Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

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Bob Cunningham
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Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Bob Cunningham » April 24th, 2013, 11:11 am

I am working on a Chop Cup routine that uses a styrofoam coffee cup from a meeting room or office. While not Impromptu, the gaff is easily adapted to the particular type of styrofoam cup being used in any office in just a few minutes.

I am trying to find out if anyone else has written/produced something similar?

I would appreciate any help or leads that you may have.

MartinKaplan
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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby MartinKaplan » April 24th, 2013, 11:19 am

On page 78 of THE UNCANNY SCOT Ron Wilson explains his Uncanny Chop Cup in which a cardboard coffee cup is made into a chop cup.

-Marty

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Bob Cunningham
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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Bob Cunningham » April 24th, 2013, 11:39 am

Thanks Marty.

I am assuming a cardboard cup is what Americans would call a paper cup?

I don't have a copy of "The Uncanny Scott". Can you tell me if this method involves a false bottom in anyway? If you'd be more comfortable sending that information to private message that would be fine.

Thanks again!

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Jonathan Townsend » April 24th, 2013, 12:20 pm

gaffing ordinary cups with wax or spikes goes back a ways. Hoffmann's first book? The trick using a ball on a thread attached to the side of the cup (from the Eliot book?) goes back to mid last century in print.

Trying to drink from such a cup -or even mixing such props in a casual environment may be asking for problems.
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Bob Cunningham » April 24th, 2013, 12:23 pm

Thanks Jonathan!

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby James » April 24th, 2013, 12:43 pm

I'm almost positive that Jack Avis had a routine with a Dixie cup or styrofoam cup in his book Vis-A-Vis (don't have the book with me so can't look it up). Thee was no false bottom. You could use a borrowed cup. The gimmick was in the wand. Today, you can have the gimmick in a finger ring and pretty much get the same effect.

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Bill Mullins » April 24th, 2013, 1:13 pm

James wrote: Today, you can have the gimmick in a finger ring and pretty much get the same effect.
Or a thumb tip.

As far as the original question goes (provenance), the Apr 1994 Linking Ring has a ring report describing a Steve Fearson lecture in which he used a styrofoam cup as a chop cup (with no further details).

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Bob Cunningham » April 24th, 2013, 1:44 pm

Thanks for all the input and resources! It is very helpful :-)

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Bob Cunningham » April 24th, 2013, 2:42 pm

Based on the feedback I have received so far, and my own research, I think I may have something that has not been published before. I am certain that I came up with this idea on my own,but is definitely evolutionary – not revolutionary.

I am not a professional magician. I have no interest in marketing this. Instead I would like to share this information freely with the greater magic community. But in case this has already been published/marketed, I don't want to step on anyone's toes, violate anyone's rights or offend too many people unnecessarily :-)

Would a couple of you be willing to look at what I've got and see if (based on your knowledge) you think this is different enough to warrant putting together a PDF and make it available here and elsewhere?

If you would be willing to give me your feedback about my "Semi impromptu Styrofoam chop cup" :-) please PM me with your email address and I'll send you some pictures of the gaff.

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Brad Henderson » April 24th, 2013, 2:54 pm

I thought it was William zavis who did the chop cup with magnetic pen/wand. I learned it from his early videonics video. of course, with the similarity of names I could be mistaken.

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby James » April 24th, 2013, 3:15 pm

Brad, you're correct. It was William Zavis in the book Divers Deceits, published in 1973. I knew something didn't feel right as I made my first post.

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Jonathan Townsend » April 24th, 2013, 3:19 pm

This could turn into a need for a circle cutter tool from James Riser. :mrgreen:
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Ian Kendall » April 24th, 2013, 3:57 pm

Bob,

If you want to make it available, why not send it in for Magicana? I may know one of the guys writing it (Andi)...

Ian

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Bob Cunningham » April 24th, 2013, 4:24 pm

Hi Ian,

Thanks for the idea. I'd be happy to do that. I look at their site and it does not seem like they have a place that would be a good fit for, "how to make an impromptu looking chop cup that doesn't look gaffed" :-) I actually can't find a place on the site for individual effects, let alone DYI projects.

However, if I am wrong I will be happy to share this with them. If you get the contact information for your friend please share with me and I'll contact him.

Thanks,

Bob

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Bill Mullins » April 24th, 2013, 4:27 pm

Bob -- Ian means "Magicana, the column of magic tricks in Genii that he hosts", not "Magicana, the Canadian magic website run by David Ben."

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Bob Cunningham » April 24th, 2013, 4:32 pm

Why do I feel like I'm in the middle of a Saturday Night Live skit from the 70s, "What's all this about violins on TV!" :-)

Thanks Bill for the clarification.

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Re: Provenance of using a styrofoam coffee cup as a Chop Cup

Postby Bob Cunningham » April 24th, 2013, 4:33 pm

Ian, if you can send me your email via PM I'll send you off pictures of what I have and you can determine if it's worth your time.


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