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Over the last couple of years, the Metal Pocket Pen that we sell has been incredibly popular. See http://www.grand-illusions.com/acatalog/Metal_Pen.html However some of you have been keen to get a pen that uses the same technology, but is full length. So we are pleased to be able to bring you the Beta Pen. The same nib as the Metal Pen, but full length.Available in a choice of 3 colours, black, silver or wood. The silver and black versions are made of metal.People who bought this item also bought:
This is the 'big brother' version of the Music Box Set. It has 20 notes instead of 15, so it can play 2.5 octaves. As a music box, it is quite a bit bigger, at 14.5 x 7 x 2.75cm high.Again, like the smaller music box, it just plays the white notes, and does not play sharps or flats.Included is the Music Box, one pre-punched strip which plays Romeo and Juliet, 2 blank strips, and a hole punch, so that you can create your own tunes! The strips are 66 x 7cm. We can also supply more blank strips. Watch the video...As well as a fun way to learn about music, there are also some serious musicians out there who are using the music box. One is Hannah Peel, a singer/songwriter here in the UK. She appeared on the Radio 3 programme 'The Verb' recently, and one of the pieces she performed is called 'Music Box Soliloquy.' You can hear it at Hannah Peel's MySpace page...People who bought this item also bought:
Is this the best toy of 2008? We certainly think so! Launched in the USA in 2008, and also featured at the 2008 Olympics, the FunFlyStick has already won a number of awards.The FunFlyStick is a Magic Levitation Wand that allows you to fly special tinsel 'flyers' - as if by magic! Watch the video to see this amazing toy in action.How does it work? Inside the wand is a tiny Van der Graaf generator, powered by 2 AA batteries (not supplied). When you press the button, the motor turns and generates an electrostatic charge on the end of the wand. When the end of the wand touches one of the FunFlyers, they become charged, and become a three dimensional object because the FunFlyer is now repelling itself! The charged FunFlyer is also repelled by the wand, so by moving the wand below the FunFlyer, you can keep it floating in the air. The minute the FunFlyer touches another object, it loses the charge, and collapses. Touch it with the wand, and it will spring into life again!One of the things that is quite surprising about this toy is that it works using static electricity. Of all the toys we have seen over the last 30 years, no more than a handful were based around static electricity - and none of those other toys were a patch on this one! There are a number of games and special effects you can play, including juggling with more than one FunFlyer at a time!Watch the video...The FunFlyStick is 48cm long, and comes in an attractive presentation box, complete with instructions and five FunFlyers - 1 hour glass, 1 butterfly and 3 spheres. The only thing you will need are 2 AA batteries. The FunFlyStick should be used indoors only, and although it is safe for all ages, for maximum enjoyment we recommend it for children aged 8 years and above.In January 2009, there were 2 reviews of the FunFlyStick in Physics Education. You can read the reviews here. People who bought this item also bought:
The Hollow Face Illusion is probably one of the most amazing optical illusions we have come across. So... Grand Illusions has commissioned this particular version of the Hollow Face Illusion, featuring Albert Einstein.It is made from a very strong plastic, and is virtually unbreakable. The mask can be stood up in a window and the whole face seems to follow you as you move around the room. Truly, an amazing illusion... Richard Dawkins mentions this illusion in his latest book 'The God Delusion.'How does it work? Well, when we 'see' something, our view of the world has been processed by our brain. And our brain 'knows' that a face is convex, not concave, so that is the way we see it. When we move, the face does not move in the way that a convex face would move, so our brain comes up with a different explanation, and we see the face move, following us wherever we go!The mask is 43cm high and 31cm wide.The normal price is £49, but as a special offer, we are currently offering the mask at £39.Watch the video...People who bought this item also bought:
This candle really is a lot of fun - and people that have never seen it before will just be totally amazed!Initially it looks like a big plastic flower, with the petals closed. Using the three plastic prongs at the bottom, you stick the candle into the cake. (You only need one candle per cake). At this point the candle gives very little away!Using a match, you light the little stick that is provided, and you use this to touch the centre of the candle.Firstly, the candle lights like a small firework. This can be done indoors, and does not harm the cake. Secondly, the whole flower opens, revealing 8 petals, each of which now has a little lighted candle on it. Everyone goes 'wow' when this happens!Third, once the oohs and aahs have subsided, you will hear that the Magic Candle is now playing Happy Birthday!Although there are eight petals and eight little candles, we think you could use it for a birthday of any age, not just an 8 year old!You can only use this candle once. THE CANDLE MUST NOT BE USED BY CHILDREN. ADULT SUPERVISION IS REQUIRED AT ALL TIMES.There is a reduced price if you buy 3 candles. Watch the video...People who bought this item also bought:
A stainless steel pen, 8cm long. However when you unscrew the top, the 'nib' is a solid piece of metal. There is no ink, yet this pen will write on virtually any type of paper. This is what it looked like when we tried it on a piece of normal paper...How does it work?In the Medieval period, artists and scribes often used a metal stylus in order to draw on a specially prepared paper surface. Generally known as Metalpoint, or Silverpoint when the stylus was made of silver, artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Dürer and Rembrandt all used this technique. http://www.silverpointweb.com/index.html gives a lot of information about how it works.The pens we sell are a modern version (and do not use silver). The solid metal 'nib' consists of a metal alloy, that leaves a mark on most types of paper. If you use the sort of paper typically used in printers and photocopiers, the pen leaves a mark that looks as if it was made by a pencil. However the line will not smudge, and cannot easily be rubbed out.Since there is no ink, there is nothing to dry out, so the pen will work just as well in 25 years time as it does today. I would guess that in time the nib would begin to wear down, as you are leaving a small amount of metal on the page. However this has got to be a much slower process than with a pencil, which wears down pretty quickly. The designer tells us that if the point becomes slightly blunt, you can 'sharpen' it again using sand paper.The metal alloy nib is relatively soft, so it is advisable not to drop the pen onto a hard surface. Otherwise you may snap the nib off.If you are planning to write the definitive 21st century novel, I would recommend a regular pen. However as a scientific curiousity, we like this pen a lot.The pen comes in a very smart, circular, silver coloured metal presentation tin, and would make a very unusual gift.People who bought this item also bought:
