Title: Alexander De Cova: Treasures
Medium: DVD 3 disk complete set
Arena: Parlour/stand up/close up/ tableside
Available: Any shop, distributed by Murphys Magic Supplies

Why are we here? This is a rather old set of videos, many of never heard of Treasures before or don’t recall them because Alexander De Cova wasn’t well known in the US. I know I missed these the first time around but thanks to De Cova recently releasing some outstanding material I knew the name and jumped when I saw that Murphys Magic Supplies was releasing Treasures in one three DVD set. Since I liked what De Cova had come out with lately I wanted to see what he had done years ago. Let me tell you it is not hard for me to say that De Cova may be one of the best magicians working. Oh, some of the routines have been released in other versions should any of you be purist who only want full blown original material.

The production level isn’t bad, not as clear as you would expect from cameras today but this was shot a few years ago and the look is a bit dated but that means nothing here, I just wanted to say that. The sound is good so these are very watchable DVDs. What you have is Alexander performing for the camera and no audience. He does a great job performing as well as explaining the material and that material is outstanding. I was going to give a general overview of the DVDs but since some of this material is so good I wanted to address some of it. Just because I don’t mention a routine doesn’t mean it wasn’t strong, it means I don’t want to make a five page review.


Vol 1

Chinese Money Mystery. This is a coin routine, kind of a coin across but different, and he fried me with it.. Basically two rows of cards are laid out in a row and you clearly pick them up, one row with each hand. The coins are then shown to have vanished from one hand and re-appeared in the other…super clean.

Purse Swindle: Found on the L and L thumbtip video this is a nice and creative handling of a silk vanish and reproduction.

Gumball: Interesting idea for introducing sponge balls and a vanish that completely blew past me.

9 Card Monte: A kind of mix between wild card and a monte routine. Again the handling fooled me (and I’m familiar with this type of routine). No gaffs needed, this is not only a great visual but the presentation is excellent. I really liked this.

The other routines and ideas on this volume are very good as well.


Vol 2

If you get hold of the new De Cova DVDs you’ll see a bit of duplication on a couple routines here. The new ones show different handling than what you find on this disk and I found them to compliment each other.

Flash Restoration: The quickest restoration of a torn card I’ve ever seen and it uses an evil method that never crossed my mind. He zapped me with this one.

Cups and Balls Moves: Love the classics and he has some good ideas here.

Pro Card To Wallet: Again De Cova shows amazing creativity and performing skills. I admired the workings as well as the presentation. Not my favorite card to wallet but you don’t have to get a special magic wallet for this one and the approach is very cool.

Balk to Silk. Looks great, I mean really great. I love silks.

A New Rope Move. Interesting handling of rope, for you rope fans, which I am, this is worth looking into.

Master Silks Routine: A different version of his handling on the latest De Cova DVDs. I think this is some of the best silk magic I’ve seen. To be honest I’m a complete junkie with silks. I love this routine, I love Slydini’s, I love Paul Pottasy’s….SILKS RULE!

The other two items on this disk are interesting as well..


Vol 3

Vanishing Cane: looks great and fooled me cuz he used a method I had never thought of.

Stand Up Flurry: A quick coin routine, very nice and sneaky as heck, uses a jumbo coin.

Seven Card Monte / McDonalds Aces / Hangman Plus: Very interesting card routines, Alexander has some good ideas on set up and performing these three routines. They are separate by the way, I just put them together as they are all cards

Spring Gig: You’ll do this, you won’t be able to help yourself. Funny bit with a pen.

Ultimate Coin Penetration: Looked great

There are more routines on here that are good as well.


I’m not sure if I am missing anything by De Cova but if it has his name on it it is good. This set really is a Treasure and one of the strongest sets I’ve seen of just magic instruction.. If any of you know Alexander De Cova please tell him he has a fan.

No kidding about this -- he's a genius with various methods! I got the 3 DVD set of Treasures, and although I haven't seen but Volume 1, knew I had to learn more from this man. So, I found Enigmatic 1&2, and his Thumb Tips DVD (which others here on the Café have given rave reviews). Although I haven't gotten through all of these, I really can relate to them and highly recommend the material.

De Cova is one of the most underated magicians in the world. Every trick he performs has a touch of genius. He truly thinks outside the box.

His Flash Restoration, Master Silks Routine and his version of Dr Sawa's Slot Machines are my favourites but everything that bares his name is guaranteed to be great!

Iain.

I forgot to mention Slot Machine. Very creative coin routine, fooled me bad. I really liked that one.

Slot machine? Is that his handling of the Dingle routine - that was inspired by Dr. Sawa?

Yup

Max Maven has translated most of Dr. Hiroshi Sawa's work. A few of “Dr. Sawa’s Miracles” are: Rescue Rope, Heads or Tails, Mosquito Card, Submarine Coins and more. I have not heard of the Slot Machine yet, anyone cares to enlighten?

Thanks Santa.

Evolve, I vaguely remember that Slot Machine was published in a magiazin.

Andy

It is a very magical production of multiple coins. It takes some effort to get your equipment together but it is smooth.

Does anybody have a video of themselves doing De Cova's flash restoration? I have seen it a couple times in the past but cannot find them anymore. That is an amazing feat. Very visual. Thanks in advance.

I'm pretty sure DeCova performs and explains this on his lecture video he put out with International Magic in London. It was filmed at one of their conventions a few years back. Some great magic on that video.

Does anyone know when these were first released on video and if anything was added, transporting them to DVD?

Thanks for any info.

Yeah, they were released as video first then re packaged as DVDs.

Does anyone know the year that they were released on video originally?

Also does anyone know the source material of the "Fred Robinson Vanish" he uses during his "Stand Up Flurry". Is there an official name for it?

And during his handling of the Sawa routine he says he does a move by Jerry Andrus...the part where the poker chip is placed in the fist towards the end. What's the name of this move? And is there any source material on it?

Thanks again for any help.

My memory isn't that good Chad!

Thanks anyway Santa.

Maybe you can help me with this Santa, or anyone else or course.

I'm watching Alexander De Cova's Treasures Vol. III and his "Stand Up Flurry" routine. In it he does a vanish that he calls the "Fred Robinson Vanish". Does anyone know where Fred's original work on this is? And is this the official name or is it known by another?

Later, on the same DVD, during his handling of Sawa's "Slot Machine" he uses a move of Jerry Andrus but doesn't name it. Does anyone know the official name of this put?

Thanks for any help.