Impossible Bottles – What are they and how to make them?

As a magician, I’ve always been fascinated by the things that challenge our sense of reality. One of these delightful puzzles is the impossible bottle.

An impossible bottle is a bottle containing an object that appears too large to fit through the bottle’s mouth.

You’ve probably seen one—a ship in a bottle, a deck of cards, or even a Rubik’s cube sitting impossibly inside a glass bottle. These creations spark wonder and curiosity, making you ask, “How on earth did that get in there?” Well, that’s the magic of impossible bottles!

A Brief History of Impossible Bottles

Impossible bottles have been around for a long time, but it was Harry Eng who truly elevated this craft to an art form. A schoolteacher by profession, Eng became a legend in the world of impossible objects during the 1970s and 1980s. He was fascinated by puzzles and enjoyed creating objects that made people think deeply and question what they believed to be possible.

Harry Eng ingeniously placed a wide variety of objects into bottles, each one seemingly too large to fit through the bottle’s neck. Remarkably, the bottles remained completely intact, with no damage to the glass, as every item was inserted through the narrow opening. His creations featured a diverse array of objects, including coins, decks of cards, padlocks, shoes, and scissors. Each of these objects was intact and completely functional, further deepening the mystery.

Harry Eng’s work didn’t just impress; it also fetched impressive prices. Collectors and enthusiasts were willing to pay thousands of dollars for one of his impossible bottles, making them highly sought after even today. Some of Eng’s secrets have been revealed to his close magician friends, but others died with him after he passed away, adding to the mystique surrounding his work. His creations were designed to baffle, inspire, and keep us guessing—a true testament to the power of wonder.

The Rules of Impossible Bottles: What Makes Them Truly “Impossible”?

Creating an impossible bottle isn’t just about squeezing something into a bottle; it’s about following a set of unwritten rules that make the final product truly awe-inspiring. Here’s what separates an ordinary puzzle from an impossible bottle masterpiece:

1. The Glass Must Not Be Altered: The integrity of the bottle is paramount. This means no cutting, heating, or otherwise tampering with the glass to create an opening large enough to insert the object. The bottle must remain as it was when first made. By the way, every glass bottle has a seam because of gaps in the mold’s joins that allow molten glass to seep through during formation. So the seams isn’t how the impossible bottle is made!
2. The Object Inside Must Be Usable: A key part of the wonder is that the object inside isn’t just a model—it’s the real thing and fully functional. Whether it’s a deck of cards that you could shuffle if you break the glass or scissors that could snip or a fully functional, twistable and solvable Rubik’s Cube, the object must remain in its original, usable state.
3. The Bottle’s Opening Must Be Smaller Than the Object: The whole point of an impossible bottle is that it seems like the object couldn’t have possibly fit through the bottle’s neck. This rule is non-negotiable—the opening must be smaller than the object inside, often significantly so.

How I got into building Impossible Bottles

In recent years, I got more and more interested in art and unusual objects and when I first saw a Rubik’s Cube in a bottle, I went crazy and I wanted to have one as a decoration piece. Time passed by and I kept this idea in the back of my head, until one day I found the perfect bottle and tried to place the Rubik’s Cube inside it.

My First Bottle with Rubik’s Cube

It was very challenging as I had no idea how to do it. But with trial and error I managed and the impossible bottle became part of my stage/parlor show. I used it as a demonstration of the power of wonder, where a regular Rubik’s Cube, mixed by multiple spectators ends up miraculously matching the one in the bottle, that was there in full view the entire time! The bottle is of course examinable, the glass is not altered in anyway and no electronics are involved.

My Second Bottle with a Deck of playing cards

Later, I got interested in placing decks of cards in bottles. Again, I had no idea how to do it, but after several weeks of brainstorming, I found the perfect way. I started by placing a normal deck in a bottle, then a sealed Bicycle deck with the original black seal.

My Third Bottle with a Deck of playing cards wrapped in its original cellophane & seal

Later, I took the next-level challenge: placing a deck of cards sealed with the cellophane/shrink-wrap completely intact, no signs of damage or wrinkles. That was a hell of a challenge… But I made it, and it. was such an achievement. I still have a few left if you want to get one!

It looks more impressive in real-life if you would look at it very close. You won’t find any imperfections or signs of tampering.

Lately, I managed to place 2 sealed bicycle decks (red and blue) in the same bottle.

My Fourth Bottle with 2 Decks of playing cards wrapped in their original cellophane & seal

The most challenging bottle I made so far was the one using a flask type bottle and a sealed blue Aviator Deck, where the opening is extremely narrow. Some people questioned if the cards are really there. I promise all the cards are there, and to prove it, I cut a little window on the side of the card box where you can see all the cards.

My Fifth Bottle with a very narrow bottle mouth

Depending on the type of bottle I use and the amount of work I’m willing to put, the process used to take me about 1 or 2h from beginning to end. Now it’s a bit faster. Nevertheless, I enjoy every minute of it.

I used these bottles to spark interesting conversations with interesting people and even use some of them during my private and corporate shows. I have a few laying around in my apartment, and they so far caught the eyes of every guest.

My other bottles

I have had some success making bottles with various objects like ping-pong, tennis, golf balls, padlocks and corkscrews. My next challenge is to place small & complete wooden picture frames with a photo inside, as soon as I get my hands on the perfect bottles (I know where to find them, I just haven’t had to chance to get them yet).

So, how to make them? The secrets…

The entire purpose of impossible bottles is to spark curiosity and make you wonder. Publicly sharing the techniques and secrets behind their creation would go against this idea, not to mention it could upset professional bottle-makers who keep these methods a closely guarded secret. However, I’m considering giving a private Masterclass (in person or online live) about how you can become an Impossible Bottle maker, whether to be able to impress the people around you, use it as a decoration piece, gift it or even sell it for a profit!

The Masterclass will teach you the following:

• Which bottles to use and where to find them
• Getting and building your own tools
• Impossible bottles with sealed and unsealed decks of cards
• Impossible bottles with playing cards in their original cellophane/shrink-wrap! (closely-guarded secret)
• Impossible bottles with Rubik’s Cubes
• Impossible bottles with Golf/Ping-pong Balls
• Impossible bottles with Tennis Balls
• Impossible bottles with Corkscrews
• Making your own custom labels (design files also included)
• Using your made bottles as a marketing technique
• Ideas on building impossible bottles with wooden picture frames, padlocks, and other objects
• Magic tricks you could add to your close-up and stage show with impossible bottles
• Ideas to spark up your creativity, build astonishing pieces of art and elevate your magic
• Private calls with me to help you if you’re stuck or have questions

If you’re interested in taking my Masterclass, please register your interest.