On a small tray which, to the audience, doesn’t appear thicker, at any point, than a couple of  centimetres, you make two doves appear, surprisingly fast. In itself not bad but add to that - that just a few seconds previously - the tray had been engulfed in flames and you’ll readily appreciate that this is a classic prop.

For anyone who is a bit put off by the thought of a sea of flame, a balloon offers an excellent alternative. Place the inflated balloon on the tray and it’ll burst on cue when the doves appear. A flash effect in the widest sense of the word. A Mephisto product.