The Golden Shells

MAGIC Magazine

"Many magicians have included Three-Shell Game routines in their repertoires, and recently there has been a resurgence of interest in Shell routines. Whit Haydn and his partner Chef Anton have produced a gorgeous set of props called The Golden Shells. These shells are made of solid pewter with a heavy 22-karat gold finish. Whit has spent many years experimenting with the design of the walnut shell prop, and the results of his experimentation have been incorporated into The Golden Shells.

The mold for the shells was cast from a real walnut shell. The interior of this shell was modeled with heat-hardened clay, and the inside and outside of the shell were hand-carved and sanded to create correct curves and surfaces. The result of this painstaking care is that these shells appear perfectly flat, apparently making any steal of the pea impossible.

"Whit provides you with seven peas. these peas are injection molded and will work on any surface, including glass and marble. They are washable. In addition to the compressible peas (which are used to perform the Shell Game), you also receive a matching 'straight' pea which does not compress and which will not come out from under the shells. This can be switched in and left with the spectators for examination.

"For your $100 you get the three shells, the various peas, a shot glass which will fit over a shell, and four pages of information about the shells. You do not get a routine. Anyone who is going to pay $100 for this prop probably already has a shell routine in their repertoire. The only negative comment I have heard about The Golden Shells is that they are obviously not ordinary walnuts. Some performers prefer to use real walnut shells. other performers weave a story around the golden shells and how they came to possess them. This, of course, is simply a matter of taste. If the prop appeals to you, you won't be disappointed. I think The Golden Shells are great, and I highly recommend them."

--Michael Close, The Marketplace, MAGIC Magazine, November 1998

Genii Magazine

"For those of you who are currently performing, have ever performed, or want to perform the Shell Game, Chef Anton and Whit Haydn have created a set of shells and peas that are not only eye-catching but, more importantly, designed to make it easier than ever before to perform a magical routine built around this classic con game. And these are the guys who have the qualifications to build them right! They are the teachers and the driving force behind the Magic Castle's School for Scoundrels, which teaches the ins and outs of the history, theory, and practice of Three-Card Monte, Fast and Loose, and the Shell Game.

Most laymen are familiar with this scam, in which the operator has three half-walnut shells and a little pea. The pea is placed under one of the shells, and the three shells are moved about on the table by the operator, who challenges his or her audience to 'follow the shell with the pea under it.' After the mix, the spectator makes his guess (and his wager) but is always proved wrong by the operator...

"...Purists among you may say that performing this routine with anything but real walnut shells will steer the audience into thinking 'Gimmicked props!' But keep in mind that the problems with doing this routine with normal walnut shells include:

"1) Real shells are fragile and eventually dry out and break, forcing you to find or make a new set every so often.

"2) You can never find three that are identical, making it possible for an occasional smart-aleck spectator to see a natural marking on a shell which differentiates it from the others.

"3) Each shell's shape is slightly different, making the 'feel' of secretly removing the pea inconsistent and therefore a little bit harder to perform deceptively.

"4) If you make them, you'll need to add putty and paint to the inside to get the pea to roll out consistently, and they are going to look gimmicked anyway!

"The Golden Shells address these problems. Messrs. Anton and Haydn claim to have looked through hundreds of shells to find the perfect shell from which to make a mold. This shell was modified slightly by carving The Chanin Dip out of the back. Created by Jack Chanin, a magic shop owner from Philadelphia during the 1930s, this subtle modification allows the pea to roll into the shell as easily as it does out. Mentioned in his book Hello, Sucker!, it's a built-in curve that keeps the rear of the shell slightly off the table. But, because of the design and weight of the shell, the front lays flat. The Chanin Dip allows the pea to roll in and out without any perceptible movement of the shell.

"Another bonus is the combination of the pea's 'sticky' texture (kind of like the ball in your computer's mouse) and the substantial weight of the shells that allows you to perform the Shell Game on practically any surface. I was able to get the pea to roll in and out on a wooden floor, a marble counter top, and a glass table.

"These are just some of many features that have been modified to give you better control of the pea and shells. Those of you who have tried this routine but became frustrated with the inconsistencies of shells or peas will love this version by Haydn and Anton.

"Although the shells are probably the best mass-produced set ever created, they are expensive and not for the casual hobbyist who doesn't have an excess of disposable income. I was disappointed that that the seven pages of background information on this classic trick do not include detailed instructions or illustrations for the basic move or a complete routine. I expected these gorgeous props to be accompanied by a video or a set of illustrated instructions. My understanding is that Bob Kohler will be releasing a video of his Three-Shell Game using the Golden Shells.

"Other sources for background and instruction on how to present this effect can be found in The Phil Cass Video (A1 Multi-Media), Frank Garcia's All In a Nutshell, Gary Ouellet's Super Shells, and Jack Chanin's 1938 pamphlet Hello, Sucker! Many of these are out of print and may be hard to find, but one pamphlet that is still available is The Three-Shell Game. Written by Tom Osborne in the 1930s, it is hard to read but packed with information that came directly from street hustlers. It has been republished without credit to the original author.

"I recommend The Golden Shells for professional magicians who perform the Three-Shell Game and those of you who have always wanted to learn or perform this classic but were never able to get the right props. The shiny gold-plate will attract audiences for those of you who work in a trade show environment. Included with the shells is a shot glass for the final phase of the routine, along with seven peas.

"By the way, the peas are top-notch, too. They are better than the latex-covered foam or the hand-carved ones of the past. They are perfect spheres with a bright green color, which not only show up at a distance against most backgrounds but also give the appearance that they could not be stolen without being detected by a watchful spectator. They won't wear down and have just the right amount of tackiness to roll on any surface (marble, wood, laminate, glass). You get five of them and two matching fake hard plastic peas which won't roll out of the shells (for those of you who are inclined to give your spectators the opportunity to try it for themselves)."

--Danny Orleans, Light from the Lamp--Tricks, Genii Magazine, January 1999

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