PlayStation wand lands Magic Circle spot

PlayStation wand lands Magic Circle spot

Sony’s Move controller has been inducted into the famous showcase as it features in a new game called Sorcery where players perform tricks and spells.

Scott Penson, Vice President of the Magic Circle and Curator of the Museum said the move showed magicians were embracing new ways of performing tricks.

He said: “In the 21st Century the challenge on magic comes in the form of digital technology. However, as the internet and computer gaming distracts the next generation, magic has again found its niche.”

The move comes 15 years to the month after the original release of the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

And follows this month’s announcement that the firm have teamed up with JK Rowling to produce the hi-tech augmented reality gizmo the ‘Wonderbook’ - which will feature her Book of Spells.

Below, magic whiz Scott picks his Top 5 favourite wands and gives his reasons why.

The Break-away wand and Tommy Cooper

Magicians have many trick and comedy/gag wands but this is by far the most popular of all with new child audiences being born everyday for what is said to be the funniest wand of all.

Invented by George Wetherald and first appeared in Abbotts Magic Catalogue in 1937.

The Magician’s Best Friend

The wand most commonly associated with magicians the black wand with ivory tips takes many guises and is often redesigned to suit a magicians personality.

Uses from the most basic to the most complicated of tricks the trusty black and white wand is a magician’s best friend

Paul Daniels wand signed by himself and Debbie MaGee alongside the classic cup and ball trick.

Harry Potter, Elder Wand

The Elder Wand, variably known as the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny, the Eldruhn Wand, and the Ellhorn Wand, is one of the fabled Deathly Hallows. It is said to be the most powerful wand that has ever existed, able to perform feats of magic that would normally be considered impossible, such as mending another wand damaged beyond normal magical repair.

The Classic Wand and Robert Houdin

Around the centre, the piece of paper written in Houdin’s own hand in French translates “This wand has served me in all the performances I have given during my entire artistic career”.

This wand is believed to be the wand that set the trend for a black wand with Ivory tips. In Houdin’s book Secrets of Conjuring and Magic (1877 edition translated from French to English by Professor Hoffmann), he wrote “The magician’s wand is generally a small ebony rod, with a rounded ivory tip at each end; its total length is about thirteen to fourteen inches.”

He is seen as the originator of the ‘typical’ wand and father of modern magic â€" Harry Houdini took his name from looking up to Robert when learning his craft.

Merlin’s Wand

The story of Merlin has proved the inspiration for many writers and various incarnations of the character have evolved him into stereotypical wizards with the long white beard and wearing a pointed hat.

Often he is depicted carrying a staff though which his magical power is said to be channelled and in some illustrations the staff has has merged with iconography of the conjuring world and subsequently Merlin is sometimes depicted wielding a short magic wand.