hillcountrymagic
$36.99
Untested but appears to be unused.
The New Doell Pufflash with Powder Chamber (manufactured by Doell Mfg. Co. of Fort Wayne, Indiana) is a vintage electrical pyrotechnic spark and smoke generator designed for stage and illusion performances. The set consists of:
The Gimmick: A black metal battery-operated casing featuring a dual-chamber system—a "Flash Paper" tube housing the heating element and an adjacent "Powder Chamber" for flash/gunpowder smoke production.
The Printed Instructions: Mimeographed instruction sheet titled "INSTRUCTIONS--THE NEW DOELL PUFFLASH WITH--POWDER CHAMBER", bearing the manufacturer imprint "DOELL MFG. CO. 1308 MAUMEE AVE., FORT WAYNE 4, INDIANA" with a stamped notice to "USE PHOTO FLASH BATTERIES".
Operation & Awards: Engineered to ignite flash paper across to a powder reservoir to produce a loud flash and puff of smoke without burning out the electrical element. Noted on the sheet as a First Prize Trophy for Originality & Flemming Trophy winner at the Chicago Convention.
Doell Manufacturing Co. was a prominent mid-century maker of pyrotechnic apparatus, flash pots, and theatrical special effects devices. Award-winning electronic flash devices from this era are highly collectible due to their historical role in mid-century illusion shows and stagecraft. Complete with its original typed instruction sheet, convention award provenance notes, and intact metal ignition unit, this piece holds excellent historical value for collectors of vintage stage illusions, theatrical pyrotechnics, and midwestern magic manufacturing history.
