I was in a shop recently and played with a set of Bazar de Magia SHORT cups and rather liked them - the look and the height. Unfortunately the shop only had them in aluminum and they seem unavailable in copper and brass now.

So here's my question. I do a two-cup routine at my restaurant gig but I'd like a set of cups a bit shorter than my current regular Bazar de Magia set. I don't want a 'mini' set, just something a little shorter. I like the deepish divet in the top of my current cups (Morrisseys cups seem a bit shallow). Can anyone recommend a set that meets the following criteria:

1. under $120/set
2. roughly same height as Bazar de Magia SHORT cups
3. not aluminum
4. preferably (but not essential) a not-too-shallow divet in the top - something deepish
5. full-size mouth (not necessarily tennis-ball capable, but not a mini size). Somewhere around 2-5/8"-ish.

Thanks for the advice!

I think that your price range might limit you a bit… though there have been some great deals on the used market.

What are your thoughts on the Magic Maker brand Cups that look like Paul Fox Cups? I myself like their size and shape… though if you could spend some more, I would recommend a set of Cups from RNT2.

Good luck,
Bruce

Thanks for the ideas, Bruce. I'll have a look.
The reason I want to keep the budget low is that I'll be using them for working in a busy restaurant and I often leave my cups (and one or two other bulky things) behind the host/hostess counter at the entrance. Although it's moderately safe there's always the possibility that they'll go missing and I'd rather lose a $75 set than a $300 set!

If anyone else has other ideas, I'd be interested to hear them.
Thanks.

The Magic Maker/Penguin Cups... vary as far as the conditions that you receive them in; the biggest complaint is that they are dirty inside and need to be cleaned well; the other is that the mouth beads are not always the same from Cup to Cup... jagged edges or gaps. If you order a set, tell them that you are a collector... maybe they will make sure that you get a good matching set.

Brandon who posts here from time to time showed me his set; I was surprised and thought they looked better than what I expected... he did a great job cleaning out the insides and they had a good brown patina. Shape wise they are pretty close to the real thing and RNT2 PF Cups.

Bruce

This is another set similar to Penguin cups that you can look at. It's chrome-plated, price below $120 and saddle can accommodate 3 balls. It's bigger than the standard PF cups, though I can remember if it can take up to tennis ball.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/PROFESSIONAL-CHROME-CUPS-BALLS-Magic-Trick-Heavy-And-/170596175551?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b8530ebf#ht_1683wt_922
Francis

I have yet to see a set of those... Francis have you seen a set in the flesh or do you own a set; what do you think of them compared to the MM or Penguin sets?

There are those other PF styled Cups out of China that are copper plated... I personally would stay away from those... other than to hide flaws, why would one plate a copper Cup?

Malcolmorkey... if you can, get with some magicians in your area that are into Cups so that you can take some sets out for a test drive... they all feel so different.

Bruce

Hi Bruce,

I do have a set but have never use them. So I cannot attest to it's durability.

Alternatively, there is a set of Phoenix cups available in eBay right now pricing at $140. It's slightly above the budget and the saddle is shallow, but it's short, takes a tennis ball (just nearly) and tough. Maybe a worthwhile investment. The original price is $200,

Francis

I think these might be those sintered injection molded metal cups that came out about 6 months ago. They are actually SMALLER than a regular penguin cup or paul fox cup.

These are not listed on the Bazar de Magia web site or at Murphy's.

Wow, injected molding metal Cups... I missed out on reading about them months ago. Do they have any type of ring to them when taped with a wand?

Injected Cups... copper plated copper Cups... what’s next ?

Bruce



Bill... I hope all is going better.

Bill - you're absolutely right...the staff member who told me they were Bazar de Magic apparently made a mistake. I was speaking to the shop owner a couple of days ago and he seemed to think they were actually Ickle Pickle short cups. Of course, those don't seem to be available in copper or brass either. The thing I liked about them was the height - they weren't 'mini' cups and could take a reasonably large load but were a bit shorter than standard cups. That's the thing that caught my eye.