Vanishing Princess of Thebes!! I had the Mark Wilson one built by Thayer that was later used by Copperfield in The Magic Man. Sold it years back. Here is a clip of me performing it in the round back in the day. In the show I played an obnoxious Phantom character who made cast members vanish. We had the box come out covered and the cover cloth draped over the back for the presentation. Especially with a tiered audience above it was fantastic and a fooler. Base was around 5 1/2 feet long and 3 feet deep. Short legs that screwed on. Beautiful hand painted box design with elaborate pin-striping inside and out. Gimmicks and release made to be operated off of the hoist hook-up and I adapted it for me to control.
https://vimeo.com/87914823

Great post Craig!! Nice to see the illusion "in action".

Blair

The table on mine is flat top, although in the photo there is a sheet of plywood laying on top when the photo was taken. The important thing is that this has a mechanical inclusion that makes it different from many bases commonly used. If you look closely, you'll see a short section of strap, similar to a seat belt. Although this would normally not show in normal use, it serves a very defined purpose. I could not tell from Craig's video if this feature is used on his prop.

Michael-- they are the same mechanics. Flat top platform. Spring feature with two straps in the back. Normally wouldn't work in the round till we added the cloth gag I mentioned.

The Magic Makers Building Your Own Illusions DVD set shows how to build a base used in their crystal casket that has a vanishing load area.

Got it! I missed the purpose of the cloth!

Mars harpies you assumed right. I was considering this base for a completely different illusion I'm working on. As nice as the insta babe is, not my kind of trick.

Instant babe is not that thin looking as people like to think, the promo video is carefully shot. Lighting is very important with this illusion as there is lots to hide before the girl is produced and the table returns to its normal 'state'

This brings into the discussion the whole issue of illusions with a taper base, and where that taper should be. For best results it depends on where the illusion will be used, and where the sightlines will be.

Blair

Above or below depending on if the audience is above or below. Or double tapered as a compromise.

Jim

I had to pull out my copies of Well's "The Great Illusions of Magic" books to follow along (the smaller book has all the text and larger book contains the shop plans). The illusion is referred to as the "Crystal Box" (page 105), great design and concept- the plans get the creative juices flowing! Michael your table is a dead ringer for the drawing in the plans. I forgot about all the treasures in here, oldies but goodies.

Regarding tapered and where to do so... I have always preferred tables to look more like furniture and less like props, and to me a tapered top looks like a magic prop. Anyone know of virtually undetectable rise/tapers that still resembled real world furniture?

I think the step design that Wakeling is credited with can be made very close to look "normal". It can have a VERY slight taper underneath and have the "tray" sitting on top of the table. I have seen some that look very good.

RE: the Crystal Box (old style) is virtually the saem base as the Princess of Thebes which is what Michaels photo shows.

Blair

Thanks Blair, I'll look into Wakeling's designs.

Yes, they are pretty much the same thing. This table design can be used for a number of purposes, just change what sits atop. The table for Phantom Cage (also in the same books) is different but probably just a versatile, and probably more so in that it may be better for surrounded performance. There are also strong similarities between it and an Asrah table.

Height of the legs can certainly be altered on the PC table, but probably not wise on the CB/PoT table.

Actually Michael I have a Crystal Box (30"x30") illusion on 36" legs, it uses the exact same principle as the CB and PofT. What I like about it is the illusion can be performed surrounded and once the girl is produced you have a clear box sitting on a 4-5" "table" (all around) and it can be viewed up close, and the "secret" would be hard to discover by a laymen.

Blair

Thanks for the insight, Blair. If I had thought further, I would have realized the two effects are opposite one another, and that this would work. (Michael slaps forehead...)

Blair and Michael, whenever I see your post I look forward to reading them. We have so much to learn from the two of you, thanks!

James, this is the photo that I sent to Michael, so I thought I would post for all to see. Once the girl is produced the base is AMAZINGLY thin!

Blair

(P.S. Thank-you for the compliment!)

Click here to view attached image.

Thanks, James! I too, look forward to reading Blair's posts. If I only knew half of what he does...

~michael

Woah, amazingly thin indeed. Although I understand the principle used, it still looks impossible! That, is magic Thanks for sharing!