Tomato Trick

The Tomato Trick, or Tomato Game, is a version of the Cups and Balls by Persian conjurer Medjid kan Rezvani. Its name comes from the small pincushion-like balls he used, which resembled little squat tomatoes. He also used a single ball instead of three cups, and possibly inspired the Benson Bowl. The first complete explanation of the Tomato Trick in English was in 1949 in The Magic of Rezvani. Rezvani later released a French manuscript devoted solely to the trick, which he titled Les Coussinets de la Princesse. An English translation, The Cushions of the Princess, was published as an ebook in 2013.

Publications

• The Tomato Trick (Rezvani): Maurice Sardina, La Magie du sorcier (1946).
  • Dariel Fitzkee, tr., The Magic of Rezvani (1949).
  • Medjid kan Rezvani, Les Coussinets de la Princesse, ou le jeu des tomates par l'image (1950)
    • Michael Landes, tr., The Cushions of the Princess, or the Tomato Game (ebook, 2013)

• The Tomato Trick: A Long Forgotten Classic: Pete Biro, 2000. 20 pages.
  • Pete Biro, BOWLing With the Stars, Pete Biro's Magic, No. 3 (2009, pp. 6-13).