Hello everyone!

Just finishing the little touches on my act, and seeing what I still need and what I don't, I realised I wanted to open the act with a floating cigarette. I tried "The Animated Cigarette" from Mr. Kennedy, but it was not my thing although it is very beautiful when done correctly.

Well, I came across this (Floating Cork) and was curious about the levitation and if I can change the cork box and cork to a cigarette and cigarette box? I am also very curious about the connection. I don't want a method here just want to know if there is a lot to the set-up, because I am loaded with birds and other things!

So if someone can describe the effect as they see it and rate it say compared to the, hhmmmmm, Fearson Floating Cigarette in terms of the amount of movement I would truly appreciate it, and if you think I can change up the object levitating.

I tried to search the Café and found nothing. I am just curious and would love to know if this is fit for a opening on stage, and if when mastered looks like one of the best small object levitations out there?

I really hope I didn't ask too much.

DJ

Kaps Floating Cork is a close up trick, ment to be presented at special occasions when the 'time is right'. It is a standard hook-up. It is very much the same as what you have mentioned. You would not gain any by trying to convert to other items.

Fearson's floating cig is the best around to date. I have not seen Kennedy's item.

Effect: Show box on palm, open box, cork starts to move, floats and gyrates. Remove box, cork floates in air. Remove ring from wrist. Pass over cork. Put box on palm. Cork floats back to open box. Close Box. That's it. Cork is always moving.

DJ Trixx...

A great explanation and extensive set-up for Fred Kapps' Floating Cork can be found in a small paperback book called 'Thread Reference'. I'm not sure of its author, but the book cover is black with a spider web. I want to say the author is Leo Behenke... or something like that.

This book also has great ideas for floating cigars and cigarettes.


Hope this helps,
- - Troy

Leo Behnke, lives in Las Vegas, email is bookgroup@att.net

Kaps Cork is explained in detail in the Ken Brooke Book from L&L Pub. I believe you can also get the booklet from Stevens Magic of this trick instructions alone.

It WAS frightening!!!

The very first time I saw the FK floating cork was by a friend of mine who had bought it from KB. (And luckily after his performance he didn't explain it!) My father in law and I where flabbergasted and didn't understand a thing RE: how it was done.

I came up with a lot of crazy ideas, like CO2 injected by a needle inside that cork and similar silly stuff. I really believed that something like that must have been the solution.

I/we simply couldn't see that d.... t. , and being as close as we where, having good eyesight, there was absolutely no doubt in our mind that a *t* was NOT in use. So there must be another solution. I almost couldn't sleep that night! So this indicates, how strong a trick like this can be.

Later, luckily I saw it done by the master himself, FK. Unfortunately by that time, I did know the secret. I wish I hadn't gotten to know it!!!! It simply was MAGIC!!!

Yes, Kaps did MAGIC with that little cork. We made up fifty sets and sold them at a convention.

Unfortunately, Kaps had several other miracles to market but go so upset with folks ripping off Ken Brooke he decided to keep them to himself (and a few close friends).

Just for the record: The effect was invented by Bruno Hennig (Joro) from Germany. Fred Kaps used Joro's routine with his permission.

Correct, Hennig was maybe the creator, if not the leader, of INVISIBLE THREAD WORK.

Kaps always admitted he was not an inventor of tricks, but had a great ability to select the right things to do and had the best skills to do them justice.

I was told that Joro was the first magician to use the hookup now known as the LeClair Hookup. Is that correct?

Where can I see the Floating Cork in action ?
Could anyone post an url address ?
Thanks.

NO!

Doug Henning does it on one of his TV specials. I'm not sure which one. Also, the Ken Brooks book has a very detailed explanation of the effect. Unfortunately, the floating bill has become such a warhorse for strolling magicians, I think the effect has lost a lot of its impact.

Richard

I do not remember Henning doing the Floating Cork on any of his specials!

http://www.weser-ems-markt.de/joro/english.html

Am looking for the ORIGINAL Kaps Floating Cork and routine. Does anyone have one to sell? Thanks

Steven's has sold some of the Ken Brooke's line since Brooke passed. You can get the floating cork from Steven's. I don't know if it will meet your criterion of an "original," but at least it's an authorized version if it's not "original." You can call and ask:

http://www.stevensmagic.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=5757

This effect, and a lot of other great classics, is described in detail in the book, Ken Brooke's Magic Place. This was published by L&L and is now OOP, but you can find it on eBay and sometimes at H&R and other book dealers. The price runs $40-50. I paid a little higher than the going rate at an eBay auction, but was glad I did. This is an excellent book full of wonderful tricks, including many by Fred Kaps. It also reveals the character of Ken Brooke, who was an extraordinary man. Very much worth getting. It's one of my favorite texts of highly usable material.

Doug Henning did it on the one where he did the folding mirror and walk through mirror and where he vanished Bill Cosby from a wooden box on a huge track only to reappear inside a boulder that fell on and smashed the box.

I saw that show when I was about 7 years old and remember it like I saw it yesterday.

enjoy,
Dani

I really liked Doug Henning. I remember him on TV shows like Dick Cavett, and I also got to see him perform live once at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven. Like you, I'll never forget that show.

You can get Fred Caps original method, handling, and gimmicks (I believe the same gimmicks Fred used) at Steven's magic. They claim it is the original everything, and the cork comes in what appears to be a beauitful hardwood box with nice hardwear. I have mine on the way at this time.

Thanks guys,

DJ