Rose / Billiard Ball / Cane product questions

Jul 21, 2009
48
0
Townsville, Australia
Hi I'm not very well read bout stage magic. But I’m really looking forward to start learning it and buying some props. But I wanted to ask a few questions to guide me to get the best props possible with my money.

Red text = Solutions

1. Appearing Canes, Disappearing Cane, Color Change Cane:
• Metal or plastic which is better? Metal for appearing, Plastic Fantasio for vanish
• Which metal cane brands are good? Is uday any good? this is the only metal brand i can find on penguinmagic

2. Rose/Flower Manipluation (Routines, The roses used for rose manipulation):
• Standard manipulation roses. I've found Secret Garden. But i was hoping to see if there are other brands.
• Where can I buy the rose where the bud is removed and then back on the rose again?
• Are there vases for manipulation purposes? Or is it something I will have to come across myself?

3. Top Hat stand (Basically hat that sits on a cane? The hat is removable).
• Brand? Where can I get it? Cane to Table Cane to Table Website

4. Billiard ball manipulation:
• Fakini or Mirage Billiard Balls? Quick one is better quality and better handling? 2" or 1.75" Fakini Billiard Balls
• Teaching DVD's. Levent's, Jeff McBride's DVD. I was wondering is there a more modern alternative?
• DVD that covers the one hand, four ball production?
 
Last edited by a moderator:

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
As for canes, get the Fantasio plastic canes. The metal canes will cut your hands. Fantasio is almost synonymous the appearing and disappearing canes. Check out his website http://www.fantasio.com/home.html

For billiard balls, get the Fakinis I have them and they are excellent. Before I purchased them, I did some research and talked to people who perform billiard ball routines and that was the unanimous recommendation. I have the 1.75 inch and they are easy to handle. After working with those for a while, I tried out the 2 inch balls (a friend had a set) and was able to do most of the sleights without a problem using those balls. If you are on stage, the 2 inch are probably what you want to start with.

As for DVDs, you want to get Levent's Ultimate Guide to the Billiard Balls. It is a 3 DVD set that costs around $59.95 but covers everything you need to know.

Another option is Jeff McBride's World Class Manipulation. There are 3 DVDs in that series, each covering a portion of Jeff's teaching on coins, thimbles and billiard balls. The total for all three DVDs is around $99.

You didn't ask for books, but in case you are interested here are some books that have sections related to billiard ball manipulations:

Magic Without Apparatus by Camille Gaultier (translated by Jean Huggard and just reprinted)
Jean Hugard's Modern Magic Manual
Tarbel Course Volume 2
Roy Benson by Starlight by Levent and Todd Karr
The Magic of Alan Wakeling by Jim Steinmeyer
Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic

What is interesting is that there is a line of progression in the books. Hugard translated Gaultier's book. Benson learned (in part) from Hugard's translation of Gaultier's book. Benson taught Wakeling and Wakeling taught Wilson.
 
Jul 21, 2009
48
0
Townsville, Australia
Thanks RealityOne, that information was great. I'll be investing in some Fantasio plastic canes and Fakini billiard balls. Books i maybe look at later i'm a visual learner and DVD's are faster for me.
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
Thanks RealityOne, that information was great. I'll be investing in some Fantasio plastic canes and Fakini billiard balls. Books i maybe look at later i'm a visual learner and DVD's are faster for me.

Then get the Levent DVD. Let me know if you need help finding the Fakini balls. I think it is pretty much Denny's Magic, Stevens and Fantasma that carry them.
 
Jul 21, 2009
48
0
Townsville, Australia
Yup just had a look at Levent's preview for the dvd covers a mass amount of manipulation. Ye it seems like there aren't many shops that sell Fakini billiard balls. Thanks
 
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