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Kent Wong Inner circle Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 2458 Posts 
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Although I'm fairly knowledgeable about many magicians, I have never heard of this gentleman until recently. Can anyone enlighten me about him?
Kent
"Believing is Seeing"
<BR>______________________ <BR> <BR>www.kentwongmagic.com |
Skip Way Inner circle 3771 Posts
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If I recall properly, Merv Taylor was a magic dealer and maufacturer who specialized in metal props in the 50's and 60's. That's about all I recall.
How you leave others feeling after an Experience with you becomes your Trademark.
Magic Youth Raleigh - RaleighMagicClub.org |
Damon Regular user 108 Posts
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Here is a short bio of Merv, and his magic from Bart Whaley's Who's Who in Magic.
Hope this helps you out. Mark Damon Taylor, Merv[ille Andrew] (USA: 1904-5 Jan 1974) Metal worker. Semi-pro maker since 1947 of high-quality props (Merv Taylor Magic Company) in Hollywood, California. Used mainly stainless steel and acrylic Plexiglas (the first to use this material). Sold to Owen Brothers in 1959. Then co-licensee (with Bud Taylor & Jimmy Hume) of magic shop in Disneyland. SAM Hall of Fame. C. Prentice Taylor is researching a biography. [St] Taylor Magic Company, Merv Hollywood, California: 1947-1959. Owner: Merville A. Taylor, a metal worker and semi-pro maker of high-quality magic props, using mainly stainless steel and acrylic Plexiglas (the first to do so). Bought out by Owen Brothers in 1959. Merv Taylor was later co-licensee (with Bud Taylor & Jimmy Hume of a magic shop in Disneyland. REF: Albo (1995), 36. |
Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24315 Posts
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Here is a warning about "Merv Taylor" props. Merv created some really fine props. The Owen versions of them are good, but not quite the same. If you are purchasing genuine Merv Taylor props, the hallmark itself is not good enough. Owen still uses that. Instead, ask to see the instuction sheet, if available. If there is a rubber stamp or sticker from Owen Magic Supreme on the instruction sheet, then it is an Owen prop.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts
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Merv did a convention act dressed in cap and gown, looking like a college professor. His main business was machine work for US Government projects and, like Johnson Products, spent part of the time making magic props. He made a few for Himber too. His "Orb Eternal" stainless steel rings were the best at the time (I don't think anyone else was making them of that material then). Fred Rickard was the actuall machinist that made those rings, and Rickard went over to Owen when the business was sold, continuing to make a lot of the tricks at Owen.
One of the gags Taylor became famous for was a linking ring bit that had two rings passed into the audience come back all twisted and bent (I now own his set). However, the gag was not his as he pinched it from a British music hall performer, who I believe was Arthur Dowler. Toward the end of the Taylor era Bob Haskell worked with him to create things like the Split Deck and a houlette to reveal a selected card via stripper deck called Flash Card Rise. His hot books were all metal and fantastic.
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts
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Taylor also made a stainless set of linking rings where the rings were not round, but STAR shaped. These were made for Mark Wilson and now are in my collection.
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24315 Posts
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I know Topper Martyn used the bent ring gag.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts
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I have a Merv Taylor TAMBOR which I bought used, about 60 years ago. I still use it occasionally now that I am retired. I bought it for use when I was still a part time pro in the early '60s. I first saw Harry Blackstone Sr. use a special made larger "model" when I saw Harry in 1945.
The best thing about the tambourine is that it's all load! The entire space inside is load space. Mine is 10" in diameter x 3" "thick". The late Billy Russell of Batavia,NY published a loading technique about 60 years ago. I use it as it's much better than the method that came with it. I still own a Merv Taylor Brief Case Table. Everything Merv sold was first class. His hallmark is easily the equal of P & L. I had a set of Merv's 10", and a set of his 8" rings. They were perfect!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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hugmagic Inner circle 7672 Posts
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That whole Linking Ring Parade by Billy Russell is a goldmine. I was always going to make one of his taboret table with the bowl load and roller blinds. Probably will never get around to it.
Billy Russell is one of the old time hidden treasures of Magic. He published a very good floating ball routine. And you are right about the Tambour, it is all load. I made a large one for a guy a few years back to duplicate the Sr. one's size. Richard
Richard E. Hughes, Hughes Magic Inc., 352 N. Prospect St., Ravenna, OH 44266 (330)296-4023
www.hughesmagic.com email-hugmagic@raex.com Write direct as I will be turning off my PM's. |
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts
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Hi Richard!
I worked alone, Billy had an assistant, so I made a few slight changes, but Billy's basic routine was excellent. When I was a teenager I had "duplicated" the TAMBOR out of galvanized ateel. It worked fine but, needed an occaional "touch up", as the paint on the steel rings would chip. I used one of those "tin" cookie boxes for a load pan. I used a "commercial sized" Scotch tape can to hold a hat coil, so I could begin with a coil, then a bunch of 36" Rice picture silks. The hat coil provided cover for a final kicker of a bunny.
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Jim Sparx Inner circle Far Out, Texas 1144 Posts
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I had a bunch of Merv Taylor's stuff in the late 40s and early fifties. Kemps Magic Shop, later Mishells in El Paso carried the really good stuff from P&L and Owen. I remember buying the appearing bird cage as well as Taylors Foo Can, also had a tamborine like trick from Taylor. Worked my butt off in the Summer and in the Fall picking cotton to buy this. Along with some original Thurston posters, dozens of books and the $10 Greater Magic, all of it got tossed when I went into the Army by my mother in 1955. When I got out in 60 and joined the IBM and SAM in New Orleans I asked where this stuff was. Imagine my disappointment and how much these items are selling for these days.
Taylor had quality products worth collecting.
Et tu, Spartacus?
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Leslie Melville Special user Blackpool-U.K. 708 Posts
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Quote:
On Jul 5, 2006, Pete Biro wrote: Wow! this stirs my memory file! I actully saw Arthur Dowler perform this at Goodliffe's 'Abracadbra Jamboree' in Birmingham (UK) in 1947! The very first magic gathering I ever attended! Leslie
Stories....?....That's telling!
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts
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Well, a kid from Michigan was a CONFEDERATE for the late MONK WATSON in Norfolk, VA in the early '50s. He asked me to sit down front and do the "wrinkled" rings. I had never seen it done, and was really impressed by the LAUGH!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts
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Quote:
On Jan 19, 2015, Jim Sparx wrote: HELLO JIM!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW WONDERFUL TO SEE YOUR NAME AGAIN!!! PLEASE PM ME!!!! I remember Wyndham KENT! Dick
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Jim Sparx Inner circle Far Out, Texas 1144 Posts
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Yeah, good old Wyndhman Kemp. He had a one way mirror that faced the entrance and had regular poker games in the back of the shop in the store room. One day the cops raided the place and lo and behold, the police chief was there playing poker. Had relatives that owned Kemp Ford autos here in EP, don't know what happen to them but I think Wtndam sold the shop to Dave Mishell and went iunto the army, so I was told.
Nice thing about Kemps is that all the touring magicians payed a visit and I met severl of them, Neff, the Baker brothers, Paco Miller who played Juarez a lot - but when Blackstone was around in 49 I missed him by a few minutes. Virgil cancelled his El Paso date and I misse3d himbut Edgar Bergan played a date at the local AF base. I was a budding vent then with my Jerry Mahoney eyes that looked one way and not straight.
Et tu, Spartacus?
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/chispadeelpaso.html |
Posted: Jun 30, 2006 02:54 pm 