Origin of the Fire Wallet?

[Tom Stone]

Does anyone know the origin of the Fire Wallet gag?

[Joe Pecore]

Whaley's "Encyclopedic Dictionary of Magic" says it has been in use as a term since 1989, if that helps any.

[Joe Pecore]

Predecessor would probably be Billy McComb's "Hot Book" (in which a large book shoots out flames when opened) which he created in 1945 and published in his "The First Book of William" (1947).

The first ad I could find for a Fire Wallet was called "Hot Wallet" by Steve Stevenson in the July 1986 issue of Genii.

[Tom Stone]

I've seen Terry Seabrooke mentioned as the inventor of the Fire Wallet, and being friend with McComb and knowing his "Hot Book" it would seem like a natural step.

But Jonathan Townsend mentioned in a PM that he thinks Kikuchi (creator of Fickle Fire) had a fire wallet in his act in the 1970's. And that also sounds reasonable.

[RobbinsAlvin]

Is there any show held on this theme, I would deeply like to know about that.

[Chas Nigh]

Bob Haskell also took credit for the hot book when he and Merv Taylor were brainstorming products.