I know I'm new to this discussion.... and I don't think I'm going to say anything you don't already know. - but as a magic dealer, yesterday was a rough day for me. First a customer points out a website selling products at retail for less than the price the manufacturer is selling them to me for... and then GLASS MIRAGE from a different wholesaler...

After a couple requests I brought 3 units of Glass Mirage into my store in Southern Ontario - they arrived yesterday - at a selling price of $69 Canadian , I'm not making a ton of money on this product.

Immediately one of my best customers came in and purchased it, now on Friday nights ( last night ) - we have a private meeting at the store - we close the store at 9pm have a drink and talk magic till wee hours of the morning... so last night we decided to watch this video, we had a couple of regular customers hangin out too - one of them had just purchased the trick.

As a magic shop owner - I felt guilty having sold this product, as I had the video demo on my website, if a customer asked for his money back on this one, how on earth could I deny it... it is a misleading video, that dupes you out of your hard earned cash. Tricks like this that have misleading advertising are a detriment to the magic community and validity of advertising. Now the trick and gimmick itself are not bad and given a more reasonable price and honest video, I think the trick has a great deal of potential, but the big PATTER line last night as we were practicing with this gimmick was " and now I go off camera..."

I will be contacting my wholesaler next week and asking to return these products based on this false advertising. - but is it the wholesalers fault ?

What are your opinions on misleading advertising in Magic, should you have a right to ask for your money back from the Manufaturer if the advertising is blatantly misleading ?

Phil

Im surprised they still havent taken down this highly edited demo video.

None of those effects can be duplicated in the real world. unless you got a 6 feet by 6 feet screen besides you.

Whoever made those videos, has to duplicate those effects in person or refund the money.

sailorphil,

Good to see you've pointed out about the misleading demo on your site. I think all the dealers offering this effect needs to follow this.

I had my first opportuniry to perform Glass Mirage this weekend, and in fairness to the trick and to Alex Lourido I thought I would update my previous comments.

I have to say the trick went down a storm. I was at a fancy dress party as Mork from 'Mork and Mindy' and I armed myself with my best pocket tricks - the linking Polo (Lifesaver), Subterfuge, a coin bend and Glass Mirage - and it was the GM that got the best reaction hands down. Even the most cynical where amazed when I turned the bottle upside down in pocket, even though they never saw the set-up. I'd also pretend to drink out of a bottle during a conversation, then hold it upside down complaining it was empty before magically refilling it and cracking it open "again" and it drove people wild.

I gave this product a pretty scathing review a few weeks ago and I still stand by my comments. The video demo is a disgraceful lie and it's debatable whether the new video is much of an improvement. Ok, people were drunk but no one was grabby like they are with most tricks and a party proved the perfect enviroment. You can't perform the trick with a borrowed bottle, the upside down trick does need to be set up and already in your pocket and the first trick on the demo requires an almost impossible switch - unless anyone out there can palm a whole bottle?

It's worth noting the trick also worked with brown Budweiser bottles and still no one figured it out. I was a bit cautious at the start of the evening but my confidence with it had really grown by the end of the night. The only problems I found were the fear of dropping it and now, every time I go out, I'll be asked to do those tricks again.

I feel the trick is still overpriced and it's such a shame the original demo lied so much as it really is a great trick.

To my mind there is no question about it, if a product is sold by lying about it, then a full refund should be given. If a dealer refused to give me my money back after selling me a product that didn't do what was claimed, it would certainly be the last time I used that dealer.

Funny, you can buy this with the gimmicks and "crummy dvd" or just buy the original gimmicks at hank lees for less than 1/2 the price of the trick. If you do your research, you will see what I mean. (as if it is not obvious in the demo video)

Wow! I'm so glad I found this thread. I almost purchased this trick as it is the #3 top seller on thetrickery.com

Thanks guys for saving me!

Hi everyone,

I just purchased Tony Clark's Bottle through Body and I think I can have some fun with this. My question is to those that own both Bottle Through Body and Glass Mirage. Are they the same gimmick or does Glass Mirage have a completely different gimmick? I just don't want to buy something I already have. Thanks in advance.

magiclee71

I've been a fan of Alex Lourido's for a little while now. While some of the gaffs he utilizes have been around for quite some time, he makes very clever use of them. His routines are commercial and well thought out.
As far as the video clip goes, one has to understand that you cannot misdirect a still camera. Audience misdirection in a real world environment is quite easy to accomplish. There are many venues and scenarios where one bottle can be switched for another, or set up in advance and planted amongst others in a bar establishment or party environment.
While the demonstration could have been shot in a live environment, the cost of leasing a private room, paying for additional cameramen, food and drink for the spectators, along with the hassle of release forms, etc., all add up to a much larger expense.
As far as the item being pricey, I don't believe it is. For a moment, put yourself on the other side of the fence. Plastic Mold Injection is quite expensive and large runs are required. Dvd duplication caters a minimum of 1000 pieces from a duplication house. It's quite a lot of money upfront to produce an item that you're really not sure will fly. Packaging is another expense and I haven't even gotten to marketing! It's a good deal of money to recapture.

Both Bottle Thru Body and Glass Mirage can be interlaced to work with one another. The performace techniques taught by both Tony and Alex are both worth the price of their dvds.

Just my thoughts...

Thank you Howard for you response. So if I read your post correctly they are the same gimmick just used differently by each magician?

Thanks.

Hi magiclee71.
I meant to imply 'routined together'. With the recent surge in bottle magic over the last year, many bottle effects can be incorporated into a fuller routine or dispursed throughout a show.
While both gaffs are similar, there are some differences. Alex's gaff has one additional gaff that aids in several routines for Glass Mirage. Alex provides one colored gaff so use with every type of bottle is not possible. Tony's Dvd comes with a green, brown, and clear gaff so virtually bottle can be used. Fragments of both effects can be accomplsihed with either gaff, but not every routine described.

Howard,

thanks again for your response. My guess would be some sort of bottle C** gaff to go with the one from Bottle Through Body. The bottom line is if you already have the gaff from another trick you are saying it's still going to be a value because of the routines that are taught in Alex's DVD. Is that correct?

This review has lead me to the bottle!

How many different colored gaffs do you get with GM?

1. Is it possible to crumple up the bottle in the paper bag? I don't think you can but it was in the demo...

The GM is only one color. If you have to get one, get the brown version, as I believe Heineken is the only common beer that comes in a green bottle