Does anybody know the Tenyo item 'UM-3A Trick Box' that is currently for sale on Ebay right now? I've never heard of this. Sorry, but I am unable to post a link for this.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-OLD-TENYO-U......c73b2b8f

I don't see anything in the pictures that identifies this as a Tenyo item.

Thanx Dave. This will help everyone find what we're talkin' about. True nuff...maybe not even a true Tenyo. It appears to be a cross between Card Case & Mindscanner.

I wrote the seller asking for confirmation this is Tenyo, with the promise of potentially interested bidders if he does, so we'll see.

Yes it's Tenyo Item like this one :

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Stereo, do you have any idea what the effect is all about?

I think it's not magic, just gadget. Is to store your deck of card and The case open automaticaly with sound maybe.

What the heck is this ?! And what language is the second picture on the top? Never seen this item before ... perhaps some kind of novelty item and not a magic trick?

[EDIT] Ok Davy was ahead of me

Bedtime Party, Chocolates and Cigarettes WHOA!
Wonder what happens when that case opens automatically.

I can solve at least part of this mystery. I recognize the cigarette case and book from the days when I used to work in a magic shop. Those two are shocking items. In the case of the book, whenever someone holds the book and opens it, a circuit is connected giving the reader a shock. The cover, spine, and back cover are a heavy gauge metal foil. We used to sell the books, lighters, and pens. They are battery powered, so I assume those are shocking decks of playing cards.

John

One more thing, the worst/or best depending on your perspective was the shocking mini-slot machine. We used to have one sitting on the counter for unsuspecting people to try. A person would hold it steady at the top with one hand and pull the lever with the other. You know what happens when they did that...

The problem with all of the others is that when people get shocked they immediately drop the item, and they tend to break. The slot machine worked on the counter, so it never fell on the floor.

I had the shocking book as well mine said on the cover Famous Nudes. It had a penlight battery with a magneto coil inside and a magnet on a piece of spring steal that would stick to a little metal plate attached to the inside of the front cover. When opened the magnet would let loose of the cover bouncing up and down many times making contact with circuit to simulate a pulsing shock. And they would certainly drop it so I tried to have in over a carpeted area. I used to open it over and over shocking myself to see how long I could stand it. About 6 or 7 times was enough of that. I see the contacts on the card case where you have to grab it to open so it is for sure a shocking card case. "SHOCKING" Stereo has not put batteries in that card case to experience it's wonder.

Yes, it's an item that shocks the person.
Tenyo items from the early 1960s and earlier can be hard to identify.

Well, I guess the riddle is now solved. A true team effort on this one. Thanx all for your investigation, knowledge & wit. As an offshoot, it even answered a long standing question of mine... what is Tenyo Shock Clock?

OK. The seller did respond (seems like a nice guy) by adding some more pictures, one of which shows the inside of the box. Zooming in on this clearly shows 'Tenyo', so it is indeed a legitimate Tenyo item. Who said the Japanese don't have a sense of humor.

Yes indeed it is a Tenyo and can clearly see it doesn't work. The green wire is broken loose. I may also add the green wire in my opinion isn't original it is too new and the only insulated wire in the device so it is a broken repair job already.
You can see the original broken wire doubled back laying in bottom. Looks in sad condition but can be repaired if that is all that is wrong with it that is.

On a much closer zoom inspection looks like the wire in the bottom is not that wire. Looks like by the new shinny solder the short piece of wire the green wire is attached to most likely originally went to the other shinny solder area next to it on angled metal piece. Easy fix

Update to the above I told him it was broken and how it was broken. He replied he has reattached the green wire, has new pictures with batteries installed and is working. I think I now see part of the plastic cover that is suppose to be over the electronics as seen in stereo's pictures now also. Plus in the last day of the auction he has raised the starting price 3 bucks! So it is at least working now for anyone that would like to have it Go look at the new pictures looks much better.

Has now been confirmed the plastic cover plate is missing so that's too bad but works without it. But also ruins it as a complete collectable. Thank me very much. I am done now.

I think it's much nicer if it does NOT work. Innocent items that shock the cr*p out of people are really to be avoided at all costs.