Hello!
I've had many PM requests about the availability of my egg bag and the availability of extra eggs. I hope you all don't mind this post to announce the new updates.
First, there are no more Hobson Egg Bag "Packages" available as of December 1st. So many people requested if they could get JUST the egg bag or JUST the eggs, I've decided to split the package. So, anyone can purchase the bag only or the "ultimate" eggs only.
Secondly, I found many customers were passing around the "private" Hobson Egg Bag Instructional Video site passwords, SO, I have also decided to make the videos free to view online. The web address is: http://www.HobsonEggBag.com This is over an hour of instructional video now available to anyone even if you're not a customer. Since, these are now available for free, I have decided to also discontinue the availability of the instructional DVD's that were included with the packages. The information on the DVD has always been available on the site so no one will be missing anything.
Thirdly, due to demand, I have decided to make HOBSON "Ultimate" Eggs available for sale individually. These are also available on http://www.HobsonEggBag.com
I hope this answers many of the questions you've had.
Thank you for your continued support!


MERRY CHRISTMAS! May God bless us all, everyone!

Jeff Hobson

Jeff thank you for the notice, I know some will see this as an advantage and others will feel disappointed. Your work on the Egg Bag is a delight and a great product for the magic community.

WOW!

Buy 'em, folks.....this is a great deal.

Jeff's Egg Bag is the best in the world, period.

And this is coming from a guy (me)..... who has been performning the egg bag in one form or another for over 50 years as a magician.

You won't find a finer egg bag anywhere....and JEFF HOBSON is the world's best egg bag man, in my opinion...his Online egg bag instructions which include Jeff's tips, suggestions and nuances are GOLDEN....and now they're FREE!

(Side note to true, died-in-the-wool magicians):....guys and gals.....this is just one more reason that you MUST MAKE THE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO COLON, MICHIGAN in AUGUST!

You get to meet folks like Jeff Hobson!

Thanks, Jeff....you da man!

You are quite welcomed. And thank you for the very nice compliments.


I'm blushing.

Jeff

You get my vote as well

Now for the ones who wish to enlarge their knowledge about this marvelously entertaining effect, here is a search list

Egg Bag Biblio/videography

Abbott, Percy. Routined Manipulation Vol No 2 by Lewis Ganson p 86 Egg Bag, Bag Egg A full routine.

Albini, Herbert A. 1891 reduced the socalled Bamberg Egg Bag to the size of his spread-fingered hand to permit one-handed turning of the bag inside out. Subsequently this has been the standard size.

Alan, Don. Comedy Egg Can. Don Alan’s effect can generate a great egg bag routine if at the some point during the egg bag routine, as the spectators holds the egg, the bag vanishes (Jack Miller hold out). Then the can is placed on the spectator’s head and the egg is broken (eggs are exchanged as the can is taken and placed on the spectator’s head) in the can placed over the spectator’s head. The instructions are placed over the can, and the can and instructions are turned upside down and replaced over the spectator’s head. Then the performer does the comedy bit of sliding the instructions from under the can. Now it is possible to perform UMSI: The Egg from Mouth with the production gimmick enabling to have eggs produced from your mouth or from your assistant mouth. Finally the can is removed revealing a glass with the bag in it. Finally from this bag checked empty is produced the restored broken egg.

Anonymous. Tours d’escamotage p 62: Le sac aux oeufs Egg bag with nice patter ingredients

Abdul's Fez. Nielsen’s fez has always been a logical and popular egg bag gimmick. It lends itself to comedy, interesting patter and is more visual than the normal egg bag. They have revamped their fez and it has a bright new look. It is made of quality red felt with an antique gold tassel. An internal stiffening material has been added so it holds its shape.
Abdul's fez is a great 2 - 4 minutes of colorful and surprising magic. Included are the fez, a wooden egg, and the basic Nielsen Routine. Also included, are Wilfred Tyler's and Eric Lewis' routine with an ostrich end kicker!


Anonymous. Chameleon Bag Nielsen Magic. A bag seemingly changes in color as the magician shows it inside out 7 times. This bag is made of quality, durable material. It is always turned inside out from the same opening. Also the grosgrain edging not only makes the bag more durable, but also adds to the mystery of the effect. The bottom of the bag is seamless to also add to the mystery. The magician has complete control of which color will appear. The bag seems too flat to allow for so many colors. Nielsen’s bags are large enough to allow for productions, etc., but small enough to be folded and kept in the pocket. They measure: 11.5" x 12" and are perfect comedy pieces within the frame of Jim Gerrish‘s Ungimmicked Egg Bag Routine.


Ayling, Will: Knowing the Egg Bag Supreme "Know-How" Series 1988 Supreme Magic Co.
Paper, stapled, 34 pages. p 5 The Hen & Egg Bag: a description of an egg bag trick from the 1700's with Old plates (photos) from the 1727 "Hocus Pocus or the Whole Art of Legerdemain" by H. Dean; p 7 The Egg Bag: a discussion on the egg bag with references, methods of construction, and how to make one; p 9 The Story and In Performance: A routine utilizing a Malini Style bag, blown egg, and two special handkerchiefs. Climaxes in production of a glass of liquid with ideas for other potential endings; p 18 Malini and His Egg Bag Routine: a description of the bag with a routine explained; p 21 Ken Brooke's Egg Bag Routine: Utilizes a zippered Egg Bag; p 24 The Illusive Egg in a Hat Bag: A routine for the Fez Hat Egg Bag (like Nielsen Magic's Abdul's Fez); 30 The Bamberg Egg Bag: references Tarbell Vol 5; climaxes in the production of a live bird! p 32 The Dante Egg Bag Presentation: A stage presentation using a unique netted bottom bag, a megaphone, and more; 34 Will Goldston's New Egg Production Bag: a brief description and drawing of an egg bag to produce 5 or so eggs

Bagshawe, Edward: Proudlock’s egg bag. Proudlock’s Egg Bag and Four Ace Presentations London: Bobby & Co. Ltd., 1936.

Bauer, Ron: Siamese goose egg bag #15 of the Ron Bauer Private Studies Series you can give the impression to your audiences that the props you use, at least for one trick, are worth something! This witty presentation and baffling handling of the Miller-Malini Egg Bag is loaded with laughs, surprises, and mystery! Many drawing to help you through all the moves. Great bits of 'business' included. Guaranteed to make you rush to pull your Egg Bag out of the closet and use it.

Behnke, Leo: Magic City Library of Magic Volume 13: Egg Bag “Beginning in Magic”. 1991 Magic City, 28 pages. p 6 Variety of Bags: Construction, Parisian Handbag, Arnold De Bière, Max Malini, etc. p 9 Vanishing Moves: Flattening, Twisting, Folding; p 12 Chapter 2: Standard Routine by Don Lawton. Uses two eggs and a Devil's handkerchief. The bag is shown empty and an egg is magically produced. The egg is vanished in the bag, using the armpit gag. Arm is raised to show no egg, which is back in the bag. Fake explanation is provided: egg is vanished and is found in performer's sock. Spectator drops egg in Devil's Handkerchief, where it vanishes and reappears in the bag; 18 Chapter 3: Other Ideas: short ideas; Golf Green: golf ball and green bag; Summer Snowball (white ball and hat); Spare Time (watch), Money Time (gold egg and money bag); p 21 Egg Farm: multiple strange egg production as performed by Mark Wilson on Magic Land of Allakazam; p 22 No Pocket Bags: use gimmicked ball; p 23 American Version: Collins Pentz pocketless routine with a Ho Egg; p 26 Chapter Four: Other Tricks: ideas on using other props to specialize your trick

Benson, Roy. Classic Secrets of Magic By Bruce Elliot Chapter 7 p 82; Classic routine, twisting the bag, stomping the bag, and other ideas

Bertram, Ross: Magic and Methods. p 109 includes the Egg Bag: Tarbell Style. A wooden egg vanishes in bag, then reappears. Egg vanishes on outside of the bag and reappears. The egg is placed in the pocket, then removed and put in the bag, where it turns into a lemon.

Blake, Robert. In a forum, Robert came with the superb idea of a washinghand and a piece of soap, as replacement for the bag and the egg. What a great idea to make the props up to date… and it opens lots of gags with the slippery aspect of the soap. Naturally the fragility of the egg can no longer be a part of the routine, but a play can be created by having a plastic soap box where the soap vanishes and reappears (shell). Then the fragility of the box can replace the one of the egg and the soap can have a problem appearing at the same time as the box. In a discussion with Aunt Hattie where she came with the idea to use a well's fargo style bankbag, Robert also came with the natural idea of using a gold nuggets the size of an egg (would work with a fake ingot which most people never had a chance to put their fingers on).

Brooke, Ken: Ken Brooke & Friends and the Malini Egg Bag 1974 Magic Inc. 21 pages. p 2 Foreword: History and motivation for the Ken Brooke version; p 4 Sid Lorraine illustrations on handling the bag; p 5 The handling of the loaded bag (setup); p 6 Illustrations; p 8 The Bag is Shown; p 9 Illustrations; p 10 Spectator reaches inside and pulls bag inside out (empty); p 11 Illustrations; p 12 Egg produced from bag and vanished; p 13 Illustrations; p 14 Bag turned inside out; p 15 Illustrations; p 17 The Routine I have Found to be Successful with Al Koran patter; p 19 Ending Comments

Buckingham, Geoffrey: It’s easier than you think (H. Clark & Co) a nice technique to steal extra eggs for a multi eggs routine can be borrowed from his ball loading technique & The Magic and Manipulation of Geoffrey Buckingham A Double-Length DVD: a real course in how to load from the body: some of it can be used in close up.

Busby, Jeff: Routines and Handling for the Sterling Egg Bag, with Chuck Smith's Routine (see under Chuck Smith)

Carney, John: Up Close & Far Away VHS. Includes his Egg Bag. His vanish of the egg is extremely effective and he actually hands the bag to a spectator with the egg inside. It has to be seen to be fully appreciated.

Christopher, Milbourne: Tracing the Egg Bag, M-U-M July 1991, p 29

Colucci, Donato: Encyclopedia of Egg Magic. Covers Natural Eggs, Imitation Eggs, Fakes & Gimmicks, Productions, Vanishes, Balancing Feats, The Egg Bag, Transpositions, Animations, Transformations, Miscellaneous Effects and Routines. 319 large pages containing more than 270 tricks and routines gathered from hundreds of sources.

Daniels, Paul: BBC

Darbyshire, Lydia: The Magic Book. Her large format nice introductory magic book cvers the egg bag.

De Biere, Arnold. Tricks of the masters by Will Goldston p 105-108 with nine very clear drawings on De Biere’s technique but no indication as to the routine. Just one or two showmanship indications (keeping the opening open round…) & Modern Magic Manual by Jean Hugard, Faber and Faber 1957 p 166 The egg bag: the full De Biere routine. This is the routine which started it all. It brought fame to De Bière and was then performed by David Devant, Max Malini, and most of the modern masters such as Johnny Thompson (with an original patter) Percy Abbott, Dan Tong, Deenny Haney, Bob White, Ron Wilson, etc.

De Camps, Eric: Don’t know the routine but it is referred to by a member of the Magic Café

DeLawrence Geo: Some Card Effects and Magical Talks ©1919 1st edition, F. G. Thayer, Los Angeles, 45 pages Available as an e-Book from Lybrary.com: p 28 The Egg Bag

Dobson, Wayne: Dobson's Choice - TV Stuff #2 DVD. Another compilation of TV clips from Wayne's hit TV series 'A Kind of Magic'. Includes his take on the Egg Bag

Dragon egg bag

Edmundson, Gerald. The Ostrich Factor. A practice Guide for Magicians. ©2004 Gerald Edmundson Denton Texas. 83 pages. The Egg bag is used as a running thread for illustrating how to manage movements, build a patter and advocating for the consistency of movements within an egg bag routine.

Elliott, Bruce: Classic Secrets of Magic. ©1953, llustrated by Stanley Jaks, Harper & Row - Galahad Books. p 82 Chapter 7: The Egg Bag, Well Done. Basic routine, twisting the bag, stomping the bag, and other ideas.

Fawkes, Isaac (c1675 - 1731)
Fawkes was an early English magician, Fawkes was known to be the one to who stopped performing in the open and to have shown the Egg Bag trick in a tent where people had to pay to get into. Apart from being the first recorded magician to perform the car on the ceiling (others were performing in open air), he also built and demonstrated mechanical automations, e.g. a clock, which imitated numerous music instruments and bird voices.

Fedko, John: School of Magic Video 1, Chinese Egg Bag. Very good technique but the entertainment value of John’s performance can be discussed.

Flosso, Al. The Egg Bag. Al had a woman from the back of the audience come up to inspect the bag. He would send her back to her seat and then do a phase of the routine. He then would have the woman come up again to inspect the bag, then send her back to her seat, do a phase, and then bring her up again. The runner of having the woman make the trek from the back of the house up each time became funnier and funnier each time. Al would keep up a running commentary. The last time she would get halfway up and he would tell her to just forget it and go back to her seat. He would throw the bag down on his table in disgust. It would land behind some other props. He would then pick up a second bag loaded with a glass of lemonade. The climax would be offered with the production of this drink.

Ganson, Lewis. Routined manipulations Vol II. p 86 Egg Bag (adapted from Percy Abbott routine): This egg bag routine uses a Japanese silk egg bag and the necessary blown egg. An egg is produced and vanished, and a bag is produced. The bag is run through a small ring, yet an egg is pulled from the bag. The egg vanishes and reappears, then finally vanishes, and then the bag vanishes. The routine ends up with the Egg on Fan effect.

Geer, Brian: Heavy Hitters DVD 2003; Brian Geer performs and teaches the routines he performs professionally. Routines includes Egg Bag.

Gerrish, Jim: The Ungimmicked Egg Bag Routine. All the directions for doing the Egg Bag with an ungimmicked bag are here! Also, includes the "endless" production of real eggs; a Chef Hat & Apron paper tear from Wiz Kid Eleazar Goodenough; the gooey-mess-on-the-kid's head that-turns-into-a-bouquet of spring-flowers; and two magic oven props to build (one to produce a six foot high inflatable birthday cake, and a smaller table-top version to produces a real birthday cake complete with instant self-lighting candles on top). e-book from http://www.magicnook.com/kidmagic/kidsho......ed%20Egg

Gilbert, Blair. Hugard’s Magic Monthly Vol XVIII N° 12 p 137. Blair Gilbert’s Egg Bag Secret by Fred Braue. Blair Gilbert innovation was to stuff the bag into the secret pocket formed by the flap and the adjacent outer thickness of the bag, as the bag is seemingly turned inside out.

Ginn, David: Live Kidbiz (with book). Live performance video and book. Includes Red Plaid Egg Bag.

Goldston, Will The Magician Annual 1910-1911 p 63 with a live chicken finish in a plastic or metallic shell. The way the eggs are hidden under the vest is better illustrated in The Magician Annual than in the Linking Ring Linking Ring Vol 2 No 5 p 8 The WG Egg Bag. Effect: The conjurer shows a large cloth bag and hands it to someone in the front of his audience for examination. On receiving it back, the conjurer casually turns it inside out and thus convinces everyone in the audience that there is no secret or trick about the bag. Then, holding up his right hand to convince everyone that he has nothing hidden in the hand, the conjurer slowly places it in the bag and produces an egg. He repeats the operation until six eggs have been produced. The eggs are not collapsible. In fact, they may be the genuine article if the conjurer wishes. How it is done: The trick is only possible when the conjurer is wearing evening clothes, but as most performances are given in the evening, this is no drawback to a very fine trick. There is no trick about the bag. The front of the conjurer’s waistcoat is false – that is to say, an extra front, extending to the side seams, is placed over the waistcoat proper. The extra front is held in place by two fine plastic bands passed around the body, one at the top and the other at the bottom of the false front. The bands can be fastened at the back of the performer. The front of the false waistcoat exactly resembles the front of the real waistcoat – that is to say, dummy pockets are visible and there is a small neat watch-chain attached to these false pockets. On receiving the bag back from the audience, the conjurer holds it in front of him with the first fingers and thumbs behind the bag and the second fingers in front of it. Now in turning the bag inside out, the conjurer can easily get his first finger and thumb into the watch-chain and so drag the false front away. The bag itself hides this operation. The other side of the false front is loaded with six or eight eggs, each in a separate pocket. The pockets are kept closed with bands of elastic. Thus, in turning the bag inside out, the conjurer gets the false front into the bag and all he has to do is to remove the eggs one at a time. The audience, having examined the bag in the first place, has no desire to examine it again at the end of the trick, and so the false front can be left inside the bag. Patter: For my next experiment, I use this bag, but please don’t be alarmed. I am not going to ask you to put anything into the bag. I merely want you to have a look at it and see that there is nothing inside it. Of course, if there were anything inside it, I would not allow you to examine it. You are quite satisfied Sir? If you will kindly let me have the bag back again I will go on with the trick. You will notice that the inside of the bag is of the same size as the outside. I will show you. In the same way, the outside is just the same as the inside. Tucked away in a little corner here we have an egg. I find that this is the cheapest way to get eggs. There is nothing cheap or nasty about this egg. Here is another just like it. “Birds of a feather flock together”. There is nothing feathery about these eggs, but there is another – another – and another – and more for luck. I will show you how this trick is done. You get a bag and you do just what I have done – and then you get eggs for “nothing”.

Grant U. F. Grant's Comedy Egg bag turns into a chicken

Haney, Denny: Denny and Lee Performance Video. Live performance at the Wells Theater in Norfolk, Virginia during the mid-nineties. Features performance only including the Malini Egg Bag.

Harlan, Dan: Pack Small, Play Big - The All Purpose Show DVD. Includes Tee Bag (egg bag - production routine)

Hay, Henry: Amateur Magician's Handbook. Includes a brief introduction to the Egg Bag, its construction, and basic routine. & Learn Magic. Good introductory information on the egg bag. Includes a "standard" routine and an egg production routine.

Hobson, Jeff. The Hobson Egg bag & Jeff Hobson Live! A-1 Multimedia. Performance only of his Egg Bag routine.
Jeff has produced a nice variation on the Malini egg bag, the lining being a different color to the outside of the bag is a nice touch and the shorter cut to the bag looks good too, but the gags are very linked to the gay aspect of his character, which may not suit every performer.

Hilliar, William J.: Modern Magician’s Handbbook an up-to-date treatise on the art of conjuring ©1902 Frederick J. Drake & Co, Chicago; p 277 The Famous Egg and Bag Trick

Anonymous. Hocus Pocus Junior The Anatomie of legerdemain. OR, The art of juggling set forth in his proper colours, fully, plainly, and exactly, so that an ignorant person may thereby learn the full perfection of the same, after a little practise, 2nd edition 1635 London, T.Harper for R.Mab


Hoffman, Professor [Angelo Lewis] Modern Magic ©1876 1st edition, Routledge; p 317 CHAPTER XVI MISCELLANEOUS TRICKS: p 326 The Egg Bag; p 329 To Produce Eggs from a Person's Mouth & Later Magic ©1904 Dutton & Co; p 390 CHAPTER X. TRICKS WITH EGGS: The Celluloid Egg; p 391 The Self-Balancing Egg; p 392 The Egg-cup, for Vanishing an Egg; p 394 An Improved Egg-Holder; p 396 The Magical Production of Eggs; p 399 Production of Eggs from the Mouth; p 401 Bellachini's Method; p 403 A Smashed Egg Vanished from a Handkerchief; p 405 The Diminishing Egg; p 405 To Vanish an Egg from the Hand; p 407 A Special Egg Vanisher; p 409 The Wandering Eggs; p 412 Another Method; p 417 New Egg and Tumbler Trick; p 418 An Illustration of Free-Trade Principles; p 425 Eggs from Nowhere, and Back Again; p 426 An Egg-Laying Hat; p 429 A Novel Egg-Bag Trick; p 432 The Ribbon-Producing Egg; p 434 The Bewitched Orange

Holmes, Donald The Magic Art. ©1920 by the author p 123 Christopher’s Egg And Bag Trick
It is with a feeling of genuine pleasure that I here present to the reader the original patter and method employed by my good friend Christopher in his inimitable presentation of the Egg and Bag Trick. Every magician who knows Christopher (and his friends are legion) knows that in his hands this conjuring classic is nothing short of a masterpiece. His description constitutes a real lesson in conjuring a lesson which even the "old timer" may peruse to his advantage. And so 'I say, if you have never seen Christopher do the Egg Bag, you have missed a real treat. He can set the patter, the misdirection, down with his pen, but the personality, the magic spell woven by the originator, cannot be duplicated. The description follows in Christopher's own words.
The Egg and Bag Trick as I Did It
No doubt most of my readers are familiar with the impressive method of presenting the egg and bag trick. Its only drawback in playing theaters where there are balconies and galleries is the fact that the upper floors can not see what you are doing when you are in the aisles, thus losing some of the effect of the trick. To overcome this, have two boys' come upon the stage; I prefer men when I can get them. If necessary, have the boys "planted," but do not rehearse them in anything that they are to do, or they will try to "act" and thus overdo it. There are several ways of making the bag. My favorite is the one with one side double, and the opening in the lower right hand corner in the seam. Provide yourself with a "Demon Handkerchief," a fan, a wand, and several blown eggs. The egg to drop on floor should be thoroughly dried out.
Presentation : "In my next trick I would like to have the assistance of two boys upon the stage" - Then if slow in coming, "any boy from ten to sixty will do." When you get the boys on stage, place one on your right and one on your left. "The reason I invite the boys on the stage is to enable me to perform the trick where everyone can see what is transpiring. I will direct attention to a small bag,-perfectly empty, inside and out." Turn bag inside out. The egg is in the double side. "The best way to prove the bag empty is to have someone examine it." Have boys hold your arms and while doing so you again turn bag inside out, and have one of the boys feel in the bag to see that it is empty, holding the egg in upper corner of bag during the examination. Close bag, holding it shut with the index finger; then say to boy on your left: "I wish you would place the chair, the gilded one, near to the footlights." The boy looks for chair, but sees nothing but an old dilapidated one. You say, "That's it." While the boy is moving the chair, "Look out! Be careful how you handle antique furniture." Lay bag on chair. "I also use an egg in this eggsperiment. What I use is the blown egg, or egg shell. I blow the contents so in case of accidentally dropping one, there will be no disagreeable features connected with the trick." Say to the boy on left, "I believe that you are a good judge of henfruit. Will you examine the egg and see if it is a real egg, or egg shell, as I explained?" Hand egg to the boy, and at the same time turn up stage to get your fan and demon handkerchief. "Have you examined the egg sufficiently? Then I'll relieve you of it." Reach for the egg, and as the boy goes to hand it to you give it a pinch, which will cause it to fall to the floor and break. This is where you use the dried egg shell. Pause -look at egg-look at boy, at the same time moving your lips as if saying, "Look what you have done! You have spoiled the trick! You little rascal," etc., etc. Look at egg -look at boy. Keep a straight face and look serious. Turn suddenly and look at the other boy, as much as to say, "What are you laughing at?" Look back at first boy, at egg, etc., and keep it up as long as there is a big laugh, but don't overdo it. Then break into a pleasant smile, and say, "Never mind the egg. That is why, as I explained a moment ago, that I use the blown egg or egg shell. I always have two or three extra ones in case of an accident." Take another egg and offer it to the boy, and when he reaches for it, draw your hand back and say, "Never again I" and give the egg to the other boy to examine, at the same time getting the double handkerchief ready. "Now before I touch the egg, I want you to hold my left arm with your right hand, and you hold the other one." The boy's dirty hand will stand out beside your clean arm. "I see yoti need Sapolio." Pause for laugh. "Now don't allow me to place my hands in my pockets. That is the reason why I have you hold my arms." Make a bluff to put your hand in pocket, and say to boy, "Don't allow me to do that. I do it very quickly som.e times." Wrap the egg in the handkerchief, giving the latter a twist, and hand to the boy on your left, telling him to hold it with his fingers under the egg so that he will not drop it. Dismiss the other boy, and have the remaining boy move over to your right.
"The reason why I dismissed one of the boys is that there is a certain amount of danger in this trick," look at boy, "and I do not want to injure any more boys than necessary. Now, you have seen the bag examined, proven empty and placed upon the chair; and the egg wrapped in a handkerchief and held by this young man. I am going to cause the egg to disappear from the handkerchief and to reappear in the bag, or at least attempt it." To boy, "Hold the egg up high so that we can all see it" -pause-"say about seven or eight feet, more or less. If you feel a slight electric shock, don't jump" -pause-"any higher than the ceiling." To leader, "A little concerto, please. That will do, thank you." While music is playing; go through motion of fanning the egg from the handkerchief toward bag. Shake out handkerchief, quickly showing both sides, lay handkerchief and fan on the table, and dismiss the boy. "The egg has disappeared from the handkerchief, as I said it would; therefore it must be where I say it is-in the bag." Pick up bag from the chair, and produce the egg from it. If you are pressed for time, you may finish the trick at this stage, as you have "pulled" all the big laughs. If not, continue:
"I will do a still more wonderful trick. I'll place the egg in the bag, lay the bag on the chair, and then at a distance of several feet, cause the egg to disappear from the bag without going near it or touching it; a trick that you must admit is wonderful." Place the egg in the bag, and withdraw your hand awkwardly as if it contained the egg; lay the bag on the chair and turn up stage to get your wand, at the same time fumble coat tail pocket as if putting the egg in the pocket. Advance toward foot-lights, and say, "Now I will cause the egg to disappear from the bag." The audience will let you know that something. is wrong, at which you pretend embarrassment. "I don't believe that you quite understand. I just placed the egg in the bag, and I'll cause it to disappear from there. That's understood, is it not? It is" -pause-"not. Oh, I see what the trouble is. You don't believe that the egg is in the bag. Now I would not dream for a moment of deceiving anyone. Certainly not. There seems to be a doubt as to where the egg is, so I will show you once more." You roll the egg out of the bag with the Wand. "Now if I wish to make the egg disappear, it is not necessary to go near a chair or table, or to put my hands in my pockets. I'll just place the egg in the bag, invert the bag or turn it upside down, and the egg is gone!" In the meantime you have slipped the egg into the double side of the bag. Turn the bag inside out, bang it on the hand, and fold it up square. "We'll see if we can find the egg." Go into the aisle. Have one person on each side of you hold your arms, at the same time turn the bag inside out; have another party feel in the bag and declare it empty. The egg is held in the upper part of the double side until spectator's hand is withdrawn, when it is allowed to drop to the bottom. You say, "Hold the bag yourself." Allow him to hold the bag at the top corners with the bag wide open. Be careful here if anyone tries to reach into the bag to jerk it away from him, in this case again turning it inside out as if assisting them to show it empty. While the man is holding the bag, you say, "You see the bag is perfectly empty, and my hands are empty." , Put hand in bag and produce the egg, then return to stage. You continue, "now I don't mind showing you how the trick is done, and I'll show you how easy it is to deceive the public. There is no preparation whatever about the bag. Get an egg, make a small hole in each end and blow the contents; it makes the egg light and easy to handle. That is the real reason why I use the blown egg or egg shell. I might say that it is an egg-shell-ent trick. Such wit! Then I place the egg into the bag" (you palm the egg), "turn the bag upside down, and the egg is gone ! The secret is that I do not allow the egg to remain in the bag. I hold it in my hand all the time. See? With a little practice you can hold it in the hand without any danger of dropping it." Or say, "With a little practice and the aid of Le Page's Liquid Glue—I get two and a half for that advertisement,—you can hold anything in the palm of the hand without dropping it. "Then when I have the attention of the audience directed on the bag, or elsewhere, I slip the egg under my vest. Then I can show my hands empty, turn the bag inside out, allow people to examine it, and to hold my arms. When I want the egg again, a little pressure above it with the thumb causes it to drop into my hand ; then all that is necessary is to place the hand in the bag, turn it over, and produce the egg. Now, isn't that simple?" Pause. "I don't believe that you quite understand! my explanation. I'll explain the trick once more, and so thoroughly that every one of you will be able to do it as well as I can do it myself, or better. As I said before, I place the egg in the bag"—slip it into the pocket of bag—"turn the bag upside down and the egg is gone! I don't let the egg stay in the bag; I hold it in the hand all the time. See?" You look in hand, then in the other hand, around the floor, and look surprised. "I wonder where I laid it." Turn bag inside out, bang around, and fold it up. Then produce the egg from the bag. "I thank you." Exit. I have described one trip into the audience, as it is such a splendid effect and creates a great deal of favorable comment. If the performer desires to leave this out, he can remain on the stage, manipulate the bag to show it empty, produce the egg there from, and then go into the pretended explanation of the trick.

Hugard, Jean: Modern Magic Manual. ©1957 Faber and Faber p. 166: The egg bag: the full De Biere routine starting with the false palming in the right hand and alleged ditching in the right pocket as you demonstrate the bag to be empty: people scream and you show your left pocket (instead of the right where the egg was seemingly concealed) then your left jacket pocket (or any other you may have) when they ask for the other one. Finally very deliberately show the right pocket and openly get to the bag and reproduce the egg. Sucker explanation on how you vanished the egg the first time leaving it in the bag when pretending to place it in your pocket. Offer to show it in action: drop the egg in the bag (in the pocket) withdraw the end seemingly with the egg palmed. Stop show the hand empty and turn the bag inside out, striking it in your hand and on the table, patting it on your thigh, twisting it between your hands, and convincing the audience it is empty. Ask for two assisting spectators holding the bag between the hands one at each side of its mouth (egg in the top corner of the secret pocket). Have them look inside, feel inside testifying to the audience that it is empty. Then dropping the corner of the bag, have them checking your hands and your sleeves. Have them holding your wrist to prevent you from going to your pockets. Allegedly make such an attempt. Creating entertainment. Ask them if they checked the bag to their heart’s content. Cause the magic and let them discover the egg in the bag. & Hugard’s Magic Monthly Vol 1 N° 4 February 1944 p 39 The Egg Bag includes R. M. Jamison unusual ideas about the routine.

Hustle, Danny. Danny reminds the idea of producing a rubber chicken as a climax. Since rubber chicken are too big if you shoot him an email he'll give you his work on making it fly (pun intended).

Jamison, R. M. Sphinx Vol XXXIV # 10 Dec 1935 p 270. An Egg Bag Trick. The routine makes use of a Gwynne’s box (a box which looks empty when it contains something) with two eggs inside. The egg bag has an egg in it and a quail egg (hard boiled and painted white) is in the left coat pocket. The performer shows the box and the egg bag to be empty. Using magic, one egg is produced from the box, which is shown t be otherwise empty. The egg is dropped in the pocket. The pocket is slapped and the egg reappears in the bag. It is then replaced in the bag and reappears in the box. It is replaced in the box and disappears to reappear in the bag. It is then replaced in the bag where it disappears to reappear in the pocket. It is then replaced in the left pocket (palming the quail egg), and announcing that it will come out from a very small (inexistent) hole in the corner of the bag. As a result the egg shrinks as it comes out. To get it back to its original size, it is dropped in the bag (palmed) and a spectator is asked to get it out and feel that there is nothing else in the bag. There are two interesting concepts in the routine: introducing a third location on top of the traditional pocket and bag, and introducing an effect with the reducing egg. The third location is a box but it could be an egg cup with the type of cloth cover used to keep the egg warm (maybe with a shell initially pinched as in the cylinder and coins and then with an adapted chop cup approach for the second real egg?). Hugard’s Magic Monthly Vol 1 N° 4 February 1944 p 39 The Egg Bag includes R. M. Jamison unusual ideas about the rroutine.

Joseph, Eddie. Magic and Mysteries of India. ©1946, 75 pages - Abbott’s Magic. p 38 The Egg Bag - Hindu Presentation.

Kam, Curtis. In a forum Curtis came with the idea to use a flip-style cell phones which is just about the size of an egg. Then the questionning could run around the question about why the supplier supplies a bag that big?

Karson, Joe: Magic That Can be Performed Anywhere DVD by Cellini. Includes Joe Karson's Chinese Egg Bag.

Kreis Magic. Perfect egg. Performer picks up a sheet of Kleenex and tears it to pieces, then puts a piece on the table. The torn piece of paper starts to visually become an egg. Finally, the performer breaks the egg to prove it is real. Comes complete with special egg gimmick and an illustrated instruction sheet. A great opener fort the egg bag. http://www.magicmgmt.com/newmagicshop/PERFECTEGG.html

Lewis, Martin: Martin’s Magical Inventions Lecture p 14: Mardo egg bag patter

Lewis, Trevor: The Magic of Trevor Lewis DVD. Lecture, taped live at Mark Leveridge’s 3rd British Close-Up Magic Symposium. Includes Trevor’s Egg Bag Routine (Malini)

Malini, Max. Malini and his magic by Dai Vernon. ©Supreme Magic p 30-33: Egg Bag. Dai Vernon starts with the statement that in his opinion the three best performers of the egg bag trick were Max Malini, Horace Goldin and Arnold DeBiere. Horace Goldin was employing a bald-headed man and would put the bag over his head, creating many comical situations. The Malini routine is in film presented with great talent by Johnny Thomson Jr. & Hugard’s Magic Monthly Vol XVIII N° 11 June 1961 p 117. Malini’s egg bag trick by Harry G. Shaw. A detailed description of Malini’s performance (no explanation) of the egg bag effect. It is claimed that Charlie Miller, Ken Brooke Sid Lorraine, Pete Biro, Bob Driebeek, Jay Marshall, Bob Sheets, Bob White, etc… have all worked on their personal presentation of this specific routine.

Mardo, Senor: Routined Magic. ©1945 Max Holden. 29 pg. includes: Marlo's Egg Bag Routine using a Sterling Bag (Wool plaid cloth) & Greater Magic Video Series. Teach in DVD series. Senor Mardo’s routine demonstrated by Eric Lewis. A great routine which has made it as an historical classic.

Marlo, Edward: Arcade Dreams; Marlo without cards ©by Jon Racherbaumer. Includes Egg Bagatelle egg bag routine.

Martyn, Topper. Topper's Mad, Mad, Magic by Gene Anderson. ©1974 Magic, Inc, Chicago. 54 pages, comb binding. p 32 The Egg Bag: a patter approach to the Egg Bag; p 34 The Egg Trick: an old gag

McComb, Billy. Greater Magic Video Series #30. Whiskey Egg Bag & Greater Magic Video Series. Teach in DVD series. Very original patter as usual with Billy McComb dry humour.

Merlini, Jim. Abracadabra Vol 12 No311 Saturday 12 January 1952 p 388-300 Jim Merlini’s Top Secrets The egg and the bag Three eggs are produced & Abracadabra Vol 12 No312 Saturday 19 January 1952 p 405-408 Jim Merlini’s Top Secrets The egg and the bag (continued)

Miller, Charlie. Malini Egg Bag Routine. From Magic Inc & Charlie Miller Greater Magic Video Series # 18. Malini Egg Bag (Performance only) & Charlie Miller & Johnny Thomson: Greater Magic Video Series # 29 & Greater Magic Video Series. Teach in DVD series. Reproduces the volume # 29 offering Johnny Thompson’s unique patter.

Miller, Jack: egg Bag Gen Vol 15 # 1 May 1959 p 31 (advertisement) & Ed Mishell: Hold Out Miracles. 64 pg. (Note, not all effects require use of holdout) Jack Miller's Egg Bag Routine. (Tommy Wonder explains in his book that the hold out mentionned by Ed Mishell was not the Jack Miller hold out and describes the real one ad how to use it) & Ace Greenberg: Jack Miller's Hold-Out Miracles DVD On this DVD Alan "Ace" Greenberg, who was a fan of Prof. Jack Miller, demonstrates and teaches his rendition of three classic Jack Miller routines using the Hold-Out. He details: The Ball, Silk And Wand Routine, The Jack Miller Egg Bag Routine and The Sensational Rope Cut. We also learn how to quickly make a Jack Miller style Hold-Out using items that can be easily acquired. Includes archival footage of Jack Miller namely performing his classic Egg Bag Routine.

Mullica, Tom: It's Show Time at the Tom Foolery. Features his comedy egg bag routine & Greater Magic Video Series # 19: includes his Egg Bag & same video re-edited in Greater Magic Video Series. Teach in DVD series.

Novak, John. The Egg Bag Book. covers history, the types, and the performers. Includes routines, lines, moves, handling and so on.

Palmer, Johnny Ace. Trilogy. The Egg Bag, Too Fast: fast paced routine which is ideal for table hopping.

Pitt, Cull. L’Illusioniste (magic magazine published by the magic dealer Caroly) April 1911 10th Year N° 112 p 39 prints the following advertisement. New trick from the Caroly House. “Real eggs production from a transparent bag. Effect: The prestidigitator shows a small black bag totally transparent [doesn’t say how it can be together black and transparent but it’s probably like the later Lou Tannen bag] which can be examined. He holds it in front of him and can show his hands to be totally empty. Giving a few gentle shakes to the bag an egg is seen inside. The performer takes it out and places it on a plate or a tray. A new shake with the bag produces another egg and the effect can be repeated as much as desired. Finally the bag can be given for examination.”

Prevost, Jean: Clever And Pleasant Inventions, 1584 by Antoine Bastide Lyons (France) and 1998 English translation by Stephen Minch (brilliant lay-out in antique style); p 82 How You May Cleverly Strike A Cap Under Which You Have Plced An Egg, And Yet The Egg Shall Appear Quite Unbroken. Prevost describes the smashing effect using a peaked nightcap with secretly sewn-in pocket and the turning over of the bonnet before letting the egg reappear. This makes it the first account oft he egg bag in print.

Proudlock: Proudlock’s egg bag by Edward Bagshawe. Two gentlemen are invited to help, and one is handed a black cloth bag to examine. A little byplay is introduced by the production of a (spring) rat from this assistant's coat, to be followed by the production of an egg. This egg is given to the same assistant and he is asked to write his name upon it, being given a giant pencil for this purpose. The performer now propounds the old riddle as to which came first, the egg or the chicken; and apparently decides for himself that “the answer is a lemon,” a lemon being produced from the bag. Finding that there is still something in the bag the magician affects surprise as he extracts a curious-looking (rubber) chicken from it, which he tosses aside. Now getting down to business, he takes the egg and places it in the bag, announcing that as he says “Go!” the egg will vanish. He is detected in placing the egg in his pocket and at a second attempt is seen apparently to place the egg under his left arm. However, he continues by showing the bag perfectly empty, inside and out, and then obligingly raises his left elbow to show the egg is not under his armpit as was anticipated. He next requests the two assistants to grip his wrists and with their remaining free hands assure themselves that the bag is empty. This done, he deliberately inserts his right hand into the bag and produces the egg. And now, says the performer, he will explain the exact working to the audience. In the subsequent explanation he places the egg in his pocket and shows the bag empty. The egg vanishes from his pocket, which is shown empty, and the bag is likewise still empty. Again the assistants hold his wrists and he succeeds in producing the egg from the bag. The assistants examine the egg and note it is the same one that was written upon at the commencement. This actually concludes the effect, but as the performer is about to see the assistants off stage he grasps one of them by the arm and quickly produces a large imitation duck from inside his coat, making an unexpected finale; and the helpers are then allowed to regain their seats.

Quick Tricks Series: The Egg Bag

Riser, Harry. Secrets of an escamoteur. Full details are given on The Malini Egg Bag: its construction and the extraordinarily cunning Riser routine.

Stanyon, Ellis. Stanyon’s magic. Original Lessons in magic Vol X No 6, March 1910. p 41-42: The Egg Bag

Saxon, Lucille. My Best The Best Tricks from the best brains in magic, edited by J. G. Thompson Jr. ©1945/1959 D.Robbins & Co., Inc p 334: patter for the egg bag (with an Latin accent)

Sheets, Bob. Steve Spill’s bar and grill. (Hard to find booklet but worth the search). Very funny routine with the usual Bob Sheet’s class. Bob puts the bag over his hand like a hand puppet and slap the hell out of it. At one point he's giving a dirty look to an audience member and smacking the bag as if he'd rather be smacking the spectator; Boob has a unique way of smacking the bag and spin it around on his wrist.

Smith, Chuck: Routines and Handling for the Sterling Egg Bag ©by Jeff Busby, includes Chuck Smith's Routine.

Smith, Samuel Patrick: The Magic Ingredient: Funny Magic to Make You a Kid-Show Celebrity. VHS Video. 1995; 60 minutes. SPS Publications. Includes The Egg, the Bag, and the Magic Hat

Stevens, Joe: Greater Magic Video Series. Teach in DVD series: Martin Lewis on the Senor Mardo Egg bag, Tom Mullica, Billy McComb, and Charlie Miller with Johnny Thompson.

Stodare, "Colonel". Hand-Book of Magic, London, ©1862, 32pp. gives a rather cryptic description of feats generally familiar in existing books. His selection however included the Egg Bag.

Stone, Tom: Passion ©2007 by Tom Stone p 7: Eggs from Bombay. The routine is really original and stands between an egg bag routine and a Benson Bowl routine but with the production of several eggs and a finale with a goose egg

Tamariz, Juan: Don’t know the routine but it is referred to by a member of the Magic Café

Tannen, Lou. Egg Bag (transparent front). Absolutely visible magic. The performer‘s hand is plainly seen as he deposits the egg into the bag.. The egg vanishes and re-appears visibly while the performer holds its transparent face to audience. Sold with a wooden egg.

Tarbell, Harlan Course in Magic Volume 2. Tarbell Egg Bag (with a fully stitched pocket) & Course in Magic Volume 5. Describes the Malini egg bag. & Steve Burton: Tarbell Companion. Volume 8 references the Tarbell egg bag.

Tan Bah Chee. The best of magic around the world p 106. My routine for the comedy egg bag. A really entertaining routine where a shelled egg and a real egg are used in conjunction with a Breakaway fan and a spring snake candy can. The assisting boy is asked to perform the role of the chicken. He is asked to turn himself into an egg-laying hen and is handed the breakaway fan. At some point the magician holds the breakaway fan at eye level and asks the boy to blow on the fan to restore it. When he does so the magician pretends that the kid has spitted him in the eye instead. The boy is then requested to bend down at the waist and to cackle loudly and wiggle his posterior like a hen. Two eggs are successively produced from the wiggling part and one is given (the real egg) at the end. He is called back and given the spring snake candy can as a replacement.

Thomas, Garrett. In the mind of Garrett Thomas DVD 3. Ball in the bag. A large steel ball appears in a black velvet bag and then magically disappears. This would be a nice finish for any Egg bag routine.

Thompson, Johnny & Miller, Charlie. Greater Magic Video Series. Teach in DVD series. Offers Johnny Thompson’s unique patter.

Thompson, J.G.: My Best The Best Tricks from the best brains in magic, edited by J. G. Thompson Jr. ©1945/1959 D. Robbins & Co., Inc. Includes two egg bag routines: One is poem form, the other is Tommy Windsor routine (see below)

Tong, Dan. Magic Menu & Finally DVD 2. Some very entertaining lines in an otherwise fairly classic 3 phases routine with the Ron Wilson shot glass finish.

UMSI: The Egg from Mouth is a production gimmick to have eggs produced from your mouth or from your assistant mouth. For a different looking routine.

Van Lameche. L’Illusioniste (magic magazine published by the magic dealer Caroly) March 1911 10th Year N° 111 p 23: La poule humaine. The shell is painted pink inside for the assistant to be able to turn it around before opening the mouth which is then allegedly shown empty

Welch, Lynetta. The Legacy Malini Egg Bag handcrafted for Nielsen Magic
“This is by far, the best egg bag in the market. Period”.
The effect is quite simple: An egg appears and disappears inside a mysterious black cloth bag. The bag can be turned inside out and the egg can appear whenever the magician wants.
Nielsen has always been able to obtain few bags from Lynetta. If you have heard of her, you will know that she is one of the best craftpersons in the business. Each bag is personally made by her, and because of her busy schedule, it is sometimes difficult to get them quickly. These bags are made of 100% silk, and cut just perfectly. The French seams are perfect, and the design is simplicity and elegance itself. It is a dream to do the Malini Egg Bag Routine with these bags. The bag comes with basic instructions on how to perform it. However, if you are seriously considering adding this effect to your repertoire, we highly recommend that you get the Lynetta Welch egg bag. It’s recommended by big names like Whit Haydn.

White, Bob. Malini Egg Bag. In his video Bob teaches the techniques, management and psychology to effectively perform the Malini Egg Bag. Bob is considered by some great names to be the best performer of the Malini egg bag.

Wilson, Ron. The Uncanny Scot: Ron Wilson by Richard Kaufman - 1987. Apparently the creator of the shot glass finale.

Windsor, Tommy. My Best The Best Tricks from the best brains in magic, edited by J. G. Thompson Jr. ©1945/1959 D. Robbins & Co., Inc. p 341: Windsor's Egg Bag Routine & The Tommy Windsor Golden Egg Bag is sold by Lee Jacob's Productions

Lawrence O, I don't think I've ever saw a longer post. I think you might hold the record.

WOW`

Is that all you got?

;-))))))

Thank you,

THAT was impressive!

Jeff

Lawrence has fingers of steel and a keyboard ready to croak!

After reading your informative post, I see you do not mention Sam Berland's Tipsy Bag, his Watch Egg Bag, and his Egg Bag with Chicken finale.

Also one of the most entertaining routines I have read and seen is from the Linking Ring Magazine. Performer presents a routine explaining what the modern chicken would look like today. Wit a stick figure on a number of card is drawn a chicken, reason for eliminating each part of the chicken is given, until you have the modern most efficient chicken, performer show a bag as the modern chicken, etc. Very entertaining idea.

I got my egg bag from Jim Cellini. I love it.

Very interesting. Can you get us a more precise reference for Sam Berland's routine(s) (a very creative off the beaten path magician).

http://magicref.tripod.com/magref/magegg.htm

Here is another annotated list from Doug Atkinson.

Does anyone know where I can find some information about the egg bag?

Arthur

That is a very gereral question. What kind of information are you looking for? There are over a 100 references everywhere, in the form of books and Videos. How much do you want to spend, as some are inexpensive and some are expensive.

Are you looking for just information or Egg Bags with information. You can search the Café and read to your hearts content and find all the information yourself if you desire. The many dealer sits on the Internet all have Egg Bags and provide a lot of what is offered to the public and magicians.

I was not being serious. I was merely making reference to the 18 page (If you cut and paste it into Word) post by Lawrence O which is about as exhaustive as one can get when referencing the egg bag. Thank you Lawrence.

For the ones who would not be familiar with Doug Atkinson's bigliographies under "MagicRef", I would suggest that you take down and preciously keep this link for Doug's work is outstanding and matches but over a wider range of magic (unfortunately on English language books only) the Dennis Behr excellent database on cards. Both are episodically completed and updated.

Lawrence, thanks VERY much for your tremendous post on the Egg Bag.

I'm just getting started with this prop, and you saved me hours of digging in my library. SETH

I just got mine today and WOW it is so deceptive and great quality I am glad I own one Can't waite to add it in the show in a few months

I just visited Hobson's Egg bag site and the purchase link is bad. Jeff, are youo still selling the eggs and the bags?