Not so long ago I was visiting in Fresno California, and had the honor of being the guest of Paul Gross, owner and manager of Hocus Pocus magic. Paul is a great guy, and I was treated like a king. I was given the grand tour of the Hocus Pocus warehouse, and I saw a slew of great magic. One item that really stood out was Barry Price's Card in Wallet System. Paul was kind enough to give one for me to review here at The Café, and so I offer you a sneak peek, as it were.

Barry Price's Card in Wallet System
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Effect & description: A signed card impossibly travels from the deck to a sealed envelope inside a wallet's zippered compartment! The spectator himself examines the envelope before it is even opened. There are absolutely no slits or tears; the envelope is completely sealed. The spectator must personally rip open the envelope and remove the signed card! It must be magic.
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I've been told that when this wallet was first introduced to the magic community over a quarter of a century ago, it was endorsed and purchased by such folks as Bruce Cervon, the late great Ed Marlo, and even Dai Vernon! Having had the opportunity to play with this wallet a bit, I can clearly see why.

First, the wallet is absolutely a thing of beauty. The wallet features imported French Moire silk-lined Calfskin with professionally turned corners, and is as nice as any top of the line wallet I've ever seen at men's stores I have visited. If you normally wear a dinner jacket, this will fit the bill nicely. If not, this wallet is reason enough to purchase one asap! Not only is the wallet functional, (allowing plenty of room for your drivers license, credit cards, cash, etc) but is one of the best secret weapons you may ever own. The design is brilliant, and the action is lightning fast!

While in Fresno, I had dinner (courtesy of Paul Gross) at the local Red Lobster dinner house. Long time friend Jason London is the house magician there, so while waiting for a table, I had the opportunity to observe Jason using the wallet on real people under real world conditions. It slayed all who stood in its path.

I was amazed not only in how easy this wallet is to use, but marveled at the astonished spectators who absolutely had no clue as to what just hit them. Jason reached his hand inside his jacket and immediately emerged with the wallet. No fumbling or delays that would otherwise arouse suspicion. The finding of their signed card in the sealed envelope was almost more then some of these folks could bare...only wish I was getting the tips that night!

Now I must point out that quality does not come cheap, but you do get what you pay for. Okay, so what do you get? Barry Price's Card In Wallet System comes complete with a fully-illustrated instruction booklet, two different routines, the Barry Price wallet (which contains a special gimmick not found in any other type of wallet), two styles of envelopes, signed and numbered certificate of authenticity, and a performance/explanation video.

The booklet supplied is well written, and only a blind man would not be able to follow the simple instructions. While not large in page count, it does the job of teaching the mechanics very well. It contains two routines, plus tips and ideas. One routine has the spectator open the envelope, while the second has the magician do the honors. Both routines will kill.

The kit also comes with a VHS video tape, featuring a performance by Barry Price, followed by explanations and advice from the master himself. The information presented is good, but the production quality of the tape could have been much better. This is a moot point, considering the quality of the wallet itself, and the booklet which also explains the mechanics in full detail.

Finally, please know the wallet is only available through Hocus Pocus, as they have the exclusive rights to sell this gem. If you see this somewhere else, beware, as its probably a cheap knock-off.

So to sum this whole matter up, should you purchase this bad boy? If you work in the real world, I have no reservations in saying Yes!, buy this sucker now!
You will have a nice prop that will last you for many years to come, and you could easily build quite the reputation using this.

In addition, I must point out that Hocus Pocus offers a fantastic guarantee! If you are unhappy with the quality of this product, you may return it for a full refund! So really, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Highly recommended.

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My rating:

Available exclusively from Hocus Pocus
Suggested retail: $249.95

Hocus Pocus
2311 McKinley Avenue, Fresno, Ca. 93703
Order Toll-Free!: 800-407-4040
Questions, chat: (559) 266-5150
24-Hour Fax: (559) 266-4517

You can also contact Hocus Pocus directly at: sales@hocus-pocus.com
To visit the Hocus Pocus site: Click here!