Do you want to know how the Billscape Tenyo T-123 trick is done?
How the folded bill confined between two plastic plates, and secured inside the vinyl case could still make its way out.
This 1986 Tenyo magic trick is created by Hiroshi Hondo, who is also known for his “T-170 The Pillars Of Thor”, “T-146 Clean Cut” and “T-118 Side Track“.
I have been keeping this Tenyo Billscape secret reveal and explanations in my file for more than ten years now.
Now it has “escaped” from my file, together with the trick secrets, accompanied with visual proofs, illustrations, and video snippets.
Likewise, I would explain the psychology behind this Tenyo bill-escape magic trick.
This is another post from the Info Ruckus Tenyo Magic Trick Secrets Revealed series.
Effect:
Place a folded borrowed signed bill between two plastic plates with a tiny hole in the center.
Secured the two plates with a rubber band on each end.
Next slot the plates with the trapped bill into a vinyl case with a flap cover, which also has a small hole in the middle.
Use another rubber band over the flap cover, to ensure it is properly closed.
Now thrust a long needle through the hole on both side of the case.
In other words, the folded bill inside must be apparently pierced by the sharp needle.
Bu mysteriously, when the case is turned over, the folded bill is now outside the case, and is impaled by the sharp end of the needle.
So, how does the bill escape from both, the tightened plates and the fastened vinyl case?
Watch the demo video of Tenyo T-123 Billscape Trick:
Billscape Tenyo T-123 Trick Secret Revealed
Initially I thought it is a penetration trick, but it turns out to be a double escape trick.
The ruse is how to get the folded bill out from the sandwiched plates and the tied-up case.
That’s the key secret of the Billscape trick by Tenyo Japan.
After viewing the various demo video clips, this is what I think how this close up trick is done.
There are few inconspicuous details which are also part of the trick secrets, and I would highlight them.
- the way the paper money is folded and how it is placed
- the plates design
- the vinyl case design
Tenyo Billscape Gimmick Inside The Case
To push the bill out of the plates, there must be a slim piece of gimmick inside the case to shove in between the two plates.
This gimmick piece is either built-in, or place it inside the case before the performance.
Probably it is a thin transparent plastic sheet slightly narrower than the two plates, as illustrated in orange dotted lines below:
This is most likely the gimmick inside the case, captured from Madison Hagler’s video from 0:26.
This is from Brotherbor’s demo video when he lifts up his self-made case at 1:24.
By the way, you can see Brotherbor has difficulties tucking the plates into the gimmick from 1:31.
When they slot the plates into the vinyl case, this see-through gimmick piece will wedge between them, thus pushes the bill out.
No wonder when they place the plates with the bill into the case, they do not show it to the viewers.
Tenyo Billscape Plates Nicks And Curved-In Edges
The two plates must be firmly held together, so that the gimmick can go in accordingly.
To do that, they have nicks or notches on the sides of the plates for the rubber bands.
Next they have curved-in or tapered edges, to allow easier entry for the gimmick piece to slip in between them.
Billscape T-123 Folded Bill And Its Placement Position
The bill is specifically fold in such a way, so it is easier for the gimmick to push it out from the plates.
It is what they called, “folded in three times eight equal”; it means that it has been folded into eight equal parts by folding it in half three times.
When placing the bill between the plates, the folded edges of the folded bill has to face outside the case.
So the gimmick piece can slot into the opening edges of the half-fold bill.
After they have slotted the plates halfway into the case, they show the trapped bill is still inside the plates.
At this juncture, the gimmick piece is already lodged between the pair of plates, but it hasn’t reach the folded bill.
It is hidden by the vinyl case, as illustrated below.
That’s why they can still show the viewers the plates with the folded note inside the case.
Tenyo Billscape Folded Bill Behind Case Flap Cover
By the time, the plates are completely inserted into the case, the folded has already being pushed out of the case.
The thin transparent gimmick piece is now well inserted or hidden between the two plates.
Now the folded bill is behind the case flap cover, and it is being held by their right thumbs and fingers.
This is how it looks like as illustrated below:
At this stage, they can show the viewers the back-view of the case, because the folded bill is well shield by the long flap cover.
Billscape T-123 Misdirection
Before they can thrust the needle through all the holes, they have to move the folded bill out from below the flap to the hole nearby.
To drag the bill to the hole, they need a bit of misdirection to avoid being seen.
In this video by Magic Patagonia, at 2:08, after using his left thumb to drag out the folded bill to the hole, he pretends to point out the hole with the needle.
Madison Hagler of Presenting Tenyo demo video, at 0:38 under the pretext of getting ready, he uses his left thumb to slide down the bill under the flap cover.
Then just before he thrust in the needle, he uses his left forefinger to adjust the bill.
But for his other video clip, at 1:19, to divert the viewers’ attention, he purposely turns to his left side to get the rubber band, while his while left thumb pulls the bill down to the hole.
After tying the rubber band, at 1:23, he uses his right thumb to re-adjust the folded bill which is now next to the hole.
Brotherbor uses his right thumb to pull down the bill to the hole at 2:24.
Tenyo Billscape Vinyl Case Long Flap Cover
Now you know why the vinyl case has such a long flap cover.
It’s not just to hide the folded bill when it is out from the plates and case, but to have it next to the hole.
So that it is easier to shift the folded bill to the hole to be impaired.
Tenyo Billscape Three Pieces Of Plates
At the end of the act, they all can show the empty case because the gimmick piece is not inside anymore.
The thin transparent the gimmick piece is now safely tucked between the two plates.
In other words, now there are three pieces of plates tied up with rubber bands.
This transparent gimmick piece is well-hidden and camouflaged with the top see-through plate which has a white border print.
The white border print on the top plate is not meant to be a design feature, but to conceal the gimmick piece under it.
Anyway, the viewers do not know there is this extra gimmick piece in the first place, so it is not noticeable to them.
In fact, for the finale, they do not have to open up the two plates.
For both Presenting Tenyo demo videos, Madison unties the rubber bands to open up the three plates.
This clip, at 1:12, he carefully slides them apart, with his left hand holding the top clear plate together with the gimmick piece underneath.
But for the other video, at 2:36, he distracts the viewers by picking up the folded bill on the table with his left hand, while his right hand discreetly drops the gimmick piece below the table.
This kind of secret dropping move in magic trick is called “Lapping”.
Lapping is a sleight of hand technique whereby the performer secretly dropping an object (dice, coin, or card) into his lap to vanish it.
The popular trick using lapping is the “Vanishing Salt shaker”.
You can read about it from these books: “Magic Step-By-Step” By Tom Russell, or “Martin Gardner’s Table Magic”.
This is how Billscape Tenyo T-123 trick is done with a concealed gimmick inside the case.
Psychology Of Billscape Tenyo T-123
The psychological elements of this bill escape trick are found in the sleight of hand and misdirection.
To the viewers’ perception, the bill is definitely trapped between the plates and closed inside the case.
It is because twice the performers ensured the viewers are visually convinced that perception:
First is when they placed in the tightened plates with the folded bill inside the case.
Secondly, is when they show the back-view of the case, there is no bill behind too.
These two actions are enough to play trick on your mind, so to speak.
As I have explained and exposed it is all done with the sleight of hand and misdirection.
If you do not know the method of this trick, there is no plausible explanation, other than that the impossible has happened.
That’s is how your brain find the Tenyo Billscape trick escape effect magical.