Reference Guide to The Magic Egg Bag

Compiled by Douglas Atkinson  

Last Update : 27 Feb 2007 Egg-Actly Malini style blown egg; Magicnook's Ungimmicked Egg Bag Routine e-Book; Samuel Patrick Smith: The Magic Ingredient VHS Video

The following is a partial list of books, videos/DVDs, and products relating to Egg Bags. Please note that the prices are estimates are not current. None of these items are for sale from this website, and many are likely no longer available. This is far from a thorough coverage.

Egg Bag Types: Since there is no exposure here, I must refer detailed descriptions of egg bag types and mechanisms to the sited references. The Tarbell series contains some excellent introductory articles on egg bags, and the new John Novak book provides a thorough coverage.

There are essentially three types of egg bags, and many variations on these.

The Malini Egg Bag is made of lightweight silken material, usually in black, and uses a lightweight egg.

The Tarbell/Sterling/Albini/Mardo bags are usually made of a heavier material, such as felt, and use a heavy egg.

The Chinese Matt isn't really a bag at all, but uses a gimmicked egg.

Advice: I have several egg bags, and I like them all. Each has advantages and require different ways of working with them. Magic Inc. sells an inexpensive Tarbell bag and a nice sounding (by the description) Malini bag. The Senor Mardo bag also sounds good. I would look to spending $20-30 for a decent bag. I highly recommend the Steven's Magic Greater Magic Teach In video on the Egg Bag. At $20 it provides great instruction. If you get the Malini bag, you should also get the Ken Brooke & Friends on the Malini Egg Bag book. If you get one of the other types, check out Tarbell or some of the other sources.

Books:

Ayling, Will: Knowing the Egg Bag. Excellent all around coverage of the Egg Bag and variants. Includes information and routines. $9.00 from U.S. Toy Magic

Bagshawe, Edward: Proudlock's Egg Bag & Four Ace Presentation. Two classic routines with illustrations and full patter 27 pages. $10 (used, Micky Hades); also available as an e-book from Lybrary.com.  

Behnke, Leo: Library of Magic #13: Egg Bag. Decent high level coverage in a small book. About $4

Bertram, Ross: Magic and Methods. Includes an egg bag routine.

Brooke, Ken et al: Ken Brooke and Friends on the Malini Egg Bag. A lengthy treatise on the Malini Egg Bag with lots of detail and bits of business. Recommended for owners of the Malini style bag. $7.50

Busby, Jeff: Routines and Handling for the Sterling Egg Bag, with Chuck Smith's Routine. Spiral bound

Colucci, Donato: Encyclopedia of Egg Magic. Covers Natural Eggs, Imitation Eggs, Fekes & Gimmicks, Productions, Vanishes, Balancing Feats, The Egg Bag, Transpositions, Animations, Transformations, Miscellaneous Effects and Routines. 319 large pages containing more than 270 tricks and routines gathered from hundreds of sources. Over 490 illustrations by J.K. Schmidt. Hardbound. $60.00

Darbyshire, Lydia: The Magic Book. A nice large format introductory magic book. This book contains tons of information and high quality photos. Subjects cover linking rings, balls, cards, thimbles and much more. There are a few pages on the egg bag routine as well. About $20.

Elliot, Bruce: Classic Secrets of Magic. 266pp. Great instruction. Includes chapters on card revelations, water, paddle moves (knives), 4 Ace routines, Miser's Dream, Egg Bag, Chink-A-Chink, 2 billiard ball routines, ambitious cards, cups & balls (simple through gimmicked, and a Benson Bowl routine), and more.

Ganson, Lewis: Routined Manipulation Parts 1 & 2. Cigarettes, coins, balls, thimbles, handkerchiefs, knives, cards, rope, and the egg bag. Egg Bag routine uses two bags and a silk, but the ideas can certainly be adapted. $12

Hay, Henry: Amateur Magician's Handbook. Includes a brief introduction to the Egg Bag, its construction, and basic routine. Further enhancements are referred to Hay's Learn Magic or Hugard's Modern Magic Manual.

Hay, Henry: Learn Magic. Good introductory information on the egg bag. Includes a "standard" routine and an egg production routine.

Hugard, Jean: Modern Magic Manual. Includes Egg Bag.

Magicnook: The Ungimmicked Egg Bag Routine. All the directions for doing the Egg Bag with an ungimmicked bag are here! Also, includes the "endless" production of real eggs; a Chef Hat & Apron paper tear from Wiz Kid Eleazar Goodenough; the  gooey-mess-on-the-kid's head that-turns-into-a-bouquet of spring-flowers; and two magic oven props to build (one to produce a six foot high inflatable birthday cake, and a smaller table-top version to produces a real birthday cake complete with instant self-lighting candles on top). e-book. $5. magicnook.com

Mardo, Senor: Routined Magic. 1945 Max Holden. 29pg. Includes: Marlo's Egg Bag Routine using a Sterling Bag, Glass Mystery almost impromptu 1 cup & ball routine, Homing Ball (Ball & Cone), Shaker Penetration: coin thru handkerchief, Mardo's Cups & Balls (uses standard cups & 4 balls), some Cups & Balls sleights, a 1 to 4 thimble routine with streamer climax, a thimble acquitment, hints on rice bowl gimmick, coin rattle box, crytsal casket, and more.

Martyn, Topper: Toppers Mad Mad Magic. Inlcudes comedy routines for multiplying bottles, egg bag, playing cards, and more. $10

Miller, Charlie: Malini Egg Bag Routine. From Magic Inc. $5 alone or $30 with bag.

Mishel, Ed: Hold Out Miracles. 64pg. (Note, not all effects require use of holdout) Attaching the holdout, devices, Jack Miller Rope Cut, Vanishing Knife, Ball Silk and Wand Routine, Jack Miller's Egg Bag Routine, Cash Transport, Poosha Da Poosh, Blooming Flowers, Squash, Ben Kleinman Routines, Sliding Knots and Mysterious Ball, Ball Throu Silk and Trumpet, Three versions of Cups and Balls, Three Card Transposition, Coin Holdout, Salt-O-Matic and Vanishing Birdcage. Denny & Lee's

Mullica, Tommy: It's Show Time at the Tom Foolery. Features comedy egg bag routine. $45

Novak, John: The Egg Bag Book. Covers history, the types, and the performers. Includes routines, lines, moves, handling and so forth. $19.95

Racherbaumer, Jon: Arcade Dreams, Marlo without cards. 67 effects with coins, bills, cups and balls, silks, mentalism, dice, linking pins, sponge balls, chop cup and more. Includes State-Street Cups & Balls, Chop Cup to the Max (three Chop Cups!), Tea for Three impromptu cups & balls, Three Ring Classic 3 Linking Ring routine, and Egg Bagatelle egg bag routine. Hardbound. 100 pages. $40

Riser, Harry: Secrets of an Escamoteur. Includes: The Malini Egg Bag; Charlie Miller's methods for breaks, double turnover, spread force and second deal; Baffling Card Magic - 45 Riser sleights, tricks and routines; The Riser Rings - linking rings using three rings. Hardcover 247 pages.

Tarbell, Harlan and Steve Burton: Tarbell Companion. Volume 8 was based on this work. Principles of Card Palming and Shifts, Egg Bag, Rabbit from Silk, Cross Illusion, Elusive Hindu, Phantom Flight, Selbit Sawing, One Person Sub Trunk, Doll House Illusion, Suggested show Routines, and more. $20

Tarbell, Harlan, Course in Magic Volume 2- Magic with Wands, Coins, Cigarettes, Cards, Rising Cards (17 methods), Tarbell Egg Bag, Billiard Balls, Handkerchief, ropes, and more. The egg bag section is an excellent introduction. $25

Tarbell, Harlan: Course In Magic Volume 5: Includes Malini Egg Bag.

Thompson, J.G.: My Best. Includes two egg bag routines: One is poem form, the other is the Tommy Windsor Egg Bag routine

Video/DVDs

Carney, John: Up Close & Far Away. Performance only w/Miser's Dream Cards, Egg Bag, and more. $30

Cellini: Magic That Can be Performed Anywhere DVD. Includes The Loop Ball, The Salt Pour, Joe Karson's Chinese Egg Bag, The Devil's Handkerchief, Fred Kap's Vanish and recovery of Four Coins, and The Gypsy Thread (Street Style) MagicPitch

Dobson, Wayne: Dobson's Choice - TV Stuff #2 DVD. Another compilation of TV clips from Wayne's hit TV series 'A Kind of Magic'. Includes Pyramid; Coin in Bottle; Silk in Cigarette; Egg Bag; Passage of Time; Amazing Tale; Ringo Rabbit; Invisible Deck; Sam Shovel; Bonus Footage; Sawing in Half; Banana Drama; 1 hr 3 min. $25

Fedko, John: School of Magic V1, Classics of Magic. Chinese Linking Rings, Chinese Sticks, Chinese Egg Bag, Multiplying Balls, Cut & Restored Hanky, Ultra Mentalism $30

Ginn, David: Live Kidbiz (with book). Live performance video and book. Inlcudes Red Plaid Egg Bag. $45

Haney, Denny: Denny and Lee Performance Video. Live performance at the Wells Theater in Norfolk, Virginia during the mid-nineties. Features performance only of: Hindu Basket, Torn & Restored Newspaper, Malini Egg Bag, Girl on Sword Suspension, Card Manipulations, Razor Blades, Multiplying Bottles, and the Canvas Covered Box Illusion. 55 minutes $20

Harlan, Dan: Pack Small, Play Big - The All Purpose Show (DVD). L&L Publishing. Includes Starcle (circle torn from napking changes into a star); Hold It, Buster! (jumbo card Monte routine); C&R rope (cut and restored); Tee Bag (egg bag - production routine); Herman (the multiplying balls); Ring Master (linking rings up close); Lester (miser's dream); Mine & Yours (money!); It's Not the Size (growing and shrinking wand). $35

Hobson, Jeff: Jeff Hobson Live! A-1 Multimedia. Performance only of Egg Bag routine. Also teaches Silk to Apple/Vanishing Wand, Balloon Bag, Cigarette Stuff, The Watch Steal. $30 A-1 Multimedia

Lewis, Trevor: The Magic of Trevor Lewis DVD. Lecture, taped live at Mark Leveridge’s 3rd British Close-Up Magic Symposium. Includes: Trevor’s Opening - icebreaker; Arm Gag; Tap Top water production from fist; Cigarette Prediction; Broken and Restored Eye Glasses (borrowed); Card On Tie; Paper-Clipped Card; Trevor’s Card Force; Second Dealing broken into easy-to-master steps; Trevor’s Ace Location Routine (using the 2nd Deal); One-At-A-Time Ace Assembly with Kicker; Coin Matrix using four coins but just two cards; Egg Bag Routine (Malini); Chop Cup with table hopping advice; Razor Blades become magically strung on a length of thread.

McComb, Billy: Greater Magic V30. Serpent Silk, Dove Production, Half Dyed Hank, Himber Ring, Gypsy Thread, Six Card Repeat, Seven Corner Hank, Credit Card in Wallet, Whiskey Egg Bag

Miller, Charlie: Greater Magic V18. Paper Mystery (Perf), Malini Egg Bag (Perf), Four Deuce Trick, Hanky Knots, Hat Trick, Mutilated Parasol (perf), Floating Pencil, Balls in Net

Miller, Charlie and Johnny Thompson: Greater Magic V29: Charlie Miller Cups & Balls: Hindu Cups, Chinese Cups Egg Bag Segment w/Charlie Miller Routine, Johnny Thompson routine, Cards: Audley Walsh Dream Deck, Up the Ladder, Pull Out Shuffle, Vernon's One Helluva Card Trick

Mullica, Tommy: Greater Magic V19: 4 Cards, Bill Tear, Torn & Restored Card, Gozinta Boxes & Gum, Egg Bag, Cig & Napkins (perf), Card in Mouth, A.E.R.O.B.I.C. (explained only)

Quick Tricks Series: The Egg Bag $11.95.

Smith, Samuel Patrick: The Magic Ingredient: Funny Magic to Make You a Kid-Show Celebrity. VHS Video. 1995; 60 minutes. SPS Publications. Contents: Crayons to Scarf; The Crystal Tube; Multiplying Billiard Balls; The Imagination Cap; The Shrinking Glove; Headband Blendo; The Egg, the Bag, and the Magic Hat; Nest of Boxes; Puff the Magic Rabbit

Smith, Samuel Patrick: The Magic Ingredient and Kidology DVD. The Magic Ingredient provides info on successful kid shows, including performance and teaching of Crayons to scarf, The Crystal Tube, Multiplying Billiard Balls, The imagination Cap, The shrinking Glove, Headband blendo, The egg, the bag, and the magic hat, Nest of boxes, and Puff the magic rabbit. Kidology provides more kid magic including The invisible flying silk scarf, Soft Soap, Portable Beach Balls, Cut and restored rope,  Monster hat, Commercials and Jokes. $35

Steven's: Egg Bag Teach In: Martin Lewis and the Senor Mardo Egg Bag, Tom Mullica's Comedy Egg Bag, Billy McComb's Whisky Egg Bag, and discussion with Charlie Miller and Johnny Thompson on the Malini Egg Bag. $19.95

Tong, Dan: Dan Tong Finally Volume 2 DVD Includes Malini Egg Bag (in three phases with glass production); Chop Cup (short, fast routine);
Card on the Ribbon; Thompson’s Aces; Ropes (routine with cut and restored, Professor's Nightmare, three to one restoration); and Jack (an old trick). 78 Minutes. $35

Products:

Chinese Egg Bag. This is an inexpensive straw mat. The mat is folded in half, and an egg dropped in. The egg disappears, but can be removed from the mat whenever desired. About $4.

Crosewl Magic: Deluxe Devil's Hank. Not really an Egg Bag, but a useful addition for an Egg Bag act. Specially gimmicked handkerchief to vanish or switch objects. This model has two compartments for multiple object switches without coming into contact with each other. Upper corners have "feelers" sewn in to aid handling. 18" square, with an old world style map print. No instructions. $33 Crosewl Magic

Eggs-Actly Blown Egg-Medium. Medium egg for use with a Malini style egg bag. Egg is blown with inside coated with a resin to harden it and make it more durable than a natural blown egg. Can still be broken, but is much stronger than a normal blown egg and is of the right weight for use with a Malini egg bag. $14. MagicPitch.

Funtime Magic: Hen Bag. Starts as a normal egg bag effect with a small black bag and an egg. At the climax, the bag transforms into a comical black, white, red and yellow hen puppet, more than twice as large as the normal bag. Funtime Magic

Funtime Magic: Jurassic Egg Bag. Similar to the Hen Bag, but larger and more colorful. Green bag transforms into a large dinosaur puppet. With bag, egg, and instructions. Funtime Magic

Funtime Magic: Production Egg Bag. Looks similar to a regular egg bag, but allows 5 eggs to be produced from the bag. One corner of the bag has a diagonally cut hole fitted with a transparent net. The bag is held in one hand, and with a little shake an egg appears inside that is visible through the netted hole. The egg is removed and put on the table over a plate. The moves are repeated and another egg appears. Similarly, three more eggs are produced. You get the detailed instructions and the specially constructed bag, with five plastic eggs. Funtime Magic

Funtime Magic: Regular Egg Bag. No details on construction or material. Comes with bag, egg, and basic instructions. Electrofun

Funtime Magic: Ultimate Egg Bag. Similar to regular egg bags, but with a clear net front, allowing the egg to be visible at all times. Electrofun

Funtime Magic: Zipper Egg Bag. Much like a normal egg bag, but the zipper on the bottom can be opened to form a tube, showing the bag "really" empty. With bag, egg, and routine. Electrofun

Fabric Manipulation (Lynetta Welch) Silk Legacy Malini Egg Bag. Creation from Max Malini, improved by Charlie Miller and perfected by Johnny Thompson. Made from the "perfect" silk fabric of ideal weight and thickness, enabling the egg to slide easily, yet allowing for minimal "bulge." 7" wide x 8" long. $88 FabricManipulation

Generic Egg Bags: Hank Lee lists an egg bag without refering to type for $15. Hank Lee's Magic Factory

Magic Inc.: Malini Egg Bag: The classic black silken egg bag. Ken Brooke has written an excellent book on this bag (see book references). Prices range from $20 - $35 Magic Inc.

Neilsen Magic: Abdul's Fez. This is an egg bag in the form of a Fez Hat. I have one, and it is great. The Neilsen wooden eggs are great also. $30.00 Neilsen Magic (click for image: Abdul's Fez)

Steven's Magic: Senor Mardo Egg Bag. This is a well made Sterling type bag with some differences. Heat sealed pocket. It comes highly recommended. $32.50 Martin Lewis Home Page; or Steven's Magic

Sterling Egg Bag. Wool plaid cloth. $25

Tarbell Egg Bag. Plaid material. $15-$20

Tong, Pauline: Tarbell Egg Bags. Maker of high quality Tarbell Egg Bags with a fully stitched pocket.

Tannen's Magic: Transparent Egg Bag: A net bag allows the bag to be seen into, yet an egg can still appear. $15 Tannen's Magic

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