I was wondering what most people use for silk to egg routines. My local magic shop is selling Tenyo's version. And online people mainly sell a version by Viking. I just want to know what people think of either one. Thanks. I am going in on Wednesday to see about purchasing one for myself. Thanks!
Brian
Take care!

Brian,

You may be better off buying a copy of "The Encyclopedia of Egg Magic", wriiten by Donato Colucci and published by Hermetic Press.

In the long run you may find that purchasing the book is a better investment than purchasing either of the marketed effects that you've mentioned in your posting.

Regards,


John

I couldn’t tell you which “Silk to Egg” is the best. All of the gimmicked versions are pretty much the same. A couple (Vernet being one) even break open to prove they are real. Most of the gimmicked Silk to Egg’s that I have seen vanish small silks. Less than 18 inches is small to my thinking.

Years ago (about 35 years ago if you want to know the truth), I saw a magician perform the Silk to Egg (it was J. B. Bobo at one of his School shows in Texas) and loved it! I went home and thought about how it could be done. I put together a version that I included in my act and it got a good response. I never thought about using a gimmicked egg!

I vanished a 24-inch silk, and showed the egg. I then “accidentally” flashed the hole on the egg. I appeared embarrassed that I was found out. Did a bit of Magic, and peeled the hole off the egg. It was a corner of a silk and it stuck out away from the egg like the corner of a hank would, glued on a bit of black paper (any bit of paper seen around the bit of silk looked like a hole in the egg!). I broke the egg in a glass and bowed!

No Gimmicked egg was used. One egg, with a gimmick stuck on it, one 24-inch silk, one dye tube and one glass to break the egg into is all I used to accomplish this minor miracle. It was months later that I discovered that Bobo used a gimmicked egg!

Pick one, and perform it! Plastic, ceramic, or brass (there is a brass one on eBay right now), they are all pretty much the same. It is the effect you are looking for, not the prop!

Hope this helps.

Thank you guys for your posts. I am interested in this subject because I just got a copy of "The Magic of Michael Ammar." I love his routine and wanted to practice it.
Thanks

Hey Brian!

I got the Viking Magic egg (BTW, someone told me that this is the one that M. Ammar uses now) on their web site for $9. Then just get three [18 in.] silks and presto, you're set! The reason you need three: you need two for the routine, then one to cut up and make into the "spot" on the egg. Attach a little piece of the third silk to the egg with some double-sided tape. This looks way better than the suggested sticker!

Don't cut up an 18-inch silk for a spot of silk! That is why the magic God invented 9-inch silks! I know most people believe that they were made for TT's but NO, they were made for silk spots on the back of an egg! Use a bit of the silk's corner so that it looks as if it is sticking out of a hole.

Hope this helps!

Thanks guys for the imput! I'm off to the magic shop now. Take care!

Oops, mumblepeas, you're right.... I have a 9" silk that I cut up. I didn't mean to say
'buy 3 18 inch silks.' Get 2 18 inchers and 1 "9 incher." Oh brother, today must not be my day!

Jeff, I suspected that is what you meant! I just didn’t want our friend Cool to accidentally destroy an innocent 18-incher!

I’ve seen the Viking Magic egg and I believe it is a good one. Not a bad buy!

If you can find a copy of the GREAT book by Lewis Ganson called "The Magic of Faucett Ross" (try H & R Magic Books)

Ross gives the work on the T. Nelson Downs version. Very clean. No gimmicked egg is used, no switch.

Karrell Fox has a similar version in one of his books which he seems to have arrived at independent of the Downs version.

If you're going to use a fake egg and switch then I concur that the Viking Magic egg is very good. Most Viking stuff is superior. Wish they had wider distribution on their items.

"The Magic of Faucett Ross" by Lewis Ganson was published by Supreme Magic in England and is just begging for a reprinting. If you find a copy consider yourself blessed. (Ditto for any and all of the Karrell Fox books.)



Excellent touch, mumblepeas, using the bit of round black paper under the silk to suggest a hole. Your thinking is very similar to the version I mentioned that is in one of Karrell Fox's books. (name escapes me at the moment and I'm not on the home computer). Great minds think alike!

I love Karrell Fox's approach of EFFECT over Method. Who cares (except other magicians) if the method behind an effect is accomplished by knuckle-busting sleights as long as the effect is the same from the audience point-of-view?

Not to worry mumblepeas, I would never destroy an 18 incher. I went to the magic shop, I saw the Tenyo version... it's very small. I don't like it. I am going to get the Viking version. But I searched their website, they don't have the egg's for sale by themselves. Where did you look exactly to find the egg you got Jeff?

Brian,

You have to search for "egg." Here is the link though, to make it easy. That address is Here!
Hope this helps!

Jeff,
You saved my life! Jk. Thanks for the link! I'll email ya soon.

John Pezzullo said that there is a book on the topic of egg magic well in the Tarbell course in magic there are a couple of chapters on the subject so you could look there for other ideas.

Regards,
TempleMagic

I purchased my complete routine from Duane Laflin several years ago, and it has held up extremely well after dozens of performances (I take very good care of my props) The egg is ceramic, and looks great. I sprayed it with a couple coats of low lustre finish just to help in keeping it clean. I don't know if he's still carrying them, but if he is, I highly recommend them for the value and the quality. Best regards, Christopher

My sister-in-law was heavily into ceramics several years ago and she made an egg that holds an 18" silk easily. Once you find a routine you like (Ammar's is very good), trot on down to your local ceramic shop and see if someone will make one for you. They are great!

Y'know, I was at a local "paint it yourself" pottery place, and they have an egg that EXACTLY matches the Viking Silk to Egg gimmick. Anybody want one? I guess that if you even wanted to paint it a custom color, you could do that and have it glazed, but it looks VERY realistic just off the shelf.

Steve Thomas

Scout around craft shops and craft departments of large department stores. You may find white plastic eggs that are easy to cut with an Exacto knife. They are dirt cheap and you can't tell them apart from real eggs from 3 feet away.

Just be careful and do not drop your ceramic egg during your performance.

Hi,

The encyclopedia of silk magic vol. 3 has a large chapter on Silk and egg effects.

Joke shops have good inexpensive plastic eggs.

Yours faithfully

Dan Kirsch