Benson Bowl

Benson Bowl Routine is a variation of the Cups and Balls using a single brass bowl, a wooden wand, and three sponge balls developed by Roy Benson. It was probably inspired by Persian (Iranian) magician Rezvani's "The Cushions of the Princess," which became known as The Tomato Trick. Whereas Rezvani used small pincushions that looked like tomatoes, Benson adapted the trick using sponge balls. The Benson Bowl also included a sponge ball vanish technique that is still commonly used.

Don Alan is often connected to the trick; he became well known for his Don Alan Bowl Routine.

Also, Frank Garcia used Benson's routine in his close-up act for years.

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)

• Benson Bowl: The Phoenix #156 in 1948
  • Bruce Elliott's Classic Secrets of Magic
  • Roy Benson by Starlight by Levent and Todd Karr
• Don Alan Bowl Routine in Jon Racherbaumer's In a Class by Himself: the Legacy of Don Alan