café, who will remain nameless !!). Sadly, if we are indeed correct about this item, someone will likely be taken in by this seller. Then again, perhaps we are entirely wrong and there's more to this than meets the eye. Either way, I'll stick with Maeda's version. The $200+ I'll save would buy a lot of magic... (not to mention groceries, etc...).

OTL

Well, someone bought it ...

Piers.