Years ago I saw a magician on TV do the square circle effect; however, after the production, he set the cabinet aside , showed the tube empty and with no cabinet in sight he continued to make another massive production. As a beginner , I had a square circle , but did not own a phantom tube at the time. Who originated each of these effects and who was the first to combine the two? Can this prop be obtained today?
Darryl the Wizard

Check this thread out here:
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......32&4

The Don Redmon lightning-bolt-decorated "20th Century Square Circle" had a blue phantom tube "circle," not to mention the ability to produce a water & fish-filled goldfish bowl after the phantom tube and gimmick loads were produced.

I got mine on E-Bay, and you still see them from time to time. The original mimeographed instructions don't have a date on them, but judging from the layout and graphics I'd say they originated in the mid 1950's.

I heard someone was making a phantom-tube based square circle and selling it thru Magic Auction, but I can't verify this. The problem is (1) phantom tubes are expensive to make, and (2) the square circle gimmick has to accommodate the phantom tube and so it is more expensive to make as well.

Hope this helps.

There's an effect in The Sphinx around 1935 that uses the phantom tube in the square circle.It is not a productin,but the transformation of loose sand into a miniature sphinx statue that crumbles back to sand.The P-tube vanishes the sand and is lifted to show the sphinx.I lost most of my magazines in a wind storm last year,and I don't have the CD-ROM but someone should look it up.The effect is certainly different and the prop looked charming.

I still make a square circle botania loosely based on the Okito Redmond Design. Check out the website for the photo and description.

I remember the Sphinx effect. I will see if I can find the exact info on it.