Hello all,

I really like the Whitestar effect and have performed it a handful of times. The premise of the routine just works well for me.

The only problem I'm having is with the marker items. I'm using an age appropriate morgan dollar for one marker, but I just can't seem to come up with something for the other one that would be appropriate for 1912. I got a fountain pen off of eBay but it just isn't right (too much plastic).

So my question is what kind of other markers are you guys using? Any suggestions on an appropriate pen?

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks

I use two of the included pictures as markers, placing them in front of each participant and asking them to focus on their pictures, look into the eyes of the people in the photographs, notice details, and when they are ready to let me know.

I also alternate when showing the pictures, I show one to one spectator and one to the other and back and forth like that until the end.

When it's all done, something very weird usually happens

I use a mans ring from that period and womans necklace/pendant, again from that period. The man gave his wife his ring as she boarded the life raft whilst he stayed. I like the presentation so much that I also had the photo's copied and then hand wrote the details on the back.

I use a womans pocket watch and a mans cigarette lighter.
I also made my own pictures, a little larger than original

Steve

I use a period photograph of a small child .This was held by a woman(and is preferably held by a woman ) who prayed to God that she survived to return home to to her child who was ill and couldn't make the voyage. The other item is a rosary that was worn by the preist who said the last rites for those who died.A wooden rosary is easily aged with metal polish and burying for a short period. The whole set is housed in a suitable box I found in a junk sale .
Regards Mark
Similar to Steve ,I have made a larger set for Seance but not with the details on the reverse ,just died and survived .printed in an old font..

Having read my post I realised that it might look odd that a another photograph is used but the one I have is a period photo with the borders in place and slight ly ragged around the edges .It really is a a stark contrast to the ones in play .
Regards Mark

The rosary beads are a great idea. Very nice

I use a Nurses watch that was used to check vital signs of some of the Survivors and a period Fountain Pen that was used to compile a list of names of those passengers that perished. This list was submitted to the newspaper. The pen has been said to make some people ill when holding it. Both the pen and the watch are from the correct time period. Everything is contained in a period wooden jewerly box that looks really spooky.

Hey markthorold,

I love the rosary idea, I'm going to have to look into that. I'm curious about the period jewelry box. What does a period appropriate box from that time period look like?

Victorian penny and a gold and ruby ring

I ask them to hold them and feel the weight of history, as they are introduced alongside a series of things in a beat up travel case. Then the pictures are introduced. They continue to hold the items while they select the pictures as if there is a psychometric influence on the choices let alone a connection between the two participants.

Hope this helps.

Todd

Two Morgans, one worn and one not. Survivor vs. recovered at sea.