I purchased some La Maggiore shells recently and must admit, they are good but just too big. I cannot use one hand for part of the routine, no way. I am a firefighter and am of average build, perhaps my hands are small ! Also for the money I wish I had bought Whit Haydn's shells as you get 7 peas, often a free shot glass and a carry bag. With La Maggorie you get 2 peas...that's it. Why do they not give you something to carry them in to make them special even before you produce them?

Does anyone else find these shells just too big. Was anyone else disapointed with the total package?

Forgot to mention, the peas supplied with La Maggiore are from the School of Scoundrel and are absolutely fantastic.

I use both La Maggiore shells and the School for Scoundrels shells - I love them both.

I have small hands, but don't have a problem with the LM shells. Which part of your routine is causing the problem?

You could call into your local jeweller's shop, they would probably give you a bag for the shells. I keep my LM shells in a rectangular metal box, covered in black velvet (once contained a neckchain, I think).

You can get extra peas from Whit. . why not buy his shells too? Theres no rule to say you can only own one set - The magnetic street shells are great.

I found a set of four shot glasses in a local "charity shop" - just the right size for £1.50
. . and yes, I carried a shell in my pocket for checking the size.

Regards

Riley

I have the LM shells and find them very easy to handle, even though I have small hands.
Tom

Love both the la maggiore and the school for scoundrels shells. You may also be interested in the Black Fox sets which are in between in size (hocus-pocus carries them as well as the School for Scoundrels). Just keep at it and have fun. It's not the size of the hands, but the size of the heart--from a fellow firefighter, stay safe.

My hands are small. No problem. I could not imagine any hands being to small for any shells.

Actually, my hands feel pretty stretched when doing the three shells in one hand moves using the La Maggiore.

I have small to medium sized hands, and with a shell between each finger, they are a little awkward to pick up and manipulate. I can see where some, especially those with small hands, would prefer the School for Scoundrels style or the Black Fox shells.

It is always a matter of individual needs and personal preferences. It is good to try out the various sets available and find the one that feels best for you.

A little off-topic, but can some of you guys tell me if the Bob Sheets acquitment is easier to do with the Maggiore shells? I've been studying this with the StreetShells and have a little difficulty keeping the pea in place. Is the bigger size of the La Maggiore an advantage for this particular technique?
Whit?

Others have mentioned (and Bob Sheets has remarked to me that he observes this in his lectures) that performing the Acquitment move can be easier to perform using La Maggiore due to the size, texture and ridges on the sides (which create a natural pocket that locks the pea in).

Whit: don't feel bad about having small hands. You know what they say...

Small hands...

...small gloves.

To paraphrase Whit (and his statement is as true for me as it is for him): ;O)

I have medium-sized hands, and with a Street Shell between each finger, they are a little awkward to pick up and manipulate. I can see where some, especially those with medium- to large- hands, would prefer the La Maggiore style or the Black Fox shells.

It is always a matter of individual needs and personal preferences. It is good to try out the various sets available and find the one that feels best for you.

Seriously though, Whit and I agree: try those shoes on before you buy them.

ajp

I would like to jump in here and say that if you use a soft sponge pea and do the effect on a close up mat.

I really doesn't matter what shells you use. Pick a set that looks nice as a performer. Use what you like.

The thing about this effect is that the performer can use thimbles, bottle caps, shells...

I have several sets of shells and I use them all from time to time. I like the copper set I got from the school of scoundrles and the thimble rig set.

They look great and I like the weight of the shell... But that is me... Others will like a different set because - that what they like.

But it is not the set so much it is the routine and the entertainment value that you get from performing the effect for real people...

Ah, maybe this is what Steve means when he says he has problems using one hand for part of the routine? I don't use the 3 shells in one hand move, myself... maybe that's the answer!

I find the Bob Sheets move works well with thimbles. I use white, ceramic thimbles, shaped like a small bell. Whit's perfect peas hold nicely against them for the move.

Riley

I do Bob's acquitment move with the Street Shells all the time, and have no problem. It may just be a matter of practice.

You are correct it is the one handed move and I have tried to do this many times with the shells and decided to leave it out of my routine. I am going to buy some Street shells as they are smaller. I do like the maggiore shells as they are heavy but wished I had the opportunity to try both before I decided which ones to buy

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"The thing about this effect is that the performer can use thimbles, bottle caps, shells... "
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One Question: how do you prevent the little "tingling" movement of the upper side of the timbles or markers cap when robbing or giving the pea?

Usually today thimbles and similar caps are done with a sponge or latex covered or hollow latex peas. These go flat as they enter and exit and do not move the thimbles.

In earlier times, a hard dry pea or cork ball was used, and the sleight of hand was completely different. The pea was acually stolen and loaded--more like a miniature cups and balls.

With the thimbles I like to use a sponge pea cut from a sponge ball. I have also read that the old time thimble riggers used a small spit ball of paper...

Glenn, I know you have S4S thimble rig
how are the feeling of them (have to order them if they are left!) is it possible as Whit says to do a mini cup & ball with them???

It is not a mini-cup and ball routine that I was talking about. It is still the shell game--thimble-rig.

The moves with a dry, hard pea or cork ball are just different from those using a soft pea of rubber, sponge or paper. It is the same trick, but completely different methodology.

The pea is apparantly loaded from the front under a thimble, for example, but actually stolen in a pinch between the second and third fingers.

These type of moves appear in only a very few very old texts, and will be part of our "Notes on the Shell Game" book and DVD.

The Thimble-Rig set that we sell comes with a Karl Norman pea made of latex-covered sponge.

Our "Perfect Pea" would not work well with these thimbles, unless on a very thick, soft mat or carpet.

Ha HA!
Thanks! can't wait to have a hand on these!
The idea of loading the pea from the front is a great idea! would work perfectly with bottle caps instead of just puting the cap over it... even if you don't take it, it's another way that can be added to every routine!

I've just ordered a set of Thimble rigs... Just hope there's some left can't wait!

But Whit, I'm sure you could do a mini chop cup routine with the thimbles... can't you?

"These type of moves appear in only a very few very old texts, and will be part of our "Notes on the Shell Game" book and DVD."

Whit, when are they due?

Hi K...

The thinble rig that I got form the school for scoundrels is great. I got two sets one to use and one as a back up.

I also have a porsaland (Forgive spelling please) set of thimbles I got from a guy in FL...

I use a sponge pea with the thimbles and the routine is almost the same routine including the glass and my shell ending... That I use for the shell game.

It is not a cups and balls routine. The thimbles do not stack like a set of cups... But history may say that the thimble rig came from the cups and balls.

I use a soft pea like I do in my shell game cut from a sponge ball. But I have come up with new moves to make it work with the thimbles.