It's almost unbelievable that the earliest advertisements for sponge balls in 1925 stated they “will fool magicians.” It’s just one century later and sponge balls are ubiquitous; beginners use them to practice fundamental techniques and professional entertainers swear by their efficacy. Despite their popularity, manufacturing a set of sponge balls is not as straightforward as you might think. It’s difficult to sculpt multiple same-sized spheres and to dye the sponges evenly. Experienced users of sponge balls know that there are detectable differences in quality between the various marketed sets.
Bob Nelson popularized sponge rabbits in the 1940s with his product Peter Rabbit Goes to Town. The simple two-dimensional rabbits could be purchased from his prop supply business for merely a dollar. Cutting relatable shapes from the sponge worked well because, as Frances Marshall wrote, “Nobody ever questions it. It’s a rabbit and it does a real cute trick.” The trick would arguably be cuter if you substituted the 2D rabbits for, say, 3D squirrels, unicorns, or Baby Yodas. These are all hand-crafted in the United Kingdom by Mila Miteva of Mila’s Custom Sponge Creations. She makes the cutest rabbits, too.
