Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Discuss your favorite close-up tricks and methods.
Peter Ross
Posts: 196
Joined: October 21st, 2017, 11:02 am
Favorite Magician: Doug Henning
Contact:

Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Peter Ross » February 10th, 2021, 10:05 am

Is anyone aware of any work done using different colored balls with Cups & Balls?

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27054
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 10th, 2021, 10:10 am

Yes. Several people have done it. There might be a version in Frank Garcia's book on the subject.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

User avatar
Q. Kumber
Posts: 1851
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Tom Whitestone

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Q. Kumber » February 10th, 2021, 10:21 am

Aged ten, I spent a week at Butlin's Holiday Camp. The children's entertainer was Dick Richards from Cardiff. On the Friday night he did a show in the Playhouse Theatre which seated about 600. One of the routines was his Cups and Balls. This was a stage routine done with the old style tall cups, not the dumpy ones. Now to hold a packed audience of children with such a routine he must have been good.

The balls changed colour, grew and became multi-coloured before becoming the final loads.

What's also interesting is that he didn't use false transfers, he simply held the hand palm and fingers upwards with the ball at fingertips, waving his other hand in front of it, the ball vanished.

A couple of years later I was back in Butlin's and got to meet up with him. While chatting he took a ball, and using the same move, vanished it. I caught a glimpse of where it ended up - at the base of his first second and third fingers. Exactly how it got there I don't know, though I've often thought about it. You see, if there was anything remotely suspicious in the move in front of an audience of children they would have called him out, especially as the move was used multiple times.

I also read that he had won a manipulation prize with his routine in a British Ring Shield competition and that he used a special table to get the loads. I've asked a number of UK magicians who I thought might remember but sadly no luck.

Joe Lyons
Posts: 874
Joined: November 13th, 2017, 8:27 am
Favorite Magician: Wonder
Location: Texas

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Joe Lyons » February 10th, 2021, 10:24 am

Peter Ross wrote:Is anyone aware of any work done using different colored balls with Cups & Balls?

Yes.

Peter Ross
Posts: 196
Joined: October 21st, 2017, 11:02 am
Favorite Magician: Doug Henning
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Peter Ross » February 10th, 2021, 10:25 am

I have the Garcia book. Nothing there.

User avatar
Steve Bryant
Posts: 1947
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Ballantine
Location: Bloomington IN
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Steve Bryant » February 10th, 2021, 11:10 am

Milt Kort has such a routine in Kort Is Now in Session, by Milt, illustrated by Steranko. It is called Chromo Cups and Balls.

He has a different routine called Precognitive Cups and Balls in The Magic of Milt Kort, by Minch, illustrated by Sandy Kort.

User avatar
Steve Bryant
Posts: 1947
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Ballantine
Location: Bloomington IN
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Steve Bryant » February 10th, 2021, 11:22 am

Milt has an additional, similar routine with color changing dice in the Minch book, called Cups & Dice.

Jonathan Townsend
Posts: 8704
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Westchester, NY
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Jonathan Townsend » February 10th, 2021, 12:08 pm

John Ramsay did a one cup routine using a second color ball as setup to larger final load. Andrew Galloway wrote that up.
Gary Kurtz has a three cups routine where balls of a second color appear; which was in its own manuscript.
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

Jack Shalom
Posts: 1368
Joined: February 7th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Brooklyn NY

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Jack Shalom » February 10th, 2021, 12:33 pm


RobFromNZ
Posts: 32
Joined: September 25th, 2013, 10:50 pm

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby RobFromNZ » February 10th, 2021, 12:39 pm

I have seen one performed by Rachel Colombini called Tri Color Cups and Balls. It used coloured tissue paper.

User avatar
Marco Pusterla
Posts: 516
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Suffolk - UK
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Marco Pusterla » February 10th, 2021, 1:22 pm

Christian Chelman has one, in one of his French books and on DVD...
Marco Pusterla - https://mpmagic.co.uk

Ye Olde Magic Mag: magazine on magic history and collecting.

Joe Lyons
Posts: 874
Joined: November 13th, 2017, 8:27 am
Favorite Magician: Wonder
Location: Texas

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Joe Lyons » February 10th, 2021, 1:27 pm

Joe Lyons wrote:
Peter Ross wrote:Is anyone aware of any work done using different colored balls with Cups & Balls?

Yes.

Kent's version is available at Lybrary.com

https://www.lybrary.com/the-fun-shop-cu ... 51796.html

Denis Behr
Posts: 416
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Munich
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Denis Behr » February 10th, 2021, 1:44 pm


Peter Ross
Posts: 196
Joined: October 21st, 2017, 11:02 am
Favorite Magician: Doug Henning
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Peter Ross » February 10th, 2021, 1:47 pm

Thank you for the replies.

Philippe Billot
Posts: 1820
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: PARIS - FRANCE

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Philippe Billot » February 10th, 2021, 2:22 pm

Travers Cooper seems to be the first to use colored balls for the Cups and Balls Tricks.

His routine is explained in The Wizard No. 46, April 1951 in which he wrote:

"I first performed it at The Magic Circle in 1944."

Tom Gilbert
Posts: 946
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: NH
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Tom Gilbert » February 10th, 2021, 9:26 pm

Aldo had one with different colored pom poms.

Bob Farmer
Posts: 3308
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Short card above selection.

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Bob Farmer » February 11th, 2021, 10:33 am

A related effect, "Kirk's Kup," used three dice, red, white and green, but this was more of a one-in-the-pocket, two-in-the-dice cup routine (though it did have a giant die as the final load).

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27054
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Richard Kaufman » February 11th, 2021, 11:02 am

Kort was preceded by Dr. Jacob Daley.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

Kent Gunn
Posts: 753
Joined: May 15th, 2008, 2:05 pm
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Kent Gunn » February 11th, 2021, 12:09 pm

Peter,

I'd follow another path.

Peter Ross
Posts: 196
Joined: October 21st, 2017, 11:02 am
Favorite Magician: Doug Henning
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Peter Ross » February 11th, 2021, 1:07 pm

Kent, interesting to hear you say that. My limited experiments point me to that conclusion as well. I'd like to hear you elaborate if you care to.

Kent Gunn
Posts: 753
Joined: May 15th, 2008, 2:05 pm
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Kent Gunn » February 11th, 2021, 3:09 pm

Confusion quickly takes over. My routine has some extra elements that make it worse.

Five ball routines, where most who've fallen into this rabbit-hole end up, are more trouble. The finest five ball routine I know is Harry Riser's in "Feints and Temps". I'd read through that one.

My cups and balls journey started with a small orange booklet, sold to me by Earl Nelson, in the seventies. I did that routine for the 20 years I wasted, mucking about on submarines. I didn't realize Vernon's routine was so well-known and ragingly popular.

Even Vernon's routine can be hard to follow. I'd work that up, or one of the derivatives. I think Ammar and Swiss do routines are worthy of your study.

Different colored balls . . . You need to read that Travers Cooper routine. Let me know if you don't have it.

PS. If you're a Jamy Ian Swiss fan, like me, I've heard he hated my routine.

User avatar
Spellbinder
Posts: 472
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Spellbinder » February 12th, 2021, 4:41 am

Jim Gerrish's "Colorful Cups and Balls" uses different color balls to match different color cups. It's described in The Wizards' Journal #29-03.
https://www.magicnook.com/WizJ29/WIZJ29-03ColorfulCupsBalls.htm

Image.

Wiz Kid Qua-Fiki also contributed his three color sponge ball routine for a "Pseudo Cups and Balls" routine.
Phineas Spellbinder
The Magic Nook

Andy Galloway
Posts: 52
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Ayr, Scotland

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Andy Galloway » February 13th, 2021, 7:06 am

E. Brian McCarthy wrote a booklet called Chameleon Cups & Balls which was published by The Magic Wand Office in 1942.

Mark Tams
Posts: 93
Joined: April 5th, 2008, 7:44 pm
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Mark Tams » February 14th, 2021, 6:13 am

Aldo had one with different colored pom poms.


Where was Aldo's printed? Thx!

Joe Lyons
Posts: 874
Joined: November 13th, 2017, 8:27 am
Favorite Magician: Wonder
Location: Texas

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Joe Lyons » February 14th, 2021, 8:36 am

Mark Tams wrote:
Aldo had one with different colored pom poms.


Where was Aldo's printed? Thx!

It’s in his “Impact”.

User avatar
Zig Zagger
Posts: 505
Joined: March 20th, 2008, 6:59 pm
Favorite Magician: Aldo Colombini
Location: Germany
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Zig Zagger » February 14th, 2021, 12:12 pm

Mark Tams wrote:
Aldo had one with different colored pom poms.


Where was Aldo's printed? Thx!

Aldo‘s Pom-Pom Cups are included in his lecture notes „The Classic,“ which are available over at Lybrary.com (https://www.lybrary.com/the-classics-p-922607.html).
Tricks, tips, news, interviews, musings and fun stuff: Have a look at our English-German magic blog! http://www.zzzauber.com
Advancing the art in magic one post at a time (yeah, right!)

Tom Gilbert
Posts: 946
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: NH
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Tom Gilbert » February 15th, 2021, 1:08 pm

Aldo had it on a video tape series that never made it to DVD. Magical Methods. It's basically the same routine as the one Rachel does with the tissue paper, incorporating a devil hank for the ending. Based on a Leo Leslie routine published by Supreme.

Philippe Billot
Posts: 1820
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: PARIS - FRANCE

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Philippe Billot » February 16th, 2021, 11:21 am

Richard Kaufman wrote:Kort was preceded by Dr. Jacob Daley.



I find the Daley's version in The Sphinx, Vol. 51, No. 1, March 1952 under the title Chromo Spheres. It's dated 1939 but for the time being I haven't find an ad or an explanation at this date. Research continues...

Philippe Billot
Posts: 1820
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: PARIS - FRANCE

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Philippe Billot » February 17th, 2021, 12:26 pm

Peter Ross wrote:I have the Garcia book. Nothing there.


See The Real Secrets of the 3 Ball Routine by Frank Garcia, published in 1978

The Chromo-Spheres by Dr Jacob Daley is summarrized as follow:

Quickly stated, this is the multiple effect produced. The three balls are made to pass from hand to hand— from hand to pocket—and from hand
under the inverted bowl. All these transpositions are made in a most mysterious manner. At the end all the balls suddenly vanish and under
the small bowl appears a flower and, subsequently, a second flower. The flowers are presented to ladies in the audience.

El Mystico
Posts: 1087
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Leamington Spa
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby El Mystico » February 18th, 2021, 6:17 pm

Chromo-spheres is not a cups and balls routine - it is a ball routine, akin to Mora's balls in the net, but using one bowl.
But Richard is right; Daley mentions - but does not describe - a color changing sequence in his cups and balls routines in the Daley Notebooks. See 210 Daley’s Cups and Balls.
But Guyot was there hundreds of years earlier!

Jonathan Townsend
Posts: 8704
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: Westchester, NY
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Jonathan Townsend » February 18th, 2021, 7:08 pm

Did Guyot suggest using shells?

Philippe Billot
Posts: 1820
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: PARIS - FRANCE

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Philippe Billot » February 19th, 2021, 8:06 am

No shell.

About Guyot, recreations number 24, 25, 26 and 27 are made with black and white balls. Black ball blakens by candlelight and white ball by chalk. Tri colors are more recent.

Kent Gunn
Posts: 753
Joined: May 15th, 2008, 2:05 pm
Location: Florida
Contact:

Re: Cups & Balls with different colored balls

Postby Kent Gunn » February 19th, 2021, 8:48 am

A version of the three ball trick, with some references.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jq0sIIb3q4

Plus, you get a transvestite reference.


Return to “Close-Up Magic”