Razor Blade Illusion

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Bizzaro
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Razor Blade Illusion

Postby Bizzaro » November 7th, 2005, 2:03 am

I am looking for who the original creator and time period of the Razor Blade Illusion (Which of course is just a modern Needle Mystery)but I was wondering as I am working on a project. Anyone know? Email me.

Bizzaro.
Bizzaro.
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GAMOLO
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Re: Razor Blade Illusion

Postby GAMOLO » November 7th, 2005, 4:16 pm

My guess would be when the first safety blades came out....I think Gillete around the late 1920s would be a good time era to start checking the catalogues.
I bought my version, the old Robbins EZ Magic one (hand held cloth blade holder switch)around 1955 or so. It is still being sold and is a fooler....far more so than the elaborate switching spools and mechanical looking apparatus types popular in the 1960s & beyond.

Richard Hatch
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Re: Razor Blade Illusion

Postby Richard Hatch » November 7th, 2005, 7:30 pm

The new Paul Potassy book (The Magic of Paul Potassy), currently at the printer, has his routine and gives some background. The authors, Schenk and Sondermeyer, cite an advertisement in the August 1930 Sphinx for the effect, available from its inventor, William A. Burger, but they also cite an earlier reference, in the April 1930 MAGIE, that reported Edward Proudlock of England intends to produce a new version of the needle trick using razor blades with the thread running between the two holes. The editor, Helmut Schreiber (later famous as "Kalanag") added: "We confidently predict that Mr. Proudlock will only perform this trick once."!


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