Tenyo Tricks for 2012--HOLY CRAP!

[Richard Kaufman]

I just saw the five new Tenyo items for 2012. Wow. Three of them are outstanding, one is good, and only one is fair.

Two are by the genius Lubor Fiedler, one of which is a Flying Carpet that allows you to perform a levitation. It's unbelievable ... UNBELIEVABLE!!!! While it's apparent to the spectators that it's some sort of optical illusion, the visual is so incredibly strong and convincing that we just couldn't believe it. So we kept doing it over and over and over again.

I'm not sure when Tenyo will start selling the tricks in the United States, and I hope we don't see a repeat of last year's jacked-up prices for the US market because all five tricks are reasonably priced.

I think this is Tenyo's best line of products in many years. I'll have an article in the December issue of Genii, along with video demonstrations of the products in the digital edition.

If you can't wait to buy the stuff (good luck trying to read the Japanese instructions), here is a seller on eBay with a 100% positive feedback rating who is selling them:
http://stores.ebay.com/Magico-Japan?_trksid=p4340.l2563

[Matthew Field]

I just booked a ticket for the Nov 19 Friday evening show at the International Conhvention in London (Ron's Day) at which Lubor Fiedler will be appearing, with Mark Setteducati.

Matt Field

[Jeff Eline]

Saw Mark's lecture at Magic Live. Very interesting. Having those two big brains in the same room would be incredible!

[Q. Kumber]

Tom Stone is also part of the creativity trinity for the Friday daytime seminar.

Matt, I don't think they are performing on the Friday evening, unless there has been a change. I understand Harry Anderson is performing his one-man show that night.

Full details of the international week of magic, which is being held before the convention http://internationalmagic.com/pages/convention.html

[Steve Cohen]

I just finished writing all of the English instructions for the 2012 Tenyo product line, and yes, the Flying Carpet looks as good as Richard says. It's a magnificent illusion - no question, Lubor Fiedler is a genius. All magicians need to see this!

[Master Payne]

Sadly it appears that the flying carpet trick is a 3D effect as you have to wear special glasses to see it work. So those of us with monocular vision will never get to see what it's supposed to look like.

[Joe Mckay]

Wow - the Flying Carpet effect is a self-levitation. Not the sort of thing you expect from Tenyo. Anyway - this sounds amazing. I think there is a good chance it might be my favourite Tenyo trick yet (currently my favourite is the Floating Rock by Lubor Fiedler).

Anyway - I will fight anyone for the title of World's Biggest Lubor Fiedler fan! :-) So - I am delighted to see he has two tricks out this year from Tenyo. They both look great.

Also - I cannot wait to see Lubor at the London Conference next month. So incredibly excited. Hey Richard? We need more Lubor Fiedler in GENII magazine. How about getting Matthew to interview him? Think about it...

Anyway - here is a link to a video of the Flying Carpet effect. The reactions suggest this is strong.

THE FLYING CARPET - LUBOR FIEDLER

and here is a link to a video of the other Fiedler effect:

THE THIRD EYE - LUBOR FIEDLER

Happy days!

Joe

[Jonathan Townsend]

Kind of awkward to consider them as magic when they are sold as toys and, as manufactured, tend to elicit "can I pull that prop apart to see how it works" by way of the Too Perfect Theory (ie if it looks like it's a trick prop and you handle it like a trick prop and you can't let them prove to themslves that it's not a trick prop then it clearly must by done by real magic ;) ).

Gotta love the clever toys though.

[Joe Mckay]

Yeah - it is a shame that some of Lubor's effects haven't been modified to look less like toys. I guess this might happen later on with Steve Brooks' Tenyo Elite company.

Still - for me it is the idea that counts. And I can worry about the best way of performing magic for laypeople some other time. And instead just appreciate the astonishing genius that is Lubor Fiedler's creativity.

Note to self: When I see Lubor Fiedler next month - I must ask him if it is true that he has a method for making a house disappear. I am sure I read this somewhere once...

Joe

PS Hey Master Payne. Sorry to hear you won't be bale to experience the 3D effect. I forgot that some people aren't capable of experiencing this. I will do my best to try and give an accurate description in the future of what it is like when I play with the trick.

[Richard Kaufman]

The effect of a Tenyo trick on a laymen, even though it is often performed with a plastic object or objects, does NOT make it register as a toy to laymen. Don't confuse your perception, that of a magician, with that of a laymen. They see a magician's prop that is no different than any other magician's prop. Thinking of them as toys is an inaccurate and skewed perception.

Laymen simply see an object with which a trick is performed. Tenyo's plastic items are not hugely different to them than cards or coins, except for the fact that they are are already familiar with cards and coins. Believe me, I've performed my share of Tenyo tricks for people over the last decade and they are just as blown away as when I've done an incredible card trick that required years of practice.

The Tenyo Elite Company is just over-priced fiddle-faddle. They picked poor tricks to make fancy versions of, and I'm sure they haven't sold well because after a lot of hoopla there have been no new ones marketed beyond the original 3. The tricks are just as effective when made in plastic or paper and presented with the original props. Tenyo Elite is just expensive and unnecessary stuff manufactured solely for collectors.

While both of Lubor's new tricks are fantastic, you'll never see an accurate video representation of the Flying Carpet because it can only be seen in person. I actually like that--the effect isn't spoiled for you in advance.

I should also mention the appearing dice trick, one of the new items, which is ASTOUNDING. I had no idea who it worked the first time I saw it.

[Master Payne]

PS Hey Master Payne. Sorry to hear you won't be bale to experience the 3D effect. I forgot that some people aren't capable of experiencing this. I will do my best to try and give an accurate description in the future of what it is like when I play with the trick.

Maybe I'll buy Lubor's Third Eye so I'll have a second eye so I can see the Flying Carpet Trick :)

I'm intrigued by the Dice Stack Trick myself and like the rotating note on the pencil as that is something I could incorporate into my Flea Circus.

I haven't bought a new Tenyo trick in a few years. but a couple of these look like they are worth picking up.

[martinka]

I agree, this is the strongest lineup in years with a nice variety. While you won't be using the flyig carpet in a show, it is a really fun one to demonstrate for a visitor. Here is a video: http://youtu.be/FfDZ_t7sFCk

Pricing is better as well. At martinka.com we are offering the set of five effects to Martinka Silver members for $139.

Ted

[Richard Kaufman]

Ted, that's a great price, because the cost of buying the five items at the store in Japan is $118.

[Matthew Field]

Yes, Joe, the Tom Stone, Lubor Fiedler and Mark Setteducati panel on creativity is at 11 in the goddam morning. So I'm on an 8 AM train up from Hastings to get there on time.

Lubor has been doing innovative work with depth perception over the past several years (e.g. The Blue Crystal trick for Tenyo). I can't wait to see these in person.

The guy to write the Genii article (if there is to be one) is Setteducati, who has been working on a book about Fiedler for quite some time.

Matt Field

[Joe Mckay]

Great to hear the book is still on. My first question to Lubor is going to be about the book.

Anyway - incredibly excited about the event!

Joe

[Bill Duncan]

Nothing says "magic" like 3-D Glasses and a place-mat from Denny's.

If you do something like this for a layman, how will anything else you ever do for them have any credibility? They'll just assume your deck, or your coins, or your Square Circle is some kind of trick prop too.

[Richard Kaufman]

The laymen don't recognize them as 3D glasses because there is no 3D image to look at.

There's a real question of whether this is perceived as an optical illusion or a trick, or a unique bit of both. I've now done it for a few people and their reaction is one of being stunned. They don't quite know what to think, or how the glasses fit into it. They don't connect the glasses with 3D because everyone "knows" that 3D images are blurry without the glasses because the image is doubled. That's not the case here. It's really quite brilliant.

[Bill Duncan]

I was attempting to be witty. My point was that if they need special glasses to see the magic, and the props look like they came from a kit, you are clearly not the one doing the magic.

A visual equal of the Knight's Tour perhaps, but without you getting credit for accomplishing anything.

[Richard Kaufman]

Sorry that I'm failing to make my point in print. The strength of the illusion is such that it misdirects and overcomes any thoughts about who gets credit for what. It just "is." And it's amazing to see. I understand your point that the glasses would seemingly decrease any amazement the spectator might have, or any credit he might give you, but in my experience that isn't the case.

You really need to buy one, follow the presentational instructions exactly, and see the result on your audience.

[Jonathan Townsend]

Nothing says "magic" like 3-D Glasses and a place-mat from Denny's.

If you do something like this for a layman, how will anything else you ever do for them have any credibility?

After you've demonstrated how much their eyes can deceive them - the heat is off your hands and maybe even the cards too.

Something tells me that there's going to be a demand for larger versions and lots of folks learning "the twist". Might be the next "shadow coins" or even "d-lite" as far as audiences are concerned - the item they talk about.

[Joe Mckay]

Yeah - this issue always comes up with Tenyo effects.

For me - they are what they are. For me - they are amazing pieces of creativity. I primarily value them for their inspiration. It is rare to see so much creativity in a magic trick.

And you can never have too much creativity in magic. Indeed - I think my interest in magic would have struggled to develop 50/100 years ago since most books just reprinted the same 20/30 tricks.

So - to see a company turning out so many delightful 'toys' is just great.

I am unsure to what extent I would want to perform them for laypeople? To me - they are just neat playthings to share with people in a casual environment. Not really something to be built into a formal show. So they can be used to delight laypeople. But if doing that - I would tend to not do whilst trying to perform more 'serious' stuff soon afterwards.

So - I think Tenyo products work on a number of levels. And some of the ideas do sometimes end up getting reworked into more 'serious' effects.

Magic is a weird and (hopefully) creative pursuit. And it has to be a good thing to have these crazy guys working away in the lab churning out such novel ideas.

And the stuff Tenyo has put out over the years is more creative than any other area of magic I have seen. Is that a bad thing?

Sorry for the ramble!

Joe

[Richard Kaufman]

I used to have a bookcase in the living room with all my Tenyo tricks on display. Whenever anyone came over, they always pointed to it and asked "what's that stuff?" I would then do half a dozen Tenyo tricks and kick their butt.

Tenyo tricks are great for laymen, very magical.

There are a few where you have to cough loudly at a certain moment, but aside from those few ...

[Richard Kaufman]

I just noticed that Hank Lee and Daytona Magic are both selling the new Tenyo items. I don't know what they're selling since the English language packages and instructions aren't printed yet.

[Richard Hatch]

I just noticed that Hank Lee and Daytona Magic are both selling the new Tenyo items. I don't know what they're selling since the English language packages and instructions aren't printed yet.

D. Robbins (the wholesale company) just sent out an announcement that they expect to have a limited supply of 5 new Tenyo items in stock in early December (Japanese packaging with English instructions) with more expected in February. The retail on the Flying Carpet appears to be $62.50.

[Richard Kaufman]

Retail prices of the new Tenyo line in Japan:

Magic Pop-Up (1260 yen = $17)

Psychic Money (1260 yen = $17)

Tower of Dice (1260 yen = $17)

Flying Carpet (2940 yen = $39)

The Third Eye (2100 yen = $28)

The prices in U.S. dollars were converted when one dollar was worth 76.26 yen.

[The Magic Apple]

The Magic Apple will be carrying all of the new Tenyo Items as well. Stay Tuned for a SALE if you buy all of them.
They will be shipping in November to Studio City

The prices that Richard put up, as of now, are WAY off. They are going to be MUCH higher when released.

[Richard Kaufman]

The prices I have put up are not way off. Those are the actual retail prices the items are currently being sold for in Japan.

I have no idea why the prices are being jacked up in the US (both last year and, apparently, this year). It's much cheaper for folks to buy them on eBay from magico-japan.

[Brad Henderson]

I was in Tokyo last December and stocked up on tons of Tenyo there. Things were much cheaper, in spite of the exchange rate.

[Richard Kaufman]

The first look at the English-language leaflet for the new Tenyo line. I'll have a five page article with video demos in the December issue.

[mrgoat]

Love that unreadable black- on-very-dark-colour design. Stops those lousy pirates photocopying it.

[Richard Kaufman]

Okay, if you want to buy the new Tenyo line, the tricks are up on eBay at good Buy-It-Now prices:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tenyo-2012-Psyc ... 2eb8cf53b3

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tenyo-2012-Maho ... 2eb8cf4a22

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tenyo-2012-Thir ... 2eb8cf3ffd

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tenyo-2012-Towe ... 2eb8cf29ba

I don't know why he doesn't have Lubor's Flying Carpet up yet.

And if you're a wealthy guy and don't mind being made a sucker, here's a nut selling the Tenyo Paddle Collection for $4,500 (he's added a few other items for bait, but they're not worth much):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-RARE-TENYO-TM ... 336d9bf54e

[Doug Thornton]

The seller said Lubor's Flying Carpet will be available November 1st. Didn't mention why there's a delay. (By the way, the seller, whose name Hitomi in Japan could be a man's or woman's, is a woman.)

[Richard Kaufman]

I was able to buy all five Tenyo tricks (including the Flying Carpet) at the toy store Hakuhinkan in the Ginza several weeks ago.

[MattSchick]

Richard, what were the other two tricks that you thought were "outstanding" in addition to the carpet? Looking to buy a few from eBay to add to my Tenyo collection.

Thanks!

[Richard Kaufman]

The Third Eye and Tower of Dice.

[Don Hendrix]

I ordered both of these from Japan last night, and they have already been shipped. Shipping for both was only $10.

[Richard Kaufman]

Did he strap the box to the back of a sea turtle? $10 doesn't get you much in the way of shipping from Japan!

[MattSchick]

The Third Eye and Tower of Dice.

Thanks - ordered both!

[Henley]

I'm an hour from Tokyo, ordered all of them on the 15th through Rakuten, still haven't been shipped. Next time I'll get one of you American guys to get them for me! (insert winky face)

[Richard Kaufman]

I don't know what Rakuten is, however if you're only an hour away, you could have taken the train to Tokyo and bought them!