There is an old Maigc effect with 2 boomerangs where one looks bigger and you switch them and now that one looks bigger it is called the
Jastrow Illusion http://listverse.com/wp-content/uploads/......g-tm.jpg

I always thought this was kind of neato but what more can you dow ith this besides this is bigger now this one is. Are there any routines or modifications in print about this?

Thanks for the help,

Chris

I've seen a routine useing these things, where a number of cards are printed on the boomerangs, you have a spectator remember one card on the "long" boomerang and after a magical pass or two you show that their chosen card has jumped to the "short" boomerang.

There are about a dozen published routines using the Boomerang principal. Norm Neilson even sold a very nice pocket sizes version that was black on one side and gold on the other and came with three boomerangs (one a small one that led to some very interesting illusions). I still carry it for walk around.

There is a Laurel & Hardy theme boomerang routine being sold by Hank Lee right now.

Viking magic sells a nice wooden version in yellow and red with a gimmick that comes off the end of one making it truly smaller.

Terry Rogers (England) put out a version in the late 70’s.

There are at least two in old youth oriented magic books that are very clever. One routine has bananas on it (green and yellow bananas) and ends up with an “over-ripe” looking banana. It was a good kids routine for its day (the 60’s).

I have a version with the props cut from stiff paper (file folder paper) of contrasting colors. My routine has me cutting the boomerangs, one then the other to make them the same size. They keep being one longer than the other. I end up with nothing! I started performing the routine in the late 60’s when I had to make all my own props. It was cheap, easy to make, and full of fun.

The prop falls into and out of popularity over time. I doubt if many people (other than me) are actually performing a boomerang routine right now.

Wow Harry -- I never knew there were so many commercial effects involving this illusion. This is a neat little effect, and I do a couple variations; always well received.

I use a version from Lesley Melville's Magictales, THE STRANGE TALE OF MR. TALL AND MR. SMALL. The shapes are 2 men in derby (bowler?) hats and the story Lesley provides to go along with it really goes beyond the "look, now THIS one's bigger" presentations I've seen with the rainbow.

I made some arc shapes out of different colored craft foam, glued 2 google eyes on them and adapted Lesley's presentation to my own about 2 competitive tadpoles.

There are a lot of possibilities with this illusion.

I think I also recall a marketed version with fish on them (I might even have it in a drawer somewhere). I think it was called Fish Tales.

I think that we’ve just touched on the tip of this iceberg of a prop! I remember seeing Sid Loraine do a version with people drawn on them (in the late 60’s). His story line was sideshow performers the tallest and shortest guy’s in the world. Part of the story was the problem in background colors that the banner painter was having (the tall and short couldn’t decide on red or green). It is a vague memory that came back when Trekdad mentioned Melville’s version.

I’ve not seen the rainbow versions (prop or performance) but toss in a pot of gold and it could be interesting. LOL! I did see a gospel magician do a version with a religious theme years ago. I think it was something he had written and made up on his own.

I vaguely remember the fish version too. Boy that goes back.

I wonder just how many different incarnations this little prop has had? It is interesting, yes?

The beauty of the prop is that it can lend itself to many different scenarios/themes. I presently use two presentations, one is a shadow premise where the shadow grows or shrinks in relationship to the object and the other is my homemade paper version where it is openly cut to size.

I remember seeing the playing card version not too long ago being sold on someone's website. The description sounded like it was based on Princess Trick/Strange Travelers.