Part of the fun in collecting and selling vintage magic is that you discover things you never knew existed.  Case in point:  I purchased a Magic Works Map of Skull Island from a seller on eBay.  And I got this instead.  It looks like the Magic Works item, but closer examination shows it is a re-make of the trick, put out by Fantasma in 2012.  Never knew about that re-issue.  And oddly enough, as I research it, I see discussions about the Fantasma version, but discussions seem to imply that the trick quickly went into the Dollar Store chain -- like really quickly, since the date on the prop is 2012, and the discussions of finding this item in Dollar stores also occurred in 2012.

So if you have atime machine, you can go back a few years and get one for a buck.   But if you are anchored in the present, this item seems to be very hard to come by.  Probably was dumped at the Dollar stores, and then they were all destroyed by careless 6 year olds whose mom's brought them home a magic trick.

Anyway, enough preamble.  It is still one of the best items from the Magic Works line-up, and this Fantasma version works exactly the same, and just as well -- it has only slight changes to the graphic design.    The effect (if you do not know it) is a  new interpretation of UF Grant's classic Dial X effect.

The effect:  Magi shows a "map" of Skull Island (actually a nicely printed piece of stiff cardboard about 4 inches by 6 inches).  Set in the middle of the map is a skull and bone pointer, which can be turned like a clock dial.   Around the dial, there are eight different locations noted on the map -- these are possible resting place for the bury treasure of Skull Island.    The magician turns his back, and the spectator mentally chooses any of the eight locations.   To show the other spectators which one it is, she turns the skeleton arm to point to the chosen location, then she turns it back to the "twelve o'clock" position, so there is no clue for the magician as to which location has been chosen.   The magi turns back to the audience and moves the pointer slowly around the island, finally stopping at one location.  It is the chosen location!

The trick can be repeated and also examined.

This one has no packaging, and has a photocopy of the Milton Bradley Magic Works instructions.   The Fantasma Skull Island pointer prop is in like-new, unused condition.    

(Go ahead and check your local Dollar Store, but when you come up empty, return here and get this one.  Only one of these in stock....

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