Lance Burton on Johnny Carson 1981

 

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Color Changing Wreaths

Now available at www.magiciansmagicshop.com

 Vintage Sam’s Magic Service Colour Changing Wreaths (Complete with Silks)

Bring a classic piece of stage magic to your act with this Vintage Colour Changing Wreaths set manufactured by Sam’s Magic Service. This complete outfit includes the original gimmicked changing bag, colorful silks, feather wreaths, and the original instruction sheet.

Perfect for children’s entertainers, school assemblies, church performers, libraries, and family audiences, this colorful routine packs small while playing big on stage.

The performer begins by displaying three white feather wreaths and three brightly colored silks. One white wreath is placed inside the special changing bag while a matching colored silk is pushed through the opening. Instantly, the wreath changes to the same color as the silk!

The effect is repeated with the remaining wreaths until all three have magically changed colors. For the grand finale, the colored wreaths are returned to the bag and transformed into one large multicolored feather wreath, creating a beautiful visual finish that audiences love.

The included silks make the color changes even more visual and provide excellent motivation for each transformation.

Includes

* Vintage Sam’s Magic Service Colour Changing Wreaths

* Special gimmicked changing bag

* Three colored silks

* White feather wreaths

* Colored feather wreaths

* Large multicolored finale wreath

* Original Sam’s Magic Service instruction sheet

Features

* Genuine vintage Sam’s Magic Service manufacture

* Complete outfit with original silks

* Bright, colorful stage routine

* Easy to perform

* Plays large for family audiences

* Packs flat for travel

* Ideal for schools, churches, libraries, birthday parties, and stage shows

Condition: New old stock. Includes original instructions and accessories.

Remembering Okito: The Deaf Magician Who Changed Magic Forever

 

Today, July 15, marks the birthday of Tobias “Theo” Leendert Bamberg, better known to the magic world as Okito.

Born in the Netherlands on July 15, 1875, Okito became one of the most respected magicians, inventors and builders of magical apparatus of his generation. His influence continues today through the props he created, the performers he inspired and one small coin box that still carries his name.

Born Into a Legendary Magic Family

Theo Bamberg was born into the famous Bamberg Magical Dynasty, a family whose history in magic stretched across several generations. His father, David Tobias Bamberg, reportedly served as court magician to King William III of the Netherlands.

Theo represented the sixth generation of Bamberg magicians. His son, David Bamberg, continued the family tradition and became internationally famous under the stage name Fu Manchu.

For the Bamberg family, magic was more than a profession. It was an art form and family legacy passed from one generation to the next.

A Childhood Accident Changed His Life

When Theo was a child, he nearly drowned after falling through the ice while skating. The accident reportedly left him almost completely deaf.

Rather than allowing this disability to end his performing ambitions, Theo developed a silent act presented through movement, expression and pantomime. His visual performance style allowed him to communicate with audiences without relying on spoken words.

He eventually adopted the stage name Okito, an anagram of “Tokio,” the spelling commonly used for Tokyo at the time.

Okito initially presented a Japanese-inspired act before later adopting the elaborate Chinese-style costuming and imagery associated with his stage character. Although this presentation reflected theatrical conventions of that era, it would understandably be viewed differently by modern audiences.

Okito Joins Howard Thurston’s Show

After moving to the United States, Okito became associated with legendary illusionist Howard Thurston.

Beginning around 1908, he worked as an assistant, advisor and featured performer in Thurston’s production. He was advertised as “Europe’s Greatest Shadowist,” performing intricate hand shadows as part of the show.

Working with Thurston placed Okito inside one of the largest and most successful touring magic productions of the period. However, his greatest contribution to magic may have come from something much smaller.

The Invention of the Okito Box

In 1909, Okito and Joe Klein opened the Bamberg Magic & Novelty Company in New York City.

According to magic history, Okito was experimenting with a small pillbox when he developed the prop that became known as the Okito Box. The simple cylindrical box allowed magicians to perform remarkable vanishes, appearances and penetrations with coins.

More than a century later, the Okito Box remains a standard piece of equipment for coin magicians. Numerous variations have been created, including Boston Boxes, slot boxes and magnetic versions, but the fundamental concept still bears Okito’s name.

That is an extraordinary legacy for a prop inspired by an ordinary pillbox.

A Master Builder of Magical Apparatus

Okito was also known for designing and constructing beautiful mechanical magic apparatus. His props combined clever methods with exceptional craftsmanship and visual appeal.

Unlike disposable tricks created for brief popularity, Okito’s apparatus was built as functional artwork. Surviving pieces are now highly sought after by collectors and magic historians.

His effects often included colorful boxes, unusual mechanisms and elaborate stage presentations. Okito understood that the appearance of a prop could be just as important as its secret.

He eventually toured throughout Europe and South America, presenting the larger illusions and distinctive visual magic that helped establish his international reputation.

War Destroyed Much of His Collection

Okito eventually returned to the Netherlands, but his life was disrupted by the Second World War. When Nazi forces invaded Belgium and the Netherlands, much of his property and magical apparatus was reportedly confiscated or destroyed.

He later relocated to the United States and spent his final years in Chicago, where he remained respected by magicians and magic collectors.

Okito died in 1963, leaving behind a remarkable legacy that connected magic’s theatrical past with the close-up magic still performed today.

Okito’s Lasting Influence on Magic

Many modern magicians may never have seen Okito perform, but they have likely encountered his influence.

Every time a magician performs with an Okito Box, studies beautifully constructed apparatus or creates a routine that communicates through movement instead of words, a small part of Okito’s legacy lives on.

His story is also an inspiring reminder that physical limitations do not have to prevent someone from becoming a successful entertainer. Okito transformed the loss of his hearing into a distinctive silent performance style capable of entertaining audiences around the world.

On his birthday, we remember Tobias “Theo” Bamberg—not only as Okito, the mysterious magician depicted on vintage posters, but as an inventor, craftsman and performer whose ideas continue to shape magic more than 150 years after his birth.

AGT Magician Horrifies Mel B by “Destroying” Her Priceless Spice Girls Bracelet

 Magician Joel Mawhinney created one of the most stressful moments of the current America’s Got Talent season when he appeared to destroy a sentimental bracelet belonging to Mel B.

During the Tuesday, July 14 episode of America’s Got Talent, the 28-year-old Northern Irish magician—known professionally as Joel M—borrowed several personal possessions from the judges. The items included Howie Mandel’s phone, a framed photograph belonging to Sofia Vergara and a diamond bracelet that Mel B received from her fellow Spice Girls for her 50th birthday.

Mel B immediately made it clear that the bracelet was not an ordinary piece of jewelry. It was a meaningful gift from Melanie C, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell and Victoria Beckham.

That made what happened next especially uncomfortable.

Joel Mawhinney Takes a Hammer to the Judges’ Belongings

After collecting the personal items, Joel placed them inside a zippered bag onstage. He then raised a hammer and appeared to smash everything inside—including Mel B’s treasured Spice Girls bracelet.

The judges watched in disbelief as Joel repeatedly struck the bag. Mel B appeared genuinely distressed by the possibility that her sentimental keepsake had been destroyed for an America’s Got Talent audition.

However, Joel had established an important rule at the beginning of the performance: anything that disappeared had to reappear.

That promise became the foundation for the routine’s surprising conclusion.

Mel B’s Bracelet Reappears Inside Her AGT Buzzer

Joel first returned Howie Mandel’s phone from a locked gift box that had been visible throughout the performance. Sofia Vergara then discovered her photograph hidden inside the cushion of her chair.

The biggest revelation was saved for Mel B.

Joel directed her attention to the red buzzer on the judges’ desk. Hidden inside was a tiny envelope containing her supposedly destroyed bracelet.

Mel B carefully inspected the jewelry and confirmed that it was unharmed, with every diamond still intact. Relieved by its safe return, she told Joel that the bracelet was extremely sentimental and declared that she believed in magic.

The AGT Judges Were Divided Over Joel’s Performance

Although the magical conclusion impressed the panel, the presentation received mixed reactions.

Sofia Vergara praised the magic while jokingly questioning whether smashing the judges’ desk was really necessary. Simon Cowell acknowledged that the routine took a long time but responded positively to the audience’s enthusiastic reaction.

Howie Mandel complimented Joel’s personality and appearance but criticized the performance for being too long. He ultimately voted no.

Mel B enthusiastically gave Joel his first yes, followed by positive votes from Sofia Vergara and Simon Cowell. With three yes votes and one no, Joel Mawhinney advanced to the next stage of the competition.

Who Is AGT Magician Joel Mawhinney?

Joel Mawhinney is a magician, content creator and television presenter from Bangor, Northern Ireland. Performing under the name Joel M, he reportedly began learning magic at five and was performing in restaurants by 11.

Before appearing on America’s Got Talent, Joel built a worldwide following through his magic, mentalism and illusion videos. He has accumulated more than 20 million followers across Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

Joel also became the 41st presenter of the long-running BBC children’s program Blue Peter in 2022. His other credits include the BBC Northern Ireland series Life Is Magic, the live tour Joel M: Impossible and the book Make Your Own Magic.

Was the Risk Worth It?

Joel’s audition demonstrated why apparent danger can make a magic trick emotionally powerful. The bracelet was more than an expensive object—it represented Mel B’s relationship with the other Spice Girls.

That emotional connection immediately raised the stakes.

However, Howie Mandel’s criticism also highlighted an important lesson for performers: even when the ending is strong, pacing remains essential. A television magic act must create suspense without allowing the journey to overpower the final revelation.

Whether viewers loved the tension or felt the routine lasted too long, Joel Mawhinney certainly gave the judges—and the audience—a performance they will remember.

America’s Got Talent airs Tuesdays on NBC and streams the following day on Peacock.

Source credit: Performance details were reported by People

Background information about Joel M was referenced from his professional biography

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