Connie Haden

 

Connie Haden was a magician, creator, machinist and Magic dealer based out of New York. Here is the actual address that he would advertise in the magazines:

257 90th Street

Brooklyn 9, New York

 

In the 1940s Connie created first expanded shell coin gimmick.

 

He also created the first double shell coin which he would use to fool many magicians at conventions. This was the predecessor to the "triple threat" that was revolutionized by Todd Lassen, and copied by many.

John Braun had this to say about Connie Haden's work in the August 1968 issue of The Linking Ring:

"An Okito Coin Box made up in a size to take the small U.S. penny, there are many routines of coin tricks using pennies.

(see Modern Coin Magic. Magic Inc. will be glad to hear from you)

and this penny sized Okito Box is about the cutest thing I've seen in a long time. Connie Haden has it.

Connie also fooled "the bejabbers" out of me with a Double Shell English Penny - $13 for three pieces - all "gaffed' - you get a copper-silver coin, one double shell and one cutdown and re-milled silver coin, and you are limited only by your own ingenuity and imagination, for I saw some unbelievable magic with the outfit."


Connie created a very unique & USEFUL version of the classic Dime & Penny trick. Connie's version has two inserts instead of the customary one. One is locking, and the other is loose, so that it may be shown as a complete penny. It can be easily un nested to be shown as a penny and a dime.

 

Connie made what was considered by far the best Nail Writers of the time. Released multiple versions.

Connie Haden's innovative way of making nail writers is still being used today by Viking Magic

The Writers are made using the original Connie Haden dies. Viking Magic owns the rights to the Connie Haden Writers. They can be purchased here:

https://vikingmagic.com/products/swami-band-listo-writer

 

"Five different types have been made by Conrad H. Haden, all intended by him for use on the thumb but all adaptable for the forefinger, if desired. His regular "Band Type" is a segment of a ring or band of metal which goes around the ball of the thumb with the open or cut-out part of the band on top of the thumb.

 

Haden's original Band Type has since been discontinued, being replaced by his "Improved Band Type" which is the same as the one just described except that the lead holder is on an arm that projects forward from the main part of the band, thus bringing the lead out farther towards the tip of the thumb than in the regular "Band Type." Both of these models might be described as skeleton thumb tips.

Persons having either very long or very short thumb nails, should use band type writers.

The tiniest one made by Mr. Haden is called the "Clip Type," and, as its name implies, it clips onto a thumb nail of average length. Many performers find it rather insecure, however others seem to have no difficulty at all in its use. His other model is called the "Under-nail Type" and is of the same general construction as the "Clip" with the addition of a little half-moon shaped bit of metal that fits under nail, making it steadier in use."

 

  • From the book "20 stunners with a nail weiter"

 

 

 


Connie Haden Created the classic coin effect "The Silver & Two Copper Transposition" which was described in Bobo's Modern Coin Magic

This was a great innovation in coin magic, allowing two different sized copper foreign coins to visually transform into a silver half dollar. Many people don't realize the original version that he machined used not only two different foreign coins, but two different SIZED coins as you can see in the photos.

 

This was the inspiration for Pressley Guitar's   Copper Silver Brass which was later stolen by Johnson Products

 

 

 

Connie constructed gimmicks and apparatus for Richard Himber. Here is one example from a recent Potter auction.

 

  1.     Three Ring Circus. New York: Connie Haden for Richard Himber, ca. 1961. A set of three stainless steel rings link and unlink on command - yet can be examined by spectators. 10" diameter. With zippered pouch. Scarce.

 

(One of the scarcer Himber props, the rings were made for him by Brooklyn-based craftsman Connie Haden. When advertised in the pages of Genii magazine, the price was listed as "on application.")

 

Here is a photo of a set of cups machined & produced by Connie Haden.

 

Connie Haden Coin Wand


Connie was the first to machine/produce what is now known as the Chinatown coin gimmick. Created by John Benzais and manufactured by Haden.  Connie also machined and produced the "Talking Stack", another John Benzais creation. This was a version of the classic Cap & Pence coin stack that allowed for the stack to appear as loose coins and "talk" which added to the auditory illusion of the coins being loose.

 

In the early 2000's Roger Klause released the coin effect "WHISPER" which was actually an un-authorized version of Bob White's routine of the classic Nate Leipzig handling of the Cap & Pence.  This is the version where the stack of coins penetrates the spectators hand.

 

Turns out the entire routine/handling and construction of the gimmick...was all pre-dated by Connie Haden. The routine can be found in The Linking Ring Vol. 49, November 1969 issue. It is titled "Stack of Quarters Improved".

 

Here are several of Mr Haden's marketed effects:

 

Traffic Lite 1960

TRAFFIC LITE

By Conrad Haden

A metal checker or counter is introduced. It is first shown to be yellow. Then it turns green, then red, and can be immediately passed out for examination. This is a beautifully made piece of precision apparatus and is made with the craftsmanship which marks all Haden products. No pulls, no difficult sleights, no magnets or wax.

All self-contained. The patter is to the effect that the colored checker represents a traffic light and the spectator is being tested for his color.

 

 

HADEN'S PEN-SILLY

A precision machined (By C. H. Haden) piece of apparatus. You write a number with this pencil and then hand to spectator and it falls apart. When you take it back you immediately make whole and continue to write with it. Spectator gets the SURPRISE OF HIS LIFE.

 

 

The Mental Pencil, made by C. H.

Haden and sold by Kanter, Holden, Robson, etc., is an innocent-looking lead pencil with a pocket clip. It will supply the "necessary" for doing "Sleight of Foot," and aid in performing several other card discoveries that just can't be done otherwise. Easy to use, and good. Complete instructions and a generous supply of the magic powder.

 

Haden's De Luxe Writer

made by C. H. Haden and sold by all dealers, is an improved thumb-writer which writes a large and easily read message--one that looks like it had been written with a pencil. Special leads are used, and you get a generous supply, as well as complete instructions for the use of this little gimmick in mental effects.

 

Glass Thru Hat 

Chalk Writer

Gimmick for writing with chalk on a slate, similar to manner in which you would use a thumb-writer for secretly writing on cards, envelopes, or the like. You can write thick chalk lines

 

Spirit Writer

put out by Conrad Haden. All dealers. Probably inspired by the famous sugar lump message trick, this clever gimmick enables you to impress upon a spectator the name of a card he se-lected, and which the "spirits" failed to write upon a blank business card.

The impression you make is on the spectator's hand, and I can assure you that the whole thing is "pain-less." Spectator won't even be aware of what you're up to. Printed in-structions, well illustrated and gim-mick. Good Value.

 

Snap Rope Gimmick 

In the 1940s he released "Haden's Snap Rope Gimmick" which was a well machine, gimmick enabling you to perform a beautiful, cut and restored rope.

 

Here are some of Connie Haden's original ads that appeared in magazines: