Mel Babcock Collection

Personal Collection, Not For Sale.

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• Master Craftsman: Babcock is celebrated for his “collector-quality” props, which are often made from exotic hardwoods like American Black Walnut, Padauk, and Rosewood.
• Signature Creations: He is famously known as the “King of Die Boxes,” producing numerous variations of this classic trick that are prized for their precision, weight, and smooth operation.
• Other Noted Props: Beyond die boxes, he crafts a wide array of items, including:
  • Lippincott Boxes (Watch Boxes)
  • Card Boxes (Jumbo and standard)
  • Coin Boxes and Transpositions
  • See-Thru Block Boxes 

Background

• Personal Life: Born in 1931, Babcock is a third-generation orchardist who ran his magic business out of a converted fruit storage shed on his 20-acre pear orchard.
• Military & Education: He studied pharmacological sciences and geology at Washington State University and served three years in the Army as a guided missile electronics repairman before turning his focus back to magic.
• Documentation: His life and work are chronicled in the book The Magic House of Babcock, written by Michael S. Richman

Personal Commentary

What can you say about Mel Babcock Magic productions, but wow! The quality of Mel Babcock Magic is one of those silent secrets in the industry. I didn’t know of Mel’s props until I fell upon him by accident back in 2008. Once I discovered the quality workmanship that he puts into his creations, I was hooked and he and I would have phone conversations on what he had in stock or future creations on a regular basis..

Below is a partial listing of my Mel Babcock Magic collection. Definitely not a complete representation, but it’s a start. The craftsmanship of Mel Babcock is incredible and once you purchase your first Babcock prop you’ll be hooked. The quality is consistent throughout his magic effects. Noted for his awesome Die Boxes, you really can’t go wrong with any of his selections.

I would highly recommend picking up his book, “The Magic House of Babcock”. This is an awesome book that outlines his career in magic, his craftsmanship, along with plenty of beautiful photographs of his work.

From Mel’s website: For more than 25 years, Mel Babcock has turned out magnificent, crafted, collector-quality magic props. “The Magic House of Babcock” is a wonderful adventure of a man’s passion for learning the art of magic, performing, and developing a talent for woodworking. It is a story that shares the creativity, challenge, and motivation of one man in his journey to build quality magic apparatus. This is an 8 x 11 inch hard bound volume with dust jacket.

It contains 192 pages printed on glossy paper. Included are product descriptions and approximately 150 photographs, as well as a 20 page color gallery of many of the magic props built by Mr. Babcock. Supply limited to 500 autographed copies.

In addition to my Mel Babcock Magic collection, be sure to check out all the vintage magic within this site including our Milson Worth collection.

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House of Babcock DIE Boxes.

Mel Babcock is widely known for his incredible craftmanship of the classic DIE Box, here are a few from my collection.

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