I am looking for a used Metamorphosis Box. Does anyone have any ideas how I might obtain one? I have been looking for quite some time. I can't pay for a new one, being it is out of my price range. If you know how to build one that would be ok also. Where would I get the plans?
Barry

Try MagicAuctions.com. Ebay has some occasionally. You can get plans from any of the big magic shops (Tannen, Abbott, etc)
I have a workshop and may be able to help you victor@victorkent.com or PM me.
-vk

Thank you Victorkent. Let me know about your workshop.
Barry

How much does a new one cost?

Depends on what you want.
I have seen them go from $400-$12000.

We had a very nice one built for us about 20 years ago. We contracted it to a local carpenter to build from the plans we'd bought. It had a curved top and looked like an old chest. It was beautiful. What we DIDN'T know was that this was the type of trunk that was to be used with a curtain on a frame. In other words, there was supposed to be a framework around the trunk with a curtain running all the way around it. The performer was to pull the curtain shut and the assistant, who had been locked in the box would open the curtain seconds later. Our "gimmick" was in the back of the trunk.

We didn't know this. We'd seen Doug Hennig perform the effect by standing on top of the box. Little did we know that the top of the box wouldn't hold much weight. My 175 pounds plus my wife's 125 added up to about 150 pounds more than it could safely support.

Still, it worked in rehearsal and about 50 shows. One night, an older magician came up to us after the show and wanted to know what we'd reinforced the lid with. We said "Nothing." I thought he was going to pass out. He politely asked to see the trunk which we showed him. He explained about curved lids and how they couldn't support much weight. Then he showed us the stress cracks that were beginning to form all over the lid. Sure enough, a few nights later, I sat on the lid just to take a break and went through.

Moral to this story is make sure you know what you've got and how much weight the lid can support. The trunk with the patched up lid is still sitting in my garage and we sometimes use it to store equipment we're not using.

Barry...


I can build you a trunk and ship it to you for a minimal cost. If you would like me to then PM me and we'll talk.