Originally sold by Grant and available for only a very short time, the Prisoner’s Paw is an extremely hard to find piece of UF Grant apparatus. My friends over at Limited Editions have released an improved version and only 12 were made in this desirable Oktio style!
Here’s the routine:
A thin decorative cabinet is displayed all around. On the front is a door which drops down to allow a clear view through the cabinet, as there are three large open slats /windows on both the front and back walls.
Also displayed is a solid metal panel which is decorated to look like a brick wall.
With the front door open, the performer places his hand inside and turns the cabinet around so that the audience may see his hand plainly visible through both the front and back windows.
With the back of the cabinet facing the audience and the hand always in view, the metal wall is now placed into the cabinet in front of the hand.
The cabinet is again turned around and the solid wall is clearly in place and visible through the front windows. During this entire time, the front door remains open, adding an element of fairness to the procedure.
The performer now removes his hand and dons a white glove (optional) and places his hand back in the cabinet, clearly behind the brick wall.
He tells the audience not to blink, as he brings the front door up and instantly lowers it again.to show that his hand has magically passed through the brick wall! The illusion is perfect.
At this point the cabinet may be turned around and viewed from all sides.
If you want to follow the original Grant routine, he suggests performing the effect four times with a white glove on, without the glove (so they see no fake hand is used), holding a borrowed object from the audience, and finally having the hand VISIBLY penetrate through the wall without closing the front door! This last phase is very strong.
There were a few minor design flaws with the original Grant apparatus that have now been eliminated. One which greatly improves the illusion is having the red brick design on both sides of the metal plate.
A great piece for both performance and display!
