Mercury Matchbox by Mark Southworth

Available from Illusioncraft.
http://www.illusioncraft.co.uk/illusioncraft_marks_magic.htm

Price: £19.99


Examinable: There is no reason I can see that anyone would want to examine. It is clearly empty at the end.

Difficulty: 6- If you already know the mercury fold then difficulty is 2.

Out of 10: 8

Effect: A card box is on the table in full view of the spectator. A card is freely selected, signed and returned to the middle of the deck. The performer announces that the card is no longer in the deck, and that it is now in the card box.

The spectator opens the card box and empties out the contents. To their surprise there is a matchbox inside. The performer takes the matchbox, opens it and unbelievably reveals that there is a folded up playing card inside. The performer tips it out, and proceeds to unfold it. It is the spectators signed card!

Comments:
Tommy Wonder’s Ambitious Card is one of my all-time favorite magic routines and the Mercury Matchbox is the closest commercially available prop I have seen that will allow you to perform his wonderful ending.
I love the idea of having something in full view before a trick begins and being able to show, under impossible conditions, that the card is inside.
I could draw comparisons between this and the Kennedy Mystery Box but for me the Mercury box beats it hands down because firstly, it is an ordinary looking matchbox that creates no suspicion at all (unlike the Kennedy box) and secondly you are able to load the real signed card into the box and have it fall out in the same way Tommy Wonder does. One improvement on Tommy’s however is that you can show the box empty afterwards.
Personally, I will not be putting the matchbox into a card box; I will only be using the matchbox but that does not alter the handling and it is just my own preference.
With the effect you receive the gimmicked box, written instructions and instructional DVD with bonus handlings including one where the signed card visually leaps from the matchbox into the spectators waiting hand. Also if you buy two products from the Mark Southworth collection at Illusioncraft you receive an extra booklet called “Tried and Tested” which includes even more handlings for his effects. Apparently, this extra bonus will not be available when the trick goes on general sale through other dealers so you may want get in quickly.

My one concern about this trick was that it is, after all, a modified matchbox and could easily damage. However, after speaking to Mark and looking closer at the gimmick it is a simple matter to transfer it to a new box if the old one starts to show signs of wear and tear. If you use the handling of putting the matchbox into a card box the box will last even longer.

I bought the Mercury Matchbox from the Blackpool convention. Mark did a demo and I just couldn't work it out. It provides perfect misdirection to do the mercury fold (which can be done quite openly since no one is looking) and the effect is awesome. I definately recommend it! Its a reputation maker, and its real world stuff!

Hi all,
Adam here from Illusioncraft, just to let everyone know that the DVDs have just come in for the 3 latest tricks from Mark, and we are in the process of packing all the gimmicks with the DVDs, so they will be shipping out this week.

I am going to leave the special pre-order price on the website for a further week, then the 10% discount will be gone.

cheers
Adam

http://www.illusioncraft.co.uk

Anyone using this?

I watched the demo and wasn't impressed. He takes the box, openes it, there's folded card inside and then he does a shady move and the card is in his hand.

The selling point it the box can be examined? If you perform this type of effect and they want to see the box, then you did it poorly.

The Tommy wonder routine...the box is opened and there is a folded card and the box is lightly moved and the card moves and...he dumps the card out, but it gets stuck by the hinged lid and then falls out. BRILLIANT!

The Mercury Matchbox has none of that finese ( from the online demo ).

Maybe the demo is bad and the effect is better than that. That's a problem with demos. But...I make purchases based on demos, so...I pass.

Hi Cristopher,
Its very hard these days to put out an honest demo & that's what I did rather than glorify the effect.

Mercury Matchbox:
I have quite a few different endings for this effect & this the most basic to perform.
Included on the dvd are the bonus endings. The card can actally leap from the box into a spectators hands or just jump into your own.

I have a retention of vision ending, which looks like you take the folded card right out of the matchbox.

I perform resturant work everyweek for 4 years & 2 nightclubs these effects have been worked so many times, no one has ever wanted to look at the box because they can clearly see it is empty which I just leave there.
I to love the Tommy Wonder effect, I like all of his stuff he was the best magician ever, in my time anyway.

For me I wanted an ordinary object that was empty at the end.

Thanks for your comments christopher.

Best Wishes

Mark Southworth

Mark, I'm sure doing demos isn't easy. But if something costs 30+ dollars and the demo is so-so, I'm not shelling out money for it. I guess I lose out if it's a fantastic effect, but I've bought too many things I'd never use over the years, so if it's not a DVD, I pass on things that don't jump out at me.

Best of luck with your products!!

Hi, Christopher,

This comes with a dvd & the gimmick, with the bonus'

I understand totaly & thanks for your input.

Folks should realize I do not have this and am only commenting on the demo. Mark's a talented guy and this could be fantastic.

And..I have passed on effects because of a demo before and down the road got the effect, for some reason and loved it.

There is also available a Booklet " Tried & Tested " which has lots of extras for the 3 effects,routines,ideas & tips.

All orders for the next week will receive " Tried & Tested " FREE if you purchase any of the 3 new effects.

http://www.illusioncraft.co.uk/illusioncraft_marks_magic.htm

Also its Free World wide Shipping

Agreed. Why is this any better than Kennedy's mystery box? The video is terrible and cuts his hands off at the precise moment when you want to see them. We know that he is doing the fold, so why hide it?

Look at the effect Shoe-In by Joe Givan on his lecture notes "Magic From The Attic" you simply show the card in your shoe and tip it out into your hand.

The real question is: Why do you need another Card in... effect? I am not taking away from this effect or bad mouthing it or anything, but if you have a card to wallet, what makes this different or better from the perspective of the audience?

On the demo Mark does show the fold. He does it fast and I think he should be given credit for it.

The real question is: Why do you need another Card in... effect? I am not taking away from this effect or bad mouthing it or anything, but if you have a card to wallet, what makes this different or better from the perspective of the audience?
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It just gives us a choice, variation of the old card to wallet, repeat performance options, etc,etc. People you have performed for before are waiting for you to pull it from your wallet but its empty, its in the matchbox instead.

P.S.
If you don't like the look of mercury matchbox try looking at his Cash Vault effect, that looks like a great variation IMHO

Oh, well the card to impossible location plot is a classic. I think if someone has a new take on it, it's worth putting out. I love the plot.

Yup, well done. My bad.

Thanks Chris, I do love this plot so so much.

I am working hard to get a demo of the retention ending & the card leaping from the box !!

Mark

Mark, as long as it doesn't expose anything ( so they have to buy it if they like it ) and helps folks see the power of it, go for it.

Hi Chris,
you can now check out the retention of vision ending on my site here is the link, the video will auto play.

http://www.marksouthworth.co.uk/magic_store.html

best wishes

Mark

Hi all,
Having watched the video demo I think this trick looks great. There are lots of card to impossible locations out there and after doing card to wallet a thousand times I don't know about you guys, but I get bored of doing the same stuff so a new idea is always welcome!. Will definately be investing in this one!, I just hope if fits my performing style.

Magik1