ILLUSIONS
ELECTRIC SAWING IN HALF
JACK HUGHES
EFFECT: A spectator is invited to
lie on a low table which stands on six legs. A wooden stock is now placed
around her middle. An electric saw is shown to be sharp by sawing through
a load of bread. The saw blade is now inserted at one end of the stocks
and the saw switched on. The saw is now moved slowly along the top of the
stocks as the blade apparently slices right through the spectator’s body.
However, as the saw reaches the other end of the 
stocks, the blade is shown to be intact and when the stocks
are opened, so is the spectator.
Taurus Magic own the sole manufacturing rights on this item.
PRICE £350.00 PLUS £7.00 POST AND PACKING
HEAD ZOPPER
JACK HUGHES
Invented by Jack Hughes with full manufacturing rights
granted to Taurus Magic Supply Co. A spectator is invited to place his
head into the stocks. The performer shows a fierce looking jigsaw with a
long blade. He switches it on and cuts through a stick of bread to prove the sharpness
of the blade. There is some comedy business with the spectator then finally the
saw is placed into the top of the stocks and switched on. The saw is pushed
slowly right across the stock obviously penetrating right through the
spectator’s neck as it does so, finally emerging at the far end of the stock.
The top of the stock is lifted up and the spectator appears to be alright but
is warned not to shake his head too much for a while!!!!! A sensational effect
and virtually works itself. Breaks down for packing.
PRICE £350.00 PLUS £8.00 POST AND PACKING
DAGGER CHEST
The Dagger Chest is one of the classic illusions. It can be
performed with a member of the audience or your own assistant. A box is shown
empty by opening the front and back doors. The spectator places his head into
the box via a cut—out in the bottom of the box. The front and back doors are
replaced and a large number of sharp looking daggers are thrust into various
parts of the box until it is quite apparent that the spectator’s head must be
completely pierced. The front door is now lifted up and the box is seen full of
daggers but the spectator’s head has VANISHED. The front door is replaced, the
daggers quickly pulled out and when the front door is opened the spectator is
seen to be completely unharmed. Easy to do and breaks down for packing.
PRICE £145.00 PLUS £5.00 POST AND PACKING
THE
ILLUSION
Derek Lever and David Howarth
combined to create this sensational effect. This is still probably the
most exciting trick ever offered to the fraternity. Modern audiences
demand something DIFFERENT - this is it!
The performer invites a spectator onto the stage and explains that he is about
to perform RUSSIAN ROULETTE with EXPLOSIVES. A handsome console unit is
shown on which are four buttons numbered 1 to 4. Over the top of the
buttons are four red indicator lights. The spectator is shown around the back
of the console where four cables are connected. It is quite clear that
the spectator cannot tell which cable is connected to which button.
At the other end of the cables it is shown that there are EXPLOSIVE DETONATORS,
these are placed into metal bins.
The performer states that he must now make a vital decision ... which detonator
to hold in his hand whilst the game of Russian Roulette is played. He
finally chooses a detonator and holds this in his hand. The spectator is instructed
to choose any one of the four buttons and to press it. BANG! There
is a loud explosion as a detonator explodes in one of the bins.
Fortunately, it was not the one held by the performer. There are three
buttons left. The spectator chooses another one, then presses it.
BANG! Again a detonator explodes in one of the bins ... not the one in the
performer’s hand. Only two buttons left. A 50/50 gamble. The
spectator chooses a third button. He presses it. BANG!
Another detonator explodes in one of the bins. THE PERFORMER IS STILL
ALIVE.
The performer states that just to remove any doubts from the audience’s mind
that it was a GENUINE GAMBLE, he will prove what may have happened to him had
the spectator chosen this final button. The detonator is placed into a metal
bin. The SPECTATOR presses the final button. BANG! The last
detonator explodes proving that the performer did put his LIFE AT RISK.
If that doesn’t get you a LOUD OVATION then take up marbles. The working
is completely ELECTRONIC. This is the only trick in the world where you
do absolutely NOTHING. IT WORKS ITSELF. There is a built in safety
device to give you complete piece of mind. Derek Lever has performed this
all over the world and on T.V. with huge success. It uses four medium
size stage maroons per show (obtainable from us or other dealers). It is
utterly BRILLIANT.
PRICE £250.00 PLUS £5.00 POST AND
PACKING
MAROONS COST EXTRA £33.00 FOR 10 MEDIUM SIZE
DART CATCH
DEREK LEVER
This is offered to the fraternity as a low cost alternative
to the Taurus “Electronic Bullet Catch” which is described elsewhere in this
Catalogue. Whilst it obviously does not have the same impact as the
Electronic version, it does represent a very convincing and practical method of
performing this classical effect. The performer invites a spectator onto
the stage and allows him to examine an AIR
PISTOL. Next a number of Air Gun Darts are shown,
these have flights of different colours, One is chosen by a spectator and is
placed into the pistol by him. He is asked to take aim at a target placed
at the far side of the stage, and then told to fire. The dart is seen to
hit the target. (If desired a balloon may be fastened to the target and
the dart fired so that it bursts the balloon before lodging in the target). The
performer points out that obviously this proves that the pistol is genuine and
works normally and if desired a further dart may be fired to stress the point
even more.
The 
spectator is now offered a choice of dart and is asked to
mark it so that it can be recognized. The dart is loaded into the pistol
and the performer inflates a balloon and holds this in front of his mouth as he
stands in front of the target. He takes a deep breath and signals the
spectator to fire. The pistol, fires and the balloon held in the
performer’s hands bursts and there gripped in his teeth, is an air pistol dart.
The performer holds a plate and right in front of the spectator allows the dart
to drop visibly from his teeth onto the plate. The spectator confirms
that it is the very same dart which he marked ... WHAT A SENSATION.
Please note: The dart which is caught in the teeth REALLY IS THE VERY SAME
MARKED DART WHICH WAS PLACED IN THE PISTOL ... it is NOT
SWITCHED. The Air Pistol is genuine and may be minutely examined, before
and after the trick. The MARKED DART is DEFINITELY PLACED INTO THE
PISTOL.
We supply the Air Pistol, target and Darts ... you provide the balloons and the
SHOWMANSHIP. This illusion is NOT SOLD TO ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18
YEARS.
PRICE £65.00 PLUS £5.00 POST AND PACKING
THE ELECTRONIC BULLET CATCHING ILLUSION
Here it is - the trick which no other magic dealer in the
world dare offer to the fraternity. Probably the BEST KNOWN TRICK EVER
and yet magic dealers have been unable to offer a SAFE, SPECTACULAR and
CONVINCING method of performing it - that is UNTIL NOW. Once again TAURUS
MAGIC LEAD THE WAY.
A spectator is invited on to the stage and is shown an automatic pistol along
with some live
ammunition. The magazine is removed from the pistol and
the spectator marks the ammunition which is then loaded into the
magazine. The magazine containing the ammunition is placed in full view
in a small wooden display stand so that it cannot be tampered with. The
performer now draws attention to a large wooden target to which he clamps an
ordinary dinner plate. The performer explains that he wants the spectator
to prove that the ammunition is genuine by firing at the plate and he takes the
magazine containing the ammunition, loads it into the pistol and hands the
pistol to the spectator.
The spectator takes aim at the plate and fires. CRASH ... the pistol
fires, THE CARTRIDGE CASE EJECTS FROM THE 
PISTOL AND FALLS TO THE FLOOR AND THE PLATE IS SMASHED TO
PIECES AS IT DROPS TO THE FLOOR. Read that again ... you will see that
even to anyone knowing anything about arms everything is perfectly natural,
even to the cartridge case ejecting from the pistol and the pistol actually
‘kicks’ in the spectator’s hand.
The performer now stands in front of the target and orders the spectator to
FIRE. Again the cartridge case ejects from the pistol as the performer
staggers and is seen to be holding a bullet between his teeth. This is
dropped onto a dinner plate and the spectator confirms it is one of the marked
bullets. The effect can be performed in cabaret. The target works
automatically and is electronically operated. The pistol is a very
expensive replica which needs no licence and which works just like a real
pistol. We supply special inert ammunition plus special blanks. At
NO TIME IS ANY LIVE AMMUNITION placed in the pistol. NO LIVE AMMUNITION
IS USED IN THE ILLUSION - ONLY BLANKS. We provide a very comprehensive
routine including patter plus details of how you can present a RUSSIAN ROULETTE
ACT WITH THE SAME APPARATUS. A limited number will be sold.
PRICE £400.00 PLUS £20.00 CARRIAGE