Have just obtained a bound volume of The Jinx Magazine, and found the Cabinet of Sefalaljia by Stewart James.
I have never heard of this before (being a Children's Magician), but it blew me away.

I have decided to build one, but only two of the routines are suitable:-

Ball jumping into glass & Ring on ribbon.

The others are weak - One requires chemicals to produce smoke, another is just a self-knotting silk effect, and the last one disappearing milk in a glass.

I am trying to come up with some other ideas - I was wondering if anyone has built this, or, knowing the effect, can suggest any other 'miracles' I could include.

Thanks in anticipation

Alan
Mister Wizzy

Never saw one myself. Have some very nice laminated wood in the garage, I was saving for a thownsend ultimate production box. I had planned on setting it up for a ball in glass, and ring on off rope type effect. I don't know if doing too much with the same box is a good idea though. Can you describe it a little more? Size, shape etc.

In the original article, the box was a rectangle 17"x7"x7" (which I think is too big).

It had a curtain covering the front open aperture, and a hole at each of the sides.

The top (which did not open), had a skull in the middle to which the gimmick to move the sponge ball was attached.

There were 5 routines:

Ball jumps into glass.
Borrowed ring is found pinned onto a long ribbon which had been visible at each side all the time.
Cigar placed in glass starts to smoke.
Hank thrown into box ties itself.
Glass of milk visibly empties itself.

Buy the Paul Curry book "World's Beyond" and do some of the rope tricks [from that book] inside the box.

Call it "Alan's Box", but don't try to market it... it's been done.

Regards,
Thomas Wayne

Thank you Thomas

I already have "Worlds Beyond", but did not notice the rope effects at the end of the book.

Many thanks for your suggestion.

Also found some information on 'Dean's Box' by doing a search on here.

See if you can find a copy of James' Sefalaljia Two. (It might be in the Stewrad James in Print book -- I don't have a copy, so someone else will have to check.) It was published in 1982. That's over 40 years of thinking added.

There are 8 phases in the Sefalaljia Two.

1. Borrowed Ring on Lace
2. Four rings on Lace
3. Rings on Brass Rod
4. Knot on Rope
5. Linking Ropes
6. Nail bending
7. Ball kicked out of cabinet
8. Tumber turns upside down and traps pill vials.

Just remember Sefalaljia, the cabinet, is just a means of providing cover. Anything that requires cover should be able to be modified to present the effect.

Thanks for that Jeff.

I have been doing a little research and spotted a footnote in 'Linked' (Paul Curry's Worlds Beyond) referring to another version of 'Linked' which Stewart James incorporated into Sefalaljia 2.

Apparently it is in The James File Vol 2 Page 2298.

There is also a mention of another Sefalaljia-type routine by Dean Dill.

If anyone has any more details, wishes to sell either of the above books, or intends making a cabinet, I would like to hear from you.

I am also interested in getting any plans for
make your own Tricks.
Where can I find, anything?
Thanks
Steve
zzz
Ps Kingstardog
where were you in electronics training?
____________________________________________
"When I was in electronics training we were warned to never, ever let the magic smoke out...."
____________________________________________
I heard the same quote at Ft.Devens
z

Jeff Busby made a beautiful Sefalajia Spirit Cabinet. It had several phases ending with a toy football flying out. It was a self contained act.

Dallas, Boston, and Miami. I heard it at all of them. The boards we used ro work with run from 5-12k so a mistake is not an option.

The Dill Dill Sefalaljia routine is his "Dean's Box". Check out his VIP postings this week.

Please save me time and tell me where it is located in The Jinx.

Thank you.

Jinx Vol 2 (Number 69 December 2nd 1939)

page 471 in bound volume

This routine is also easily accessed in the book, Annemann's Practical Mental Effects...

Kreskin has used his collapsable version of this before...I saw him do it on The Tonight Show...He only did the ball in glass effect..and instead of a skull he used a candle.

Thank you.

I have built two of the in the past starting with one made as described in the Jinx and a second made much different. I think what you can do with a box like this is only limited to your imagination. The second one I made was with the idea of at one point putting a pad and pen inside. Close the curtain on the front and ask a question at which point you would here the pen scribbling on the pad. Jerk open the front and the pen can be seen standing up and moving around as this it is writing and of course the pad would the show a "written" answer.

Didn't Tabby "Tabbman" sell a version of this effect....

He sold two of them. He finished and sold out the run of the first version, but unfortunately Tabman only finished about 1/2 of the run of the second version before he passed away.

I made this little Mad Tiki Hut themed Spirit Box the other day. I found an old shadowbox frame and some beat up plywood added a few extra things I had laying around. I was playing with making my own stencils more than anything. This is a prototype more than a finished jewel. I have decided to get rid of the monkeys paw (skull in original) and go with a baby rattle that I am going to voodoo up some. I can Chant,Rattle and Roll.

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k606......16fe.jpg

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k606......ce41.jpg

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k606......8a66.jpg

http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k606......27f2.jpg

Looks good, Cardstuntman. Why not cut a hole in each side and then do the 'joining ropes' ala Stewart James?

If you are worried about people seeing inside, you could put curtains inside the openings - would look posh!