Astor Magic from Hungary puts out some really nice props and effects. The methods are typically inventive, and the props are nicely designed, classy looking and made from top quality materials. So it is no mystery that Astor Magic items are not cheap. In fact, I find the retail prices to be a bit too high for what you get, high quality though it is. That's why I look for opportunities to get Astor Magic at better prices, both for my own collection and use, and also for my TMGS customers.
Lucky for you, I scored a couple sets of ESP Chips at a good value price. One for me, and one for.... well, whoever reading this clicks Buy it now first! If you buy it, you will appreciate the high quality of the props, and you will also know you got a good deal!
The effect and method of ESP chips is not particularly innovative -- it is a version of the classic "Domino Principle" which has been used by many magicians and sold in many forms over the years. (I always thought Ray Piatt had put out the nicest set of props to perform the Domino principle prediction. Until I saw these ESP Chips! They are my new best-of-breed pick!)
The effect: magi mentalist shows a cloth bag and dumps nine ESP chips out of the bag. The spectator can hold them and mix them, as they are not gimmicked -- they are simply large black plastic discs, with one of the Zenner ESP symbols on each side. (The symbols are different on each side of the chip.) The mentalist marks a prediction on a dry erase card (provided), and sets it facedown on the table. The spectator then begins to stack the chips in any order she wants -- the only caveat is she must match symbols on the face of one chip to the next chip as she stacks the chips. So, for exampel, she picks any chip, chooses which side to put upward (let's say the faceup symbol is a star). She now picks any other chip that has a star on it, and places the star side down on the faceup star. Whatever the new faceup symbol is, she matches a chip to that symbol, and so on... NOTE: there are different symbols on each side of the star chips, so the choices seem completely free and fair throughout. When all the chips are stacked, the spectator is asked to look at the top and bottom symbols of her stack -- for example, they are the Square and the Waves. The prediction is shown: it shows the Square and Waves.
The effect can be immediately repeated, with just one simple secret maneuver. You are in complete control of which two symbols end up being chosen. Yet, you never touch the chips or prediction once the spectator starts to make her free choices.
The domino principle creates strong mental magic -- it is great to see some classy high quality props with which to perform it. The method is simple and easy to do, yet surprisingly deceptive. The chips are approximately the same size as an old-style US silver dollar (Ike, Morgan, Peace, etc)
Usually sells for about $45-50. Best online price I found for it was $40. Get it here for less. Brand new with instructions and all props.
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