Milson Worth Chinese Flame Clock

Highly Collectible

BACKGROUND

Milson Worth Chinese Flame Clock is a highly collectible vintage stage magic prop celebrated for its deceptive method and exquisite oriental craftsmanship. The illusion was originally invented by Ed Massey in the early 1950s. Milson-Worth later manufactured the most famous, premium version of the prop, releasing models across the 1950s, 1970s, and 1980s.

It stands roughly 14 to 14.5 inches tall. It features a sturdily built wooden cabinet finished in vibrant Chinese red, embellished with authentic black characters and polished brass or nickel hardware.

EFFECT

The magician introduces a tall, solid candle and places it inside an elaborate Chinese tower cabinet while the front doors remain wide open.

The performer tells a historical patter story about ancient Chinese candle clocks used to divide the day into three equal parts: eight hours for work, eight hours for play, and eight hours for sleep.

The doors are closed, and two large metal daggers (or blades) are pushed completely through the sides of the cabinet, seemingly slicing the candle into thirds.

When the front doors are reopened, the entire center section of the candle has completely vanished. To prove it is truly gone, a silk handkerchief can be pulled straight through the empty gap from a rear door.

The process is reversed: the doors are closed, the blades are withdrawn, and the candle is pulled out fully restored and ready for audience examination.

Deceptive & Angle-Proof: The mechanical design is considered brilliant because the effect is entirely angle-proof, requires no complex setup, and operates flawlessly.

DETAILS

This came from an estate sale and appears to have very minimal wear or imperfections. Please review all the pictures for condition. I will note that the gimmicked candle depending on how you’re looking at it seems to need adjustment.

The item pictured is the exact item you’ll receive. A copy of the three (3) page instructions with full patter (rare) will be supplied as well.

Collectible Pricing Values: Seems to fall within a large range of low $500 to highs at or even greater than $695 based on my own personal tracking from actual sales.

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