I made a discovery this week while reading a booklet in my magic library. Richard Ross was televised with his Linking Ring Routine way back in the mid 1970's. His unique act was the center piece of every magic magazine and magic club in the country. It was not just his very different props utilizing watches, but his Linking Ring routine as well. The center of topic in his routine was the visual melting of one horizontal ring melting through another ring held vertically. The magicians of the world wanted to know how to do this visual penetration so much that Richard Ross finally wrote a book just on his Linking Ring routines. It was a very sought after book, and being it was published by the now defunct The Magic Hands company in Germany sold for $40 way back then. That was a lot of money for such a thin specialized book back then. It sold well for a Linking Ring book. So the big secret was revealed to all who read it. I must say, I have not seen many using this penetration in their routines after all this longing for the handling. As with most magic tricks, the secret is not as spectacular as when it is in a master magician's hands.

Whenever, I have attended a magic convention with international talent on the program. I attend their lectures and sometimes get to talk to or eavesdrop on conversation. Most of the time, these European magicians are using our own American creations and fooling the heck out of us. Whenever I research a trick in the past, I find magic from Europe and England, was created in the United States. Sometimes exactly as it was discribed or even sold by magic dealers. How this stuff gets across the pond is beyond me, but it does, sure now it is a mouse click away, but back in the 1960's and earlier, there was no Internet for general use by consumers. There wasn't even computers available.

Around the end of the great depression, Laurie L. Ireland quite show business and started the Ireland Magic Shop in Chicago, Illinois, today it is known as Magic Inc. in Chicago. He was a regular vaudeville performer but was settling down, you can read a short version of his story in his Cups and Balls booklet. Anyway, he was a pioneer in the creation of making and selling many of the ideas for magic tricks during his performing years. He also began to write booklets of his tricks and ideas for publications. He published his own work for the business as well.

L.L. Ireland wrote a little booklet called "Ireland Writes A Book", in it he describes a few of his ideas of original magic, these were not a collection of tricks from other people, he actually created all these himself. In that booklet, on page 31 is discribed the exact same moves Richard Ross used in his Linking Ring routine that received all the praise for being a miracle. There are illustrations showing the exact way to hold the rings and forward ring penetration. The title of his idea is "A Linking Ring Move", not very exciting title, if it was called the trick that will win you a world's gold metal or the move that will make you famous, maybe more would have read the half page description and an American would have won the FISM Gold Metal.

I would assume it is difficult for a person from Holland to read a second language book, I know I could not read a book from Holland; and yet Richard Ross found this little description and actually went farther then reading and became world famous.

Fred Kaps, in his lectures, sites his Homing Card as coming from an American booklet by Fred Braue not many read, and yet, he made the trick famous throughout the world as well. His Smoking a Thumb - American. His Long Salt Pour. - American - His Vanishing Cane in Newspaper - American, it is published in another Cane booklet.

My point to this post is that may times the answer to your creativity may be already waiting for you to discover it in the older books and booklets of the past. When these famous magicians created their acts, they did not look for something that no one is doing by going to the magic shop and buy the latest new thing the dealers are pushing at them. They had an idea for their material and started looking for something that no one else thought was significant enough to use, or they may have said that sounds different, let me try it and see if looks good and will fit in my routine.

When these performers presented their material for the masses of magicians from around the world, they were hailed as being totally new and creative in their creation of new ideas and effects in magic. When in fact, they did not, they searched for moves, tricks and routines that would fit their needs. They were already invented and even in print for all to use.

So if you want to become famous, maybe it would be a good idea and read a book and perform a trick, everyone else turned the page on. You don't have to change a thing, just perform it with your style and personality, and everyone will be asking you where did you learn that trick.

If it was me, I would not tell them, let them find it on their own. Please don't be coy like some magicians and reference some obscure comment and have the poor guy go buying several books. I have seen magicians do this, and they are only hated for doing so.

Just thought I would tell you what I discovered this week!

Bill,
Great post! I have a fair collection of vintage and antique props but the real gems in my collection are the books, pamphlets, lecture notes, VHS tapes and DVDs. I skipped some of the classics when I was growing up. I have many of them now but I see now what a mistake it was not to get them years ago. Like you, I am constantly amazed at the "new magic" up for sale that can be found in Tarbell or some of the other classic texts. Like sex, magic was not invented by the teenagers of this generation. There is nothing new under the sun, well very little anyway.

Bill,
You are right on target. So many "new" ideas are very, very old. Today's performers, for the most part, do not study the old stuff. They are missing out. I can tell you names of professional after professional who has revived the old stuff and made it his own. This no way diminishes the work of today's pros. They have done the homework and added their own touches to make it their own.

A very well written post that will go over the heads of 90% of the guys here.

Richard

Dear Bill,
In Holland it was common in the years after WW II, that in secondary school the students learned more languages. Beside the native language we studied German, French and English. That's why we could read understand your books and magazines (like Genii). People like Fred Kaps, Richard Ross, Flip, Ger Copper and Tommy Wonder performed their act and lectured in different languages and visited your and other countries around the world. Those magician had/have access to yours books and have/had contacts all over the world. In those days corresponding by letter was normal too. Fred kaps was corresponding all over the world with his friends in magic, like Pete Biro and Bruno Hennig
An important key person in this was Henk Vermeijden(one of the founders of the F.I.S.M). He visited your country many times. He was a magic dealer and an important consultant and he visited and had contacts with dealers in the U.S.A. (in person with Magic Inc.), England, France and other countries.
Henk Vermeijden had a "fotographic memory", what he had seen he could remember years later and in finesse.
Richard Ross worked for years as demonstrator in a magic shop, called Cortiny. The owner of this shop also travelled the world. So Richard also had access to much information.
Richard once told me, with his broad smile: " If you want to hide a (magic) secret, write it down in a book. Because magicians don't like to read; the only like to play with toys". And there he hit the button. Many magicians are lazy and can't read. Nowadays it even becomes more worse, because of internet/you tube. Young magicians search for "answers" on internet and dvd and therefore only become copycats.
Reading a book (and doing a profound research, like Tommy Wonder always did) tickles your mind and creativity and has to be followed by the question: can I do it better. Also important is to visit musea and other shows, like musical and film. Ger Copper got his inspiration for his candlelabra-act from
visiting The Phantom of the Opera - candles everywhere....
Also very important is to listen to what other (professional) magicians are saying. Listening and understanding are two different things. Many years ago I visited a lecture by Han van Senus, a semi professional Dutch magician. He showed a silk penetrating a large stick and (because it was not his invention) he told the flabbergasted onlookers: " It's REAL magic...." and, as Richard Hughes stated above, it has gone over the heads of (even) 98% of the wannabees.
Sometimes I encounter someone who understands, so I think for a moment: there is hope.

Thank you John for your insightful comments. They explain a lot of the mystery why Europeans are much more creative then Americans. Europeans can read and think, instead of "borrow" creative ideas. I also think the mentor assistance is much more present in Europe then America. It helps to be able to discuss your ideas with another that can give some creative feedback.

Americans are all me - me - me, if it's not what "they want" they refuse to discuss anything you are interested in discussing. Anyway, that has been my experience when trying to discuss a topic of interest. Maybe, I am just trying to discuss magic topics with the wrong people, who knows.

Hello Bill,

First of all let me thank you for your nice discovery. I'm from Europe and I have to agree that the mentor assistance is quite present in our countries, more in Germany than in France, but this is my own humble opinion. A very good exemple is the Stuttgart Team from the German Magic Circle where a lot of now well known magicians come from (Topas, Roxanne, Helge Thun, Wave, Doctor Marrax...) They all have unique magic acts which look very creative. If you read Eberhard Riese's book "Foundations", he explains their team working, how to create "new" things and where to look for inspiration.

For exemple : The lyre used in Topas' act, he won FISM in the 90s, comes from an very old magic catalogue his mentor studied. So he took the basic idea, changed the design of it and used it as his table stand and for his final production of the bells on the strings.

Another exemple would be Levent : He's studying magic history of special items and their use in an extreme way and always brings out some very educational and interesting material (Ulitmate Guide to Linking Rings, Billard Balls, Miser's Dream, Salt Pour...).

Personnally it's easier for me to learn sleights and moves by DVD, BUT I love reading magic books, studying the history of magic and learning effects from them. My wife is getting mad everytime I tell her that I would like to buy another magic book. She says that I own a lot already, and what the heck for I would need another book.

Books are great, because you really need to use your brain to "translate" the sentences into moves and by trying to figure out how to hold an object and how to move your body, hands and fingers; how it would and should look like. Sometimes you might "invent" a new move by accident that you would never have had thought of or you try to use something you've found in a book with another object then initially thought of. So, by reading books of magic, specially "technical" once, you really have to go through some kind of process. In the beginning it's very difficult, but your brain get's used to it. It helps aswell to use your imagination which might lead you into something completely new.

Sometimes you'll find a gem, no one else is using and that's very rewarding AND most of all : It gives your DVD player a rest.

Oliver.

I had the Richard Ross book and it was a valuable resource. I sold it to someone in the UK years ago. The illustrations were line drawings and it was sometimes hard to interpret them but I persisted and learned a lot.
His slow linking onto the arm is beautiful. I changed the technique slightly in terms of finger grip. I use his move to this day. In fact it's taught in my new book, The Book of Destiny and fully credited. My entire routine is also performed and explained on the companion DVD.
I love books but the market seems to love DVDs. That's why I decided to provide both.

Larry

Larry, I have stated previously, that there should be a DVD inserted with the books today. It have to be easy to attach the DVD on the inside cover or back cover. I do believe a DVD will enhance the book experience.

I concur with all of these great posts. Richard is correct this discussion flies over the head of 90% of the magicians out there. The professional magicians that are successful at their craft I know are voracious readers. It's funny that Richard Ross' "Das Ringspiel" and the Stugart group ("Foundations - The Art of Staging Magic" by Eberhard Riese) were mentioned because these are two of the many books on magic I have around my reading chair. Recently, I have started to perform Tom Stone's Benson Burner routine found in his excellent book "Vortex". However I felt I needed a deeper understanding behind the thinking of the routine so I bought Levent's excellent book "Roy Benson by Starlight" which has a very detailed explanation of Roy Benson's Benson Bowl routine. Along with some excellent DVDs of performances the books were of great help in my research. I agree with Bill, the DVDs helped me with the basic skills I need to perform on stage but the books are a goldmine of magic.

At one time I was trying to do book reviews at some of the club meetings. Most of the time the reviews were met with a bunch of magicians with the "deer in the headlights look". I had a few positive comments but for the most part most of the magicians could not wait until trick time. After a few meetings I just gave up.

I wrote this because I was so surprised again that a $40 book explained a move in a $3 dollar book. I am also surprised I found it totally by accident, and put it all together. What prompted me is, I was actually still looking for a coin vanish, Ken Brooke made reference to for the Fred Kaps Jumbo Chinese Coin Trick. He said Fred Kaps did an Ireland coin trick for a coin that travels hand to hand, but I have purchased the Ireland available booklets, but have not found it in all these years. It is hidden someplace, just have to find it.

Darkwing, I experienced the same thing when I attempted to express my feelings for the Don Alan book. I had the pleasure of attending at least 4 lectures with Don Alan over the years he was alive. So I know the power of his magic tricks, but no one got it. Here is some of the most powerful magic one person can perform and only 2 looked at the book and walked away. Weird!

Please excuse another post but I would be remiss if I didn't mention the help and direction I have received from others when it comes to good books. First my dad gave me the gift of the love of reading. Next the folks here on the Magic Café for the guidance of good reading material from guys like Bill Hegbli, Richard Hughes, Pete Biro, Bob Sanders, Jonathan Neal, Levent and I know I am forgetting others. Also Jeff McBride, Maverick, Steve Bargatze, Steve Varro, Dan Fleshman, David Williamson.

Bill another good book in my stack that most guys just look at it and shrug. Another one that comes to mind is the Syldini books. Every magician should study Slydini; a master of misdirection.

Dear Bill,
Of course you now that in the USA Jeff McBride is offering help as a mentor/consultant.
Here in Holland Ger Copper is offering the same as Dutch School of Magic (see his website).
Salute
John

I remember when Doug Henning burst on the scene with his first TV special back in the 70's. I also remember the reaction it got among the magicians in the couple of clubs I attended back then. Almost every magician was totally blown away by his routines. They had no idea how he did his stuff. However, I and a few others recognized many of his routines from many of the older books that had been written. There is so much information in the older books and the younger magicians of today are really doing themselves a disservice by not reading them. A lot of magic comes and goes through my home, but the older books have a special place on my bookshelf and will always have a home with me.

I believe Jeff McBride is doing his thing, but I believe he was very young back in the 1970's. Although, he does his mentoring for a price and if you can travel to him and pay for his services, you may get some good advice. Tony Clark also offers consultant advice. These are not really what I am referring to in my piece. As every time you read a book or get an idea, you cannot fly off to Vegas and pay for a consultant session.

I am really speaking to potential magicians to read, and actually pick up a prop and go through the information with instruction at hand. Then go to a mirror and see the result or video it to see the result. They may find a hidden gem. This information will also give one a bases to draw upon in the future thought process of creating a routine, when the need arises.

Now, the hardest part, find someone that will discuss your discovery with you. I find that the most difficult part among men, their unwillingness to converse. They either want to tell what they know, or show and tell, what they have done or experienced. Most of the time they refuse to open their minds to discuss something that is not on their current agenda.

I was at Abbott's on year, and Vito Lupo was there with a number of younger youth. All of them was brainstorming his effects he come up with and was selling. Vito did not dismiss any of the youth's ideas. One mentioned that he was using Vito's silk production like a Kung Fu kick move, producing the silk on the end of his toes. This idea was not rejected or belittled, but taken as an added idea. Vito did not but in and say, oh no it has to be done this way. Whether it is a viable idea or not is not the purpose, it is the open sharing and discussion.

Regarding the ring move mentioned at the start, it is still in my act and a thing of beauty. Consider the possibility of independent invention - it is not known if Richard had in fact learned from that booklet.
I know from experience that some of the moves we were doing in the early eighties in Brazil with manipulation balls and rings were then re-invented a couple of decades later in the USA. The USA performers quickly took credit for them, assuming it was their invention, since they had on info from the periphery.

Very good post . it does seem that most of the new stuff coming out today is old material re-hashed and sold under a new title. there isn't a day that I don't browse thru the jinx, pabular , new pheonix and most other old mags some real gems in there.

to things which had profound meaning in my life ,
one was told to me by a headliner in vegas " the difference between and amatuer and a pro is that the amatuer will perform thousands of tricks to the same 12 people , while a pro will perform the same 12 tricks for thousands of people"

the second one was told by another pro " don't try to alter your style to fit the magic trick but alter the magic trick to fit your style, if you cannot alter it then you should leave it in the magic shop , irrelevant of how amazing it looks " dealers will hate me for qouting this