Looks like Bob Kohler's Lightning Box with a different design.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL7RujNHaPE

My exact thoughts. There might be a slight difference with the bottom of the box. My thoughts just from watching the video.

I searched who was carrying it and it's a Hocus-Pocus exclusive. The ad says:

"Based on a bold and devious concept originally developed by Bob Kohler"

So, I think they have Bob's blessing.

That's actually very clever, a "s***ing gimmick makes the illusion more deceptive. My only concern is that, how long will the gimmick last before it starts to get stuck when it is activated?

That's exactly why Bob Kohler chose lathed ABS plastic. Wood swells when it's humid. I think that gimmick would stick in certain weather conditions.
James

Good points.

However wood gives it a good aesthetic look.

Does it seem very obvious to anyone else on the workings of the gimmick in the trailer when watching him put the box down? Not very deceptive in my opinion.

Think the issue is that , if you "burn" the hands like that video does it will be very very obvious.

Look up Kohlers lightening box on you tube and you'll see that the idea is to pretty much take the focus off the box after you have dumped the item out of it.

I was just thinking the exact same thing. While I appreciate the close up nature of the video to show me the quality of the box, the discrepancy is blatant. Bob's video is more true to what is seen (or not seen) in actual performance. No one is burning the hand on the box. They are looking at what just came out of it.

Hi everyone,

Yes, Bob has given his blessing on this box and I'm very grateful for this. Here is a paragraph that is included in the instructions about how this item came to be, and it explains how Bob gave his blessing (I swapped out text for asterisks for the purpose of not over-exposing the box's methodology):

"BACKGROUND… When I first read Paul’s Gertner’s marvelous book, STEEL AND SILVER, in the mid-1990s, it was a changing point in my magic journey. The book was filled with at least a dozen effects and concepts that strongly resonated with me, and throughout the years I’ve often referred to it to find inspiration for new magic effects of my own. I sat down one night to re-read portions of it and discovered a routine that always intrigued me yet I never performed called THE CARD IN THE CANDY BOX. As I pondered the method of getting the spectator’s signed and folded card into the box in Paul’s routine, I had an inspired idea that hit me like a ton of bricks: why not integrate a (****************methodology explained***************)? After working for months with a talented woodworker to bring this vision to life, and right before The Boldly Go Box was ready to be marketed, I discovered a rather untimely coincidence: that magician Bob Kohler had recently released a product that integrated essentially the same methodology. I immediately contacted Bob to tell him about my creation and to find a way where we could work together to release my box while respecting his involvement as the original inventor of the “*************” idea. Even though our boxes have entirely different aesthetics, and my box includes the additional feature of the ***************, I explained that I wanted to give to Bob partial credit for my box since he released his version to the magic community first. Proper crediting was of paramount importance to me. To my delight, Bob was very supportive and I am grateful to have ultimately received his blessing on The Boldly Go Box, otherwise it would have never seen the light of day. Thank you, Bob!"

Regarding the trailer... being blatant about the method was intentional because my belief is that when a conjurer knows the method, they will immediately start thinking of ways to use the box. Believe me, no one notices the turning of the box in actual performance. Bob can attest to this, too. In real performance, the "heat" is on whatever is being dumped out of the box, and by the time they look back at the box, they just see an "empty" box sitting on the table. Additionally, if your hand is covering the entire bottom of the box (which is explained in the instructions), this provides all the cover you need to momentarily distract your spectator.

Regarding the "wood swelling"... I worked with a highly experienced and sought-after wood worker and this issue was addressed at length during the development process and there is absolutely nothing to worry about. The wood panels for the box have been cut with the grain going in the proper direction so as to avoid any swelling issues, and the wood is properly treated as well, and therefore will last a lifetime. If the box did "swell" at all, it would be vertically, making the box only microscopically taller and not affecting the methodology in any way whatsoever.

In addition to my box being made of entirely different material than Bob's (his is plastic, mine is wood/copper/metal/felt/velour), my box does something quite significant that the Lightning Box can't, and this is due to an additional feature built inside my box which opens up a world of possibilities.

The box is a Hocus Pocus exclusive and I've been told it's getting a full-page ad soon so I see it finding its way into the hands of magicians that really see its usefulness to create some memorable magic.

I'm happy to answer any other questions!

- Anthony Masi

Well this seems tempting as I love these effects! I use the kennedy mystery box and it works great for me. I never liked the lightening box simply due to the design only. Just did not fit my style. This box seems very nice and the extra thing to add to the illusion is making me think about this now!

I just wish I could handle this first before pulling the trigger.

Mike

MasiMedia, thanks for the honest video. I don't think the position of the box will be of any consequence. As has been mentioned the heat is on the card/billet/money.

Edh hit it. THANK YOU for the honest video!!!

Yes, I fully agree that the heat is NOT and will NEVER be on the box.



IMO, no added distraction or cover of any kind is needed. A powerful distraction is already & automatically built into the simple and straightforward routine. After all this routine was the brainchild of no other than Mr. Bob Kohler.

Card to box is one of my absolute favorite effects and I currently use the Lightning Box all the time. I was actually contemplating calling Bob to ask how one might to about painting it, because I often perform on a black background and I want it to "pop" a bit more. It looks like this will be my new toy.

Thank you for the comments everyone, and again, if anyone has any questions I'm more than happy to answer them!

Also, please note that you get FREE SHIPPING on The Boldly Go Box if you order directly from our website: Alien-Concepts.com.

Just about to place an order, look out for it cheers!
Daren

As some of you have mentioned, the heat is on the card, that was inside the box and not the box itself. If this is true, then why use such a box at all? I have been always convinced, that the Kennedy Box, the Boldly Go Box and every other similar device are solutions to a non-existant problem! Bruno Hennig (Joro), who came up with the original concept, Fred Kaps, who popularized it, Darwin Ortiz, Roberto Giobbi, Tommy Wonder - they were all happy with the conventional Hennig method. When the card is out of the box, simply pocket the *** thing and concentrate on selling the climax.

While that is probably true, there is something about casually showing the box empty to anyone who is looking before you put it away.

It is also worth noting that the box isn't just used for the Card to Box effect... This is a VERY versatile switching device and can be used for many routines. One of my favorites involves a matchbook. Here is the effect that comes in the instructions:

BOLDLY GO MATCHBOOK COINCIDENCE
With the box in full view on the table as you begin, you produce four different colored matchbooks – red, green, yellow and blue – and put them on the table. You ask a spectator to select one; let’s say she chooses the green one. You produce a deck of cards, ask her to select one, show it to the audience and then shuffle it back into the deck. You then produce 4 markers – black, red, blue, and green – and ask her to select one. Let’s say she chooses the red one. She uses the red marker to write the name of her card on the inside flap of the green matchbook, then to close it and hold onto it tightly so that you cannot possibly see what she wrote down. You motion to the box and tell the spectator that a strange coincidence has happened. When you remove the top, the spectator sees a green matchbook sitting inside. You dump it out and open it up to reveal that the name of the selected card is written on this matchbook as well – in RED marker! A strange coincidence!

In this matchbook effect, you would want to show the box empty at the end of the effect to erase any suspicion of there being additional matchbooks inside the box. You end clean and since there are so many variables to the effect, the box is just as innocent as the deck of cards and marker, which are also still sitting on the table.