He altered the mise en scene , and pretended to be able to make the strongest man so weak that he would be unable to lift a small box from the floor (Evans, 1909, p150). 1) He Wasn't Just A Magician. Robert-Houdin used his light and heavy chest trick to prove that French magic was stronger and so helped discredit the local leaders. Improved Lighter Light Heavy Chest. Magic is always being reinvented as new bits of science and engineering come along. Robert-Houdin was a hero, but rather than bask in his celebrity, he returned to retirement to work on scientific inventions and experiments with electricity. 8"x8"x9.5". Updated for the modern age, with a modern method, this elegant, classic effect is made in the USA. Robert-Houdin was the child of a watchmaker father who died when Houdin was very young. The secrets behind the spellbinding tricks of the schoolgirl magician who stunned Britain's Got Talent viewers have been revealed. This is one of the legendary effects from Robert-Houdin, said to have aided the French government in squelching the Marabout rebellion in 1856. To convince them that France was even more powerful, Robert-Houdin put on a magical performance that included his newest illusion, the Light and Heavy Chest. The box measures approx. THIS IS HEAVY is Jay Mattioli’s versions of the classic “Light Heavy Chest.” In this version… Additional Shipping Cost Required – Estimated Lower 48 with insurance $50-$60 THE MAGICIAN NEVER TOUCHES THE BOX DURING THE ROUTINE! 5 Unbelievable Facts about Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin. Some of Robert-Houdin's most famous illusions were Second Sight, The Ethereal Suspension, The Marvelous Orange Tree, Robert-Houdin's Portfolio, and The Light and Heavy Chest. Is it science or is it magic? His father always dreamed that his son would be a lawyer, but Jean Robert decided to follow in the footsteps of his late father and be a watchmaker. The Light/Heavy effect was invented by Robert Houdin in the 19th Century.During one performance an Arabian strong man was so shocked that he couldn't pick up a small empty trunk that he ran off stage convinced the magician had stolen his strength! The Light and Heavy Chest. The contents of the box can become heavy while the magician is nowhere even near the box or spectators, and always under his complete control. But in 1856, it was a huge victory for the French Govt. He took advantage of the infancy of the usage of electricity, especially the then-novelty of Hans Christian Oersted's discovery of electromagnetism, to his advantage. Houdin’s “Light and Heavy Chest” literally paralyzed the Arabs with astonishment. A wooden box becomes incredibly heavy! The amount of tricks he invented for his theatre was extensive, but his most remarkable one was the Light and Heavy Chest. A majority of the native Algerians believed that their shamans had great power, more power perhaps than the French soldiers. Now with a larger box for a more spectacular effect! If you have ever wanted to perform Jean Robert-Houdin’s Light Heavy Chest with ease, without worry, and with deceptiveness, the time is NOW – THIS IS HEAVY! Amazingly, the wooden box, which Robert-Houdin called his "Light & Heavy Chest" still survives. In 1856, the famous French magician Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin (the father of modern day magic and the inspiration for Houdini's stage name) was called upon by the French government to help avoid a possible revolution in French-occupied Algeria. THE MAGICIAN NEVER TOUCHES THE BOX DURING THE ROUTINE! Father who died when Houdin was very young majority of the schoolgirl MAGICIAN who stunned Britain 's Got viewers... Talent viewers have been revealed as new bits of science and engineering come along effect is made in the.... 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