Karl Fulves Magic Medallion inquiry

[benfulves]

I'm researching my father's professional life and am looking for help in identifying a project he was involved in. This is a trick marketed by Tannen's. I'm trying to determine the date Tannen's produced this. Of interest here is the spelling of his name -- Carl -- which indicates this was a pre-1965 project. Here are some links:

https://www.magiccollectibles.com/produ ... nen-1970s/

https://www.qualitymagic.com/shop/magic ... y-tannens/

Any help documenting this would be appreciated. Feel free to email me at benfulves@gmail.com.

[Dustin Stinett]

While your father's name is not in the ad, what you provided shows that he wrote the instructions. The earliest mention I can find of this product is an ad in the November 1972 issue of Genii and the December 1972 issue of M-U-M. (But Bill Larsen, Jr. is wishing the readers a "Happy Valentine's Day" in "The Genii Speaks," so given the vagaries of the publication back then, do not read too much into the November cover date.) Here is the text:

The MAGIC MEDALLION is from an idea of Al Koran. It took the improvements of Tony Slydini, Glenn Gravatt and Sam Schwartz to put it in the MIRACLE CLASS. So! With extreme confidence we offer a subtle and practical method of producing a sensational mental mystery. Briefly, the effect on the audience is this. Three members of the audience are each asked to call out any one digit number. The numbers thus called are formed into a three-digit number, i.e. if one person calls out 3, the next calls out 1, and the third calls 5, the number thus formed would be 315. Another spectator is handed a small black box and told to look inside. He finds a MEDALLION, engraved with various designs on its face. He is asked to turn it over and call out what he finds inscribed on the back. Turning it over, he finds a number ... The NUMBER FORMED BY THE AUDIENCE 3 1 5 ... The usual audience reaction after seeing this is stunned astonishment. This effect can be performed under the most exacting conditions and is professionally practical in every way. Complete with Medallion, Gimmick and Jewelry Box.
Price $25.00

[Richard Kaufman]

I saw one of these on eBay the other day.

[David Ben]

The Koran Medallion - and I imagine this Tannen’s trick - owes a great deal to Stewart James. Uncredited, of course,

[Richard Kaufman]

That seemed to be the way Koran worked.

[benfulves]

This is very helpful. My father was certainly doing work-for-hire for Tannen's in 1972. What's odd about this is the spelling of his name. This may have been a misprint. I wonder if a later printing spelled his name correctly. In any event, thank you very much for your sleuthing work, it's most appreciated.

While your father's name is not in the ad, what you provided shows that he wrote the instructions. The earliest mention I can find of this product is an ad in the November 1972 issue of Genii and the December 1972 issue of M-U-M. (But Bill Larsen, Jr. is wishing the readers a "Happy Valentine's Day" in "The Genii Speaks," so given the vagaries of the publication back then, do not read too much into the November cover date.) Here is the text:

The MAGIC MEDALLION is from an idea of Al Koran. It took the improvements of Tony Slydini, Glenn Gravatt and Sam Schwartz to put it in the MIRACLE CLASS. So! With extreme confidence we offer a subtle and practical method of producing a sensational mental mystery. Briefly, the effect on the audience is this. Three members of the audience are each asked to call out any one digit number. The numbers thus called are formed into a three-digit number, i.e. if one person calls out 3, the next calls out 1, and the third calls 5, the number thus formed would be 315. Another spectator is handed a small black box and told to look inside. He finds a MEDALLION, engraved with various designs on its face. He is asked to turn it over and call out what he finds inscribed on the back. Turning it over, he finds a number ... The NUMBER FORMED BY THE AUDIENCE 3 1 5 ... The usual audience reaction after seeing this is stunned astonishment. This effect can be performed under the most exacting conditions and is professionally practical in every way. Complete with Medallion, Gimmick and Jewelry Box.
Price $25.00

[Ted M]

I saw one of these on eBay the other day.

This matches one of the designs posted by Ben:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/276041047312

...though it has a clip attached.