Malini Egg Bag

[Danny Archer]

Just a few hours ago I was at the video shoot were Gazzo tips his work on the egg bag ... he closed both his shows we worked together with the Egg Bag ... the DVD will be on sale soon along with his very well made bag ($50) ... check magicpitch.com for more info ...

[Pete Biro]

Even if you know the handling of the Malini bag, Gazzo has taken it to another level. (Up not down) :D

[Guest]

Pete, is the Diaconis move in print anywhere?

[Pete Biro]

NOt that I know of.

[Guest]

I have become a convert to the "other egg bag" mostly by influence of Martin Lewis. i will sell me malini for 25.00 postpaid in US if anyone is interested. I would also hihgly recommend the Steven's Magic EggBag Teach-in Video.

[Pete Biro]

To aid your selling you should specify maker and bag size.

[Jacky Kahan]

Hello,
Maybe this could be of any help :
Make a search on www.magicbooks.be :
Put the keywords : Egg Bag , and select "Search for all terms"
You'll have references in more than 50 books...

Hope this helps,

Jacky
www.magicbooks.be

ps: almost 3000 books, lecture notes, manuscripts & magazines available for research... and still growing everyday... thanks to many of you ...

[GayLjungberg]

Many versions of the Malini Egg Bag has a too small opening. It is important that the spectator can hold the bag in her hand, look into the bag and confirm that it is still empty, then catch an imaginary object with one hand and throw it into the bag and when she reaches into the bag produce the egg, while the magician is standing several yards away. If the opening is too small the egg fill not always be there at the end .... or you are forced to make the assistant shake the bag before she puts her hand inside.

If you follow the link below you will find a nicely made black Malini Egg Bag (with the right measurements). It comes with a detailed booklet, plastic egg for practise (however Eggs-actly Egg is recommended for show use) and a plastic lightweight golf ball as an alternative to the egg. A brand new instructional dvd that step by step teaches you the routine is an option. Packet price $ 59.

http://www.gycklaren.com/magicshop/best.htm#malini

[Guest]

Gents,
Ken Brooke pitched the Malini Egg bag at 5~00. People laughed at the price. But they paid up in the end. What a routine ! Performed by Ken I saw John Calvert fooled by it.

Why be cheap about it ? Lynnetta makes a top class Malini bag (& holdout bag too ) I believe that these are the bags Ken would be selling today.

[Scott Sullivan]

I must agree with Martin (and the others on the first page of this thread) about Lynetta's egg bags. They are in a class of their own. I was urged to perform the egg bag by Denny years ago and have used the $30 Malini ever since. After switching to Lynetta's bag recently, I must say, there is a world of difference.

If you are going to perform it, get the Rolls Royce and perform with class. Plus she is the nicest person! Had the fortunate opportunity to meet her in Vegas a few weeks ago at the convention. We need more individuals like her.

Warm regards,
Scott

[Pete Biro]

I still think Lynn Healy made the best Malini egg bags. She knew the right fabric for the best movement of the egg. That is THE MOST IMPORTANT attribute.

[Steve Mills]

Originally posted by Pete Biro:
I still think Lynn Healy made the best Malini egg bags.......

Just curious, actually nosy I guess, is that Buzzbee's ex?

Steve

[Guest]

"In his book...Charles Miller describes...how to make eggs ...." (from Ken Brooke's Magic Place, pg. 200)

Does anyone know about this?

[Guest]

Yes, Lynn is Busby's ex.

Charlies' instructions for making the eggs is in the booklet that Magic, Inc. sold for years - I think they still have it. Actually a book(let), on the Malini Egg Bag, it was published BEFORE the Ken Brooke manuscript, which includes some of Charlie's work, by permission of Charlie and Magic, Inc...

Best, PSC

[Paul Green]

Hi Everyone,

I received my DVD from Gazzo yesterday and spent a very enjoyable time viewing and learning from it. I highly reccommend it to those that already use the Malini Bag. The DVD is also good for those that want to start using a dynamic and entertaining piece of Magic.

I have used a Malini Bag for 20+ years. Originally, I purchased my first one from Magic, Inc. I had the privilage of seeing Charlie Miller perform his routine at the Magic Castle many times. The booklet that came with the "correctly" manufactured bag made it possible for me to learn the basics. Along with some personal instruction and the manuscript, I started on my "love affair" with the Egg Bag.

When Ken Brooke released his work, I also purchased and learned much from my mentor. The bag Ken supplied was perfect.

I have also used bags made by Danny Tong's wife which were also very well made. I, too, used a bag from Lyn Healy as well.

Currently, I use a bag made for me by Lynetta Welch. Her work is incredibly good.

The only caveat, is to find the correct material from which to manufacture the bag. "Crepe de shine" is no longer manufactured. Today's bags are good, but the material is just a little too thick. It can be overcome by adjusting what you do with the bag and egg.

Go forward and make your eggs disappear and reappear.

Regards,

Paul Green :D :D :D

[David Alexander]

I was crazy about the Malini Egg Bag, being fortunate to have learned it from Charlie Miller and Ozzie Malini. I added a few thoughts of my own that I showed Charlie. He liked what I came up with.

At a Ring 21 mini-convention sometime in the early 70s (I think it was then, maybe earlier) Charlie introduced his presentation of the bag calling it the "Max Malini-Charlie Miller-Dave Alexander Egg Bag." Was I surprised.

My mother made several bags out of a fine silk crepe de chine with invisible stitching on the opening, from the specifics supplied by Charlie, but she made a mistake, putting the opening on the right side when the double side was towards the performer, not the left as had been specified.

Turns out that "mistake" made it easier for right handed performers to effect the vanish. I gave Charlie one of the bags my mom made and after carefully examining it, he pronounced it as "the best bag I've ever seen." I've noticed that many of the better bags today have the opening on the right side.

As the bags my mom made wore out I searched out other commercially available bags and used one made by Danny Tong's wife for some time. Then I bought one of Lynetta Welch's bags. I'm certain that were he alive today, Charlie would call her bag the absolute best available. It is a joy to use.

I still have two pullet-sized eggs improved by Charlie for use with the Malini bag. They were emptied and dipped in plaster for added strength. Forty plus years later, they're still serviceable, but I bought and use the resin egg available from Magic Inc. They are the correct size and weight for the Malini Egg Bag. They move beautifully within the bag made by Lynetta....and as Pete observed, not everything on the Malini Bag has been published.

[Guest]

On looking and googling Magic Inc there is no more resin egg available there, but I didn't email to ask them. Maybe I didn't search right...?

There is a size "medium" egg that can be bought at the grocery store that is smaller and seems more bag friendly, but blown eggs are fragile.

Is the Lynetta Welch egg a resin egg? Did the Miller booklet have a name or was it the instruction sheet that came with the bag?

Or do we pullet eggs?

[Guest]

Originally posted by Sterlyn Steele:
On looking and googling Magic Inc there is no more resin egg available there, but I didn't email to ask them. Maybe I didn't search right...?

There is a size "medium" egg that can be bought at the grocery store that is smaller and seems more bag friendly, but blown eggs are fragile.

Is the Lynetta Welch egg a resin egg? Did the Miller booklet have a name or was it the instruction sheet that came with the bag?

Or do we pullet my egg?

Guess I misunderstood you. Earlier, I thought you were looking for Charlie's instructions on how to MAKE your own egg. Those directions were included in the Magic, Inc. booklet on the Malini Egg Bag, by Charlie Miller. THAT is the item I was referring to, and thought might still be available thru Magic, Inc. Certainly, one of the "better, cheaper", used book dealers will have a set - Richard?

Best, PSC

[Guest]

No misunderstanding at all. The post prior to mine mentioned a resin egg so I included that reference in my post. I was initially wondering about the book(let) referenced by Ken Brooke and you, but then didn't find it at Magic Inc. and so still am looking.

[David Alexander]

Clarification...the resin egg I now use came from Magic, Inc. The was exclusive to them and low priced for what you received. I bought two. It is not a Lynetta Welch product, but it does work well in her egg bag, the "Rolls Royce" of Malini Eggs Bags.

The two eggs Charlie Miller gave me were pullet-sized, emptied of their contents and dipped in plaster and allowed to harden. They are not nearly as delicate as blown eggs, although I used blown eggs in the early days of my Malini Egg Bag experiences.

If Magic, Inc's resin eggs are not longer available, you might try locating an egg ranch in your area. Buy a couple of dozen pullet-sized eggs, empty them out and experiment with thin coatings of plaster. A bit of sandpaper in the right spot and you'll have a large supply of practical eggs.

[Pete Biro]

... carry them in the little two-egg holders used by campers (available in most sporting goods stores).

I've had the same eggs for over 30 years.

Easy to make blown eggs... and just use a little spackle or white glue over the holes.

[Guest]

Hmmm, I still have stuffed away some blown eggs, but, as late as today, I saw in a normal supermercado that they suddenly also did feature 'fun and joke' articles and there they had hollow eggs made of plastic (made in China) that looked rather 'real'.

No doubt nothing new, as they make everything in China, I didn't even ask for the price, it surely was very cheap, and I didn't even buy one, probably should have, but haven't played with the eggbag for 30 years.

I still have one of the first ones Ken Brooke sold, those made out of very slick black material, later on Paul Stone did sell bags (got a such one too) that where made out of thicker and not at all that slick material, that was a bit blueish in colour.. I prefered the original..

These containers for carrying 'real' eggs are very usefull I've 2 of them and my father in law did use them for carrying the eggs for his 'silk to egg' routine..
He never brooke a single egg, not even in his pocket ;)

[Pete Biro]

The secret, or ONE of the secrets, to the bag is the ability of the egg to SLIDE easily... some fabrics are good and some are not. Ken's bags were the right stuff.

[Ian Kendall]

Does anyone else have one of Roy Johnson's bags? It has a few design 'improvements' (depending on your point of view - in my opinion they are, but I can see the other point...) and it handles just as well and my Brooke bag.

Take care, Ian

[David Alexander]

To add a bit to Pete's post: the material has to allow a blown egg to slide. A blown egg doesn't have a lot of weight which is where the right material and correct handling come into play. Absent a number of factors, the bag won't produce the right effect. Malini put a lot of thought into his bag and routine.

The "Malini-type" bag that Joe Berg gave me years ago that he got from Paul Rosini's son is a woolen bag, red, with the usual double side with the corner simply cut away with scissors. There was not attempt at making it a nicely-made prop. Rosini called it "The Egyptian Pocket," and, if memory serves, vanished and produced the egg once...hardly the depth and bredth of the Malini routine, but sufficient for Rosini's needs.

I have a couple of dozen eggs of varying usefullness. Years ago, at a little magic shop that was going out of business, I bought three or four wooden eggs of the right size and weight with a marvelous paint job. They slide around just right, however when I saw the resin eggs availabe at Magic, Inc a few years ago, I immediately bought two, assuming my search for the "perfect" egg would be over. It was. The eggs are of the correct weight and size and surface smoothness and will not break if dropped on a hard surface...and, to add to it all, they were quite inexpensive....something like $10 or $15 at the time. For a professional quality prop that will last a lifetime - a bargain. If they become available again, I would suggest everyone buy two.

[Guest]

I tracked down the pamphlet "The Malini Egg Bag" by Charlie Miller. He advises against a pullet egg as being too small, but states the a "pee wee" or a "medium" available at a grocery store are the right size. Interesting.

He writes that if the egg is shaken vigorously before blowing, it breaks up the yoke. I never knew that. I wonder if it works.

He says that after blowing, the egg should be given the X-ray Test, whereby it is held up to a bright electric light and the inside is examined.

If only I'd known before.

[Pete Biro]

With a big needle poke a small hole in one end of the egg, then a little larger hole in the other end. Then, with a knitting needle I would stick it in and stir it around to break up the yolk. Blow, not suck, the contents out. I would then blow some water in and shake it around, then get that out. I used Duco cement, to glue over the holes.

Charlie Miller used spackle.

As I always preach, use "whatever works for you."

Remember... it is your acting and presentational abilities that make the trick.

If you sell it right you have a MIND BLOWER... Especially when the lady reaches into the EMPTY bag and finds the egg.

Hard to find better magic. :genii:

[Steve Ehlers]

Regarding the egg, here is something you might try that has worked very well. After filling in the hole of the blown egg give it several coats with Elmer's glue. It dries clear and really strengthens the shell.

Steve