Those of you who know Nick Wenger will know that his props are of the highest quality. The lock is presented in the locked position and is then opened by the “spirits” at the will of the performer.
The lock is very heavy and for all intents and purposes is a proper, old padlock with heavy key that actually fits into it. Performer doesn’t need to be anywhere near the lock so this one gets my vote as best.
Not a lot is known about this one (hence the Mystery). It was made by Gary Frank in 2005 and is one of only 8 in the world. It uses the method described by Stuart Cramer in “Germain the Wizard and his Legerdemain”.
The weight of the lock is good and is real metal. The mechanism that makes it work is really quiet and effective. Some special handling is required to get the timing right. It’s a great collectors piece.
One of these Bob Solaris Locks sold for over $1,000 at a Potter&Potter Auction in 2022. It’s really well made and is the most modern “looking” of my collection. The wooden base is necessary to get “spirits” to co-operate.
I like the look of this and it suits a more modern presentation. Everyone knows these Master Locks so it doesn’t arouse suspicion although one does have to explain that it is a collectible, to justify the fancy base. These are quite hard to find so it’s a great collectible.
This lock was made in very limited numbers by Simon Drake in the UK. As far as I am aware they are all sold out now and Simon has no intentions of making more. The last one I saw online was selling for £1,200. It uses a method similar to the Mystery Lock above.
Whilst the lock looks like it could be from a giant castle door or dungeon, it can’t really be handled by the spectator as it isn’t made out of metal. This means the weight and feel is a bit off in my opinion. Inside a dome, suspended from a cord works really well.
Curators and creators of bizarre and storytelling magic apparatus
