Be Extraordinary. Embrace Tradition

The cups and balls is the oldest recorded magic trick, and possibly the oldest ever. Though it was first documented in Ancient Egypt, it has spread across the globe, absorbing a little bit from each culture it touches. Today, we look to a variation from China, passed down verbally for millennia until finally being made available today! Learn the Ancient Chinese Bowls Act from JT Magic.

The plot is unsurprising for a cups and balls routine: balls mysteriously move from one bowl to another without the bowl ever being lifted. It's the execution of this routine that makes this release uniquely magical. 

Unlike its western cousins, you never lie about the number of balls in play. Instead, you rely on sleight of hand forged through thousands of years of practice to achieve miracles. 

In modern cups and balls routines, we're accustomed to the 'final load' finale, where a slightly larger ball is suddenly beneath a cup. Ancient Chinese Bowls has one of the best finales not just for a cups and balls act, but across all of magic. 

The bowls suddenly disappear. Place a handkerchief on an empty table and place a ring on top of that. As you bunch the fabric through the ring, the bowls reappear. But they are not empty. One is filled with beans, one with flowers, and one is now the habitat of two living goldfish. 

This is not a mass-market trick. Each set is carefully produced to honor the tradition of Chinese magic while meeting the expectations of modern professionals. It is a complete performance piece, suitable for stage, parlor, or special events.

Ancient Chinese Bowls Act is available at any Murphy's Magic dealer, or you can check out with our featured dealer, SoCal Playing Cards!