I have the Vernet version, keep looking. The extra handling this model requires would be better devoted to a good switch.

I have used the Rice's Silk to Egg routine from Encyclopedia of Silks for thirty years. It is a great routine, very sensible and clean. I highly recommend it.

I have always used the Tenyo eggs, which I like because of the small size, equal to a small-medium size egg. I use dark blue 18" silks, and dark blue Avery stickers for the hole on the real egg.

The plastic egg and the Avery sticker both look great from even a short distance.

I have an old spun copper gimmick for this effect. It was, I believe, marketed by California illusionist Jim Conley in the 1960's. It is totally self contained, requires no switch, no real egg, or anything else. It sounds great! In fact, it is well made and could be effectively used on a large stage; but for closer work the gimmick would need to be painted like an Easter egg to hide where it cracks apart. This is an option that you might read or hear about. Unless you have a reason for a fancy painted egg, I would not suggest this method. I mention it for completeness in this topic. I think there is a plastic version being made by someone today.
Jim

I have seen Greg Wilson (Mark's son) perform this in his stage routine. And I saw Rich Marotta present it during a lecture. It is really a strong piece of magic. It made me go back to Tarbell Vol 1. I like the idea of using a dye tube to use a bigger silk.

Find out the manufacturer and quality of the egg before buying. I bought the catalog item
"silk to egg" from Hank Lee's on-line and was very disappointed with the quality of the egg received. It is literally a white plastic Easter Egg, complete with two egg halves glued together. I would not use this egg in performance, although it may be useful in an Easter egg hunt.

I should mention that I am still a happy customer of Hank Lee's. I have been ordering from them for 20 some years.

I've used most of the above mentioned, and I don't think it makes a big difference. The routine usually involves telling the audience that it is a "cheap plastic egg with a hole..." anyway... why do you want one that looks absolutely realistic? I use the self contained method when I'm doing a lot of back to back shows, but prefer ending with a real egg... I do think it adds something to be able to offer it to someone at the end.

I love the Mark Wilson version of the silk to egg with the half dollar as the magic wand. I don't know if it is his original or out of Tarbell, etc.

Just wanted to mention that I had a chance to perform for the 3rd graders at my daughter's elementary school. Included the version in "The Magic of Michael Ammar." Never felt any heat and got a great response. Months later, one of the children saw me at the neighborhood pool and remembered me as the magician. When I asked her if there was anything that she remembered or particularly enjoyed from the show, she said that this was the effect that she enjoyed the most. When I think real hard, I remember how powerful this effect was for me the first time I saw it as a non-magician.

Keith

Oscar Munoz recently lectured at our club, and he performs an excellent version of the Silk to Egg that DOESN'T use a fake egg - he only uses a real one!

You don't have to use a gimmicked egg. You could do a silk to egg using a changing prop and still achieve the same effect and you are clean then.

For those of you who want to use a gimmicked egg that looks realistic try this...

Take a real egg and poke a hole in the back (where the hole usually is for this effect). Empty the contents of the egg through this hole, and wash the egg out. If you are careful you can enlarge the hole with a razor blade or good pair of scissors. Leave the hole about 2/3 the size that you want it to be in the end.

Wash the egg out.

Make up some plaster of paris. Pour some plaster into the egg (fill the egg about 1/4) and swirl it around. don't worry too much if it comes out the hole, as it will sand off later.

Tip the remaining plaster out of the egg. Wait for that layer to dry, and repeat until you have quite a thick coating inside the egg (not too thick or you wont fit anything in there!)

Once this is done and dried, you can sand back the edges of the hole until they are the size you want, and as smooth as you want.

This is suprisingly strong once it is done. It will not be suited to all routines, but it is very realistic (well it is real!) and I know the guy that taught me had been using the same egg for about 6 months, so you can get a bit of use out of them.

Chris.

I'm thinking seriously of adding this effect.

I'm thinking real egg with the Mumblepeas (way ta go, Harry!) gimmick (earlier in this thread), a toppit with the sleeve pockets, a dye tube, and a large silk.

The idea is to use this as a running gag.

Do you really think, I'd be so sneaky, underhanded, and unprincipled as to use a FAKE egg with a hole in it? Why, if they never found out about me using such a dispicable method, they'd kick me out of the magicians union.

HOW CAN I PROVE that this is a REAL egg??

BREAK IT??

Do you realize that everytime you break an egg you are ABORTING a chicken??

I just can't bring myself to do it.

Set the egg aside, do another effect (maybe a flag effect, say. Go back to the egg, and inform the audience it's UNPATRIOTIC to end a life (even a potential chicken life) without "voting" on it.

You could stretch this out by inventing nonsence all through your routines, and finally break the egg as a finale.

I am getting a topit made into my jacket this week. I immediately thought of silk to egg. I figured another good way to do silk to egg would be by use of the topit. Anyway, tell me what you think.
Brian

Check out The Magic of Michael Ammar. It has a great silk-to-egg routine in there.

Has anyone purchased the Super silk to egg. I think this is the one that is a real egg and coated in plastic. I saw it at Tannens magic. Looked good and he droped it to prove it is solid. But does this strength hold up over time?

I have read this thread and I still am having trouble deciding on my first Silk to Egg routine. I don't know any routines so ideally, I would like to buy an egg that comes with a routine. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good egg and routine sold together?

The Best Silk to egg routine I have found is the 1st one I ever purchased. The sterling egg routine from DeVoe magic. Of course they are out of business for years in St. Louis,MO.

I have the Tenyo egg, but it is somewhat transparent. I painted the egg with Epoxy spray paint found at good hardware stores. Then I could use a colored silk other then white.

I also have the Viking egg, and the egg-traordinary eggs on the market. They are rather large eggs to handle. The egg-traordinary eggs are advertised to come in small, medium and large all the same price.
Bill

bill

I was in Hobby Lobby the other day, and found that they sell very realistic looking ceramic eggs in white and brown for 99 cents each. They also had some paper mache not so good looking eggs 3 for a dollar. I bought one, made a hole with my Dremel tool, and am very happy with it.

I have a plastic egg. I have sprayed it with white paint out of a spray can- use flat white- sometimes advertised as eggshell. It perfectly duplicates the egg colour. For the "spot" on the egg I use a round Avery sticker and colour it to match the silk in use. It is easy to remove. Cheers.

When silk to egg is mentioned, I am thinking of the Comedy version. The explaination that leads the audience down the path, but then you break it to prove it is a real egg and not a fake one.

You show your audience that you are using a fake egg with a hole in it.

To change a silk to an egg, without proof is not very magicial. I like the "Standing Ovation" I receive with the explaination version.

Bill