MAGIC SETS
One of the particularly appropriate products associated
with the Foodini character was the Magic Set. A world famous
magician SHOULD sell a magic set! The first one produced was put out in 1949 by the Redhill
Products of Inwood, L.I., New York. The box was 13 3/4" x 10
1/2" by 1 1/4" deep. The cover had artwork featuring Foodini
and Pinhead and a large crystal ball die cut and covered
with cellophane letting you look inside to see the contents.
There is a small booklet of instructions. Tricks included
are: Magnetic Fingers, The Obedient Block, Satan's Illusion,
Mystic Dominoes, Diminishing Card, Releaso Rings, Jumping
Peg, Ring on Snake, U-Tell-Em. A magic wand was also
included with the props for the set. There are several variations which were produced by the
Pressman Toy Corp.They were called "The Great Foodini Magic
Set." They were copywrited by R.C. Cox Corporation. The
Pressman Toy Company, who had lots of experience producing
magic sets, manufactured and assembled the sets. They were
the "creation" of Lynn Rambach.The illustration on the box
cover was signed "herder." The Pressman sets were 10 1/2" x 18 1/4" x 2" deep. The
lid was attached by staples to the box. The date of these
sets is presumed to be 1949-50. The instructions were a
three folded booklet. The version of the set with the
stapled lid has a punch-out mask of Foodini attached to the
inside of the lid. This "mask set" has the following tricks:
X-Ray Vision, Disappearing Star, Multiplying Wood Balls, The
Hidden Checker, Cord Cutting Trick, Magic Sliding Coin Box,
Magic Tumbler, Wonder Ring, Ball and Vase Trick and The
Marked Coin. The tricks all fit into a blue printed circus
themed punched background in the box bottom. This set
carries the item number 2213 on the lid. A 2nd Pressman variation is numbered 1113 on the lid -
but has the exact same graphic. This set has a completely
removable lid.There is no mask, but the bottom of the box is
covered with a cut-out insert featuring curtains and
footlights printed in red and a celophane viewing window to
show the tricks inside. There is a slight variance in the
complement of tricks included as well. The tricks: X-Ray
Vision, Disappearing Star, Multiplying Wood Balls, The
Hidden Checker, Cord Cutting Trick, Wonder Ring, Ride 'Em
Cowboy (paper trick being substituted for the Ball and Vase)
and Magic Sliding Coin Box. The instruction sheet is also
smaller. A slightly larger Pressman set was 12 x 20x 2.5. There is
a false bottom under which is a small cloth covered wooden
table top and three dowels for legs. The instructions call
it the "Magician Wood Display Stand" and suggest it be used
to place your suitcase on for display. The instruction book
is a stapled 8 page 5.25 x 6.75 booklet. There is a
celophane cover insert over the trick tray. There is also a
punch out Foodini face mask which hooks over the child's
ears. The tricks included are: X-Ray Vision Trick,
Disappearing Star (paddle), Multiplying Wood Balls (metal
shell) The Linking Ring Mystery (3.75" rings), The Hidden
Checker, Cord Cutting Trick, Magic Sliding Coin Box, Wonder
Rings, Ball and Vase Trick and The Marked Coin (coin in bag
between banded metal plates.) This set has the same cover
graphics as the other sets - but there is no number on it.
The celophane insert carries the number 33 13. Another Pressman set had all of the tricks above - PLUS:
magic Dominoes, Two Card Trick, Catch-It Snapper, Magic
Keys, Mystic Stix, The Magic Folder, Multiplying Rabbits,
The Chinese Ring Trick and Phantom Cards.
Lid to Redhill set... transparent "crystal ball" allowing view of
contents.
Redhill Magic Set Contents
Rehiill Foodini Set Instructions
Cover - Pressman Foodini Magic Set
Contents - Pressman Magic Set
Large Pressman Set - with linking rings
Wooden display stand under trick tray in big Pressman set
Punch-out Foodini face mask from Pressman magic set