This trick never fails to get a great response. I've been using it for several years.

I have it ready to go sitting on a shelf on my Nite Club table. I tell the spectators how I'm not a specialist in cards and how impressed I am by magicians who can fan cards so smoothly. Some, I say, create a huge fan by embedding one fan on top of another, as I go to grab the prop. I tell them it looks like this, but they only see it for a few seconds. I say that I may not be great with cards but I am a magician so I figured they may want to see a trick with cards. The fan is tossed up and in the air it visibly transforms into a top hat.

Again, I can't emphasize how strong the reaction is—consistently. It is only 85% mysterious, but 100% startling.

Yes, the double fan looks fake from a few feet away, but this is not a close-up trick. Plus, they only see the double fan briefly. Also, there's a low dull air-popping type of thud sound during the transition. While I notice it, I'm not sure the audience does (I talk through it). And if they do, it may not be surprising that a sound is associated with one object morphing into another.

I alway store this open to assure it has maximum "pop-ability."

Easy to use and operate. Great opener or send off either way. Quality is fine. Some fragile components should be treated with care.

Either steal it or use it as an opening. Looks impressive. Easy to do. Collapse it with care.