Hi:
In my regular Kids Show my finale is producing a Dove. I use a Dove Pan A LOT! And a Change Bag A LOT TOO!!! I think in change my production prop and buy a Crystal Dove Casket...its Good,Looks great but for me Put the dove inside the casket 5 minutes before show and let them here for 45 minutes its a criminal act to the bird...I use the Casket but not for school,birthdays shows...so here is the question:

WHAT PROP YOU RECOMMEND TO HAVE A BIRD COMFORTABLE FOR APROX 45 MINUTES???...remember I use a dove pan and change bag before
Thanks,
Hansel!

Personally, I’ve never gone past 10 minutes. Surprisingly though, the best place to keep your doves, if you’re planning to produce them later in your act, may be in your jacket.

I got this from a reliable source so I don’t think I’m spreading rumors---Many years ago the Great Tomsoni used travel on airplanes with his doves loaded in his jacket. This would cut down on the high cost and regulation of traveling with animals. So if that’s true, 45-minutes should be safe.

One of the best, self contained, dove productions is the old Adair’s “Carnival Ribbons”. It is found described (and how to make it) in his “Encyclopedia of Dove Magic”. It is a very colorful and visually interesting prop. It is as easy to use as say a dove pan or change bag! Put the dove in and lay it in your table. The dove should be comfortable for the time period

Viking magic used to make it but seems to be out of stock (and has been for some time). I just checked and Maxello magic has it advertised at:
http://www.maxello.com/index.php?s=3552a......6&q=9601

Basically The magician picks up a hand full of different colored ribbons (maybe 4 feet long) waves them around a bit to show they are loose (maybe one falls to the floor) then bunches them up and produces a dove.

Even easier would be to make the old Grant’s “Devils Newspaper”. The load chamber is attached to the newspaper (it hangs behind the table when the newspaper is laying flat on the table. The load chamber is as large as you want. I load mine with a dozen silk handkerchiefs and a dove in a dove holder. I produce the silks, steal the dove under the cover of the silks, lay the paper down, and produce the dove as I step toward the audience.

Similar to the Carnival Ribbons is the dove streamer. I looks like a dove production from silks but can be done anywhere in a program.

What I would make is peice of cardboard tube, about 6", slide the loaded dove into the tube. This will keep the bird safe from other props being thrown on it in the case and with plenty of air. When you gather up the streamer from the case, it also makes it easier to grab the loaded area.


Richard

I used Carnival Ribbons for years with great success. I actually ended up making my own because I wanted different color ribbons, but Harry's right, it is a piece of cake to use. Dove is snug enough not to move, but comfortable for a period of time.

I just picked up Abbott's 'Box of Pam' and it has a pretty decent size load chamber, plus the production is really cool.

My favorite is Grant's "Ribbons to Dove." I always open up with it. People are astonished to see a bird appear in the beginning.

There are several simple cage type production boxes on the market, or that are easy to build. It's basically a box with wooden dowel bars on the open front. There's a perch for the dove inside and a masking device. For the 45 minutes of showtime, the prop can sit with the back towards the audience and the bird can pretty much move around as it pleases. When you pick up the box for the finale, you basically put the masking device in place and turn the cage around to show it empty, before doing the "you know what" to the "you know what" and making the dove appear. As an example, you could take Jim Gerrish's "Chocolate Bunny" trick from his hardboard and duct tape magic section on my site, and instead of a stove front, simply give it bars like a cage.

http://www.magicnook.com/hardboard/HDDTB1-09.htm

Attach the "you know what" to fishline to pull it into place and release it when ready.

You could use an appearing dove cage, hidden behind your table. Or, produce the dove from the Mini Blam, get it from Thomas Clark @ http://www.magicsax.com

however, I feel , an invisible dove harness production at the end would be really cool

Kyle, I agree with you. The Mini Blam is a terrific working prop. It looks beautiful too: http://www.magicsax.com/store/page24/page24.html And the Invisible Dove Harness is being sold the same place also. Their are several type of productions you can use to perform with the Invisible Dove Harness.

A classic dove from scarf or dove from newspaper effect (with a body load) is a great way to do a dove production, although waiting for 45 minutes is pushing it I would think (I'm not a dove worker , so maybe the dove workers could tell us: can a dove do well being concealed in that manner for 45 minutes ? )

Harry's idea of using Grant's newspaper dove production would work fine , or you could use the dove from newspaper gimmick in the link above to do the same sort of thing (without a body load, have it hanging behind a table or inside your prop case , then make the steal as you pick up the newspaper)

However, if you don't want to use a body load or a steal , then staying within the requirements of "concealed for 45 minutes and COMFORTABLE" rule I would recommend a prop like the small version of Sterlini's Production Cage:

http://www.sterlinimagic.com/product_info.php?products_id=8

The load chamber is comfortable for the bird and plenty of air supply. Will the dove production prop be kept off-stage or does it need to be on-stage or in the same room with you the whole time? My concern would be that if the bird is loaded in that cage for 45 minutes and the cage is in the same room as you are performing you might have some "cooing" issues . ("What's that cooing sound ? " the audience wonders.) The fact that the cage can be kept completely covered by the cloth will help to somewhat dampen sounds emitting from the cage , but I wouldn't say it would be absolutely quiet for 45 minutes.