I'm looking for a cards routine finale and I've been interested in cards castles for a while. I have a question, is there a way to produce a card castle a la bird cage and then make it split in two (like the bird cage thing)? I know the width dimension is a problem in that case and could someone recommend the best card castles regular or jumbo to buy. Thanks .

I have been working on this for years and have not come up with a solution as of yet.

Back in the early 1980 there was a pop up Card Castle on a slate chalk board. I never ordered it and wish I had. It was sold direct and through Tannen's at the time.

Fantasio took that design and made some great card castles, but he offered to sell the original, and when I ordered it, he then refused to sell it. I am sure because it was the prototype for his castles he made for his act.

If that card castle could be found, then maybe your idea will become reality.

Just was doing some magic shopping and found that Uday Magic is going Card Castle crazy.

They have 17", 2', 3', and a 4' high Card castle, the 4 foot model is made with jumbo playing cards. They also have another they do not give the height of as well. All are reasonably priced.

I have 2 India Uday Card Castles and they are built very well with heavy playing cards and work well also.

Here is the 4 foot Card Castle demo:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WgiTkxiYEE


So far the best prices I have found are at Jim's Magic Shop on the Internet.
http://www.jimsmagicshop.com/index.php?m......d+castle

In answer to the original question, I think it could be done, but it would have to be custom made and it might be a bit complex. Unlike the bird cage which usually is held from the top, the castle should be held from the bottom. It might be best to make a card castle that pops up automatically. Which reminds me of the 1963 book "Novel Magic with the Appearing Cane" by Mickey Hades. In the section "The Appearing Cane used as a Secret Support", there is a Bill Spagg idea where an appearing cane is installed into the central post of a table and held compressed by a metal pin attached to the thread. When the pin is removed the cane pops up and lifts the card castle and holds it up. In the early 1980s when my friend Jon Evans needed a card castle that was strong enough to hold doves on top of it, I was inspired by Mickey Hades' book and we engineered a steel rod into a table which held the castle rigid. BTW, the only person I ever saw actually use an appearing cane to make a card castle pop up was Jeff McBride. I remember about 28 years ago, Jeff installed an appearing cane into the middle of a duck pan and after the cards were dropped into the pan, he covered the pan with the lid and when he removed the lid, there was a very unusual looking card castle. I don't think he used it for more than a few shows, before he got rid of it.

There is a card castle set that emulates the "dream bag" effect. Those card castles might be able to nest and then do a split.

Once they appear... then what? You cant move it off the stage, etc. They would almost be better if the disappeared.

Bill, a card castle is a finale item usually. That means it will decorate the stage or be there with your ending applause.

The late Neil Foster made a card castle that rose and when he throw the scarf at it it collapsed onto the tray. It was simple, but it, 'sort of' disappeared, I guess you could say.

Bill, if you figure out a way to make disappearing Card Castle, I would be very interested in knowing about it.