Levante's Illusion

Just starting work on one of the most unusual, and certainly one of the rarest objects I've handled. Les Levante was the best known magician to come out of Australia, and toured around the world for more than fifty years. A short bio is available here: http://geniimagazine.com/magicpedia/Les_Levante

This is one of his illusions, billed as a "Spooks Cabinet", the magician would be blindfolded and tied to a chair within the tent. A table with various items, all of which can make noise, was put next to the bound magician and the cabinet closed. The items then ring out and drum from within the tent, despite the magician still being bound securely throughout.

The tent was also used in Levante's signature effect, "The £1000 Steel Trunk Mystery", a version of an earlier illusion, Metamorphosis. In this effect Levante, locked in the steel trunk, would switch places with his assistant while under cover of the tent. This effect, and the tent in its past glory can be seen in this rare film, starting at the 2.33 point: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93WICk-DEOE&feature=player_embedded#!

A small selection of research material related to the object from my personal collection.

The frame constructed, a clever folding design, but sadly prone to deterioration. It's been affected by severe corrosion to all the metal parts and some structural issues to the wooden frame. 

Levante's original rope, blindfold, tambourine and bells. Lucky to still be present with the item, these are real pieces of theatre history.  

A few finished objects.

Here's a quick update to show a couple of objects previously featured which are just about to be sent back.

First up is the box for the Davenports match to rose trick:

Secondly the much earlier tin rarebit pan, now rust free and lightly polished:

Quite an exciting item coming up, a stage illusion built by the Great Levante in the early 20th Century, let's hope it fits in the lab. 

Website and launch.

In other news, preparation is being made for an official launch in early October. Adverts are being booked in a few collectors magazines and a website is currently being put together by a good friend, so watch this space!

New set of objects.

A lovely set of magic apparatus for conservation arrived recently from a private collector who kindly agreed to let me publish the work on here.

There's a superb, complete 1950s Ernest Sewell magic set, really quite a scarce thing, though the box is going to need a lot of attention to get it back to good condition.

Another item where the box is the problem is this L. Davenport and Co Match to Rose. The trick itself is in great condition, but the box lets it down so I'm going to completely rebuild it.

Finally a much earlier item, known as a Welsh Rarebit Pan. It allows the magician to cook a meal in a borrowed hat, involving a lot of mess and finally a fire in the hat! Following this the magician produces a live rabbit from the pan. This item has had a hard life, and has quite a lot of rust, but this will be given a new lease of life ready for display.