Hi,

I saw a trick performed on the Lance Burton dvd...
Well, it is not actually performed by lance Burton, but there is this additional portion of shows on the dvd, and the magician talks about some war history, and how a magician stopped a war or something like that...

The trick is this: only a special person can lift the magical box (like a small treasure chest).
A small girl is invited and she easily lifts up the box. Then a big strong spectator is invited to lift up the same box, but it seems glued to the floor....and the strong man cannot lift up the box!!

Wow... this is some magic... what is the name of this trick? Where can I purchase this?

Is it that good? (it appears fanatastic on the dvd)

thanks
eric

You can buy it at hocus pocus. It's called the Gravity Box. It's like a better version of the old trick. Costs around $350

To me the method is pretty obvious. I'm pretty sure that Houdini did this. Paul Harris has a funny routine of this sort with a dime. It's called the light and heavy dime.

Hey Eric,

This is actually a very old trick as far as I can remember. It's a piece of magical history and I do mean history. I will check for you at home this evening, but as far as I can remember this trick was originally "The Light and Heavy Chest" presented by Robert Houdin in the 1840's. He used it to avert a war between the French(by whom he was employed) and the Algerians(who were very supersticious). Magic magazine had an article on it a few years back. I will find out which issue it was and maybe you could get a back issue?

Michael A.

Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin, the French magician of the 10th century from whom Harry Houdini took his name, used it, on behalf of the French government, to put down an insurrection in Algeria.

He told the natives that anyone could lift the chest (and they did so) then he could make them as weak as babies and unable to lift the chest (they tried again and couldn't).

It needs real presentation to carry it off.

Hi,

thanks Michael.... it's very nice of you...
and thanks for all who replied...

I know how the Paul Harris light and heavy dime works, because I have the book... that trick needs preparation.... a committment...because it is a permanent trick you have to perform.... because of the set up.... if you know what I mean...

But it seems to me that this light and heavy chest trick does not need the kind of preparation in Paul Harris' light and heavy dime... I might be wrong, because I have no idea how the light and heavy box works...

It would be nice to carry a chest around and perform this wonderful piece of magic... especially with such a rich history... just wondering if the story about the war is true or just part of the patter....

Thanks for all your help
eric

The story about the averting the war is true. In fact Hollywood has a movie project in the works based on Robert-Houdin’s exploits on the behalf of the French Government in Algeria. Another trick he did was a version of the bullet catch. He had a tribal marksman shoot him in the chest, a blood spot appeared, and then Robert-Houdin spit out a bullet and “healed” his chest. He convinced tribal elders that all French soldiers could do this feat. Good theatre yes?

As an aside, there is an old trick (long forgotten) called the “Light and Heavy Glass”. The effect is that you have a small flat tray (or book) and a drinking glass. You show that everyone can easily lift the glass from the tray. You then take a handkerchief (silk) and push it into the glass. The performer then patters about the hank taking strength away (or some such nonsense) and has several of the strongest folks in the audience try to lift the glass using only two fingers. They can’t. Hank is removed and all is returned to normal. The tray is ungimmicked.

Then there is an even easier trick called the “Light and Heavy Cane”. In this trick a cane or wooden dowel, or pointer (remember those from school?) is held by a spectator using a couple of fingers and thumb of one hand. The other end rests on the palm of the performers hand. The spectator can easily raise the tip of the cane off the performers palm. This is demonstrated a couple of times. Then the performer does some hocus-pocus like squeeze the elbow and wrist of the spectator and give a hypnotic suggestion and the spectator is unable to lift the end of the cane from the palm. It looks great and is oh so easy to perform.

I used to perform both of these little bits of business as part of a Hypnosis act.

I was thinking of making a small box (perhaps just a couple of inches cube) and a small wooden try and doing a mini version of the Light and Heavy Chest using the drinking glass principle just to play off the history of the trick. Maybe when the movie comes out I will.

No, the light and heavy dime is a totally different method.

I found which Issue has it, I should have remembered!!

Magic Magazine July 2001 (Vol.10. No.11)
It's the one with Penn & Teller on the cover,
using cool contacts to get the punch line across

Michael A.

I almost forgot the article was titled "Averting Catastrophe" and it is featured on pages 44 to 49

Michael A.

Has anybody bought the Gravity Box and could please give us a review ?
Thanks in advance !

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......71&0

Try out http://www.magic4you2c.co.uk there's is great for only 150

Is the garvity box the same as the light & heavy box???