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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts 
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If any of you have read my many posts, you will glean from my comments that I was a big fan of the late great Alan Shaxon. It has been noted that his products may be on sale. So of course I used Google to check for sure, and sure enough a number of his classic tricks he performed all around the world is become available.
I take this as a huge opportunity to class up your act and perform real magic that entertains audiences. My advice is to save your money and buy them all if you are doing stand-up magic. His Aerial Fishing is the best method that has ever been invented in the history of magic. I comes compete, rod, table, bowl, bait, cigarette case, with Carrying case. It is not over prices like so many of the tricks today. His other items are top notch as well. Remember, I have seen him live perform them all, and they are great in his hands. I perform Confabulation at ever show, it is a real winner and I like the rhythm of the performance. Hydrostatic Glass is fantastic, and that is included in every one of my shows as well. Koran's Headline Prediction is another mental miracle. Ultimate Nudist Deck, is an original construction of an very old classic. This is has added features that you will love over the original mechanical deck. The Caption's Card Trick is another handling an totally different card effect then anything that has ever been on the market. I am sure you will enjoy performing it. As many of you may or may not know, Alan Shaxon inherited all the magic of the late great inventor of magic Robert Harbin, there is a collectors piece being offered on the site for this effect. Sorry but I am not familiar with this trick by the genius of magic. Go here: http://alanshaxonbook.com/shop/index.html |
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ROBERT BLAKE Inner circle 1472 Posts
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Bill Hegbli, I like the older performers thinking like Alan Shaxon. most people seing his presentation of the Hydrostatic glass say it is the best presentation. I am interested in his Hydrostatic glass effect and when searching his names come up everytime. now if I look for a discription I only get the basic presentation. with-out explaining how it works, could you tell me WHY HIS presentation is so good?
thanks you for telling about this side. |
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts
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It is his handling and his famous tag line for the ending that is pure genius. He took a simple piece and made it into a show piece. Boiled down, I guess most will not see the little touches that make his presentation the best ever. No, there is nothing out of the ordinary from say, Whit Haydn's Hydrostatic Glass. Alan Shaxon does use a container to fill and let the water drop into. No one has ever done that touch. The container can be gimmicked to deliver the gimmick in a natural action, if one wants to go to the trouble to take advantage of his through work on the everything. Finally, his magic is what I would call "show pieces", everyone is an outstanding act with great showmanship and polish. He had style and class and worked the cruise ships for many years.
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ROBERT BLAKE Inner circle 1472 Posts
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Bill thanks, your comments help a lot. I like it when magicians go further than the standard in thinking. I will order this.
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ROBERT BLAKE Inner circle 1472 Posts
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Http://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-magic-circle Hydrostatic Glass at 1.10 sec.
alan shaxon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqDrgA2qsTY alan shaxon |
Harry Murphy Inner circle Maryland 5447 Posts
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Actually the Shaxon "Hydrostatic Glass" routine was based on the published John Booth routine (found in "Marvels of Mystery"}. The use of a container on stage and the steal of the gimmick were pure Booth. Alan actually mentioned Booth as his inspiration and source of the routine durning a lecture I attended. Shaxon did add some nice touches that made the routine his own.
Shaxon also mentioned that he got the basic idea of the aerial fishing from the same Booth source. His delivery system was different, and I believe more reliable, than Booth's. I forget what Shaxon's tag line was for his presentation (I have but cannot find the book - probably "loaned" it to someone) but Booth's closing line was: " When you get home try this trick yourself. If it works, please tell me, because that would be a miracle."
The artist formally known as Mumblepeas!
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hugmagic Inner circle 7672 Posts
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Tag line... "This is Science....This is Magic....And that's all. " I believe it was written up in a Magic Magazine though I saw it several times live.
Two points to consider and Alan had routined everything so it was logical and did not matter. Fishing is not a closing effect but more of a middle piece. It also leaves your hands wet or at least with fish juice on them. I don't think you want to do much more after that for an act. By adding the Hydrostatic Glass to close his set, Alan solved this problem as his hands were already wet. It was remarkable to watch his prop management from the wings. Lessons that were learned from years of performing. Yes, Shaxon actually one of Booth's poles. it is now owned by Ken Klosterman. It is the National Magic or Abbot style of pole. It is that style of pole that I have made. Thee are a few other tips on the fishing that Alan did not put in the book but it is definitely worth the read. 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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I bought John Booth's "Marvels of Mystery" in 1947, because Booth gave presentation ideas, rather than just the methods for routines. (At 16, I needed all the help that I could get to develop a working act!) I used his multiplying balls, Miracle Production, and HYDROSTATIC GLASS, for years. I had to drop the Hydro-Glass when I joined the Navy (props too bulky)but it was always a strong bit when it was in.
About 1975, my dear friend, De Yip Loo, shared the method for the TIP-CEE MILK BOTTLE. It "went in" the next season. I developed an exceptionally strong routine for it, and was asked to present it at the Collector's Weekend in Chicago. I learned that it was a Stewart James trick, and Percy Abbott had sold the gimmick in the early '40s. By season's end, it was playing so strong that it moved to closing for the high schools! I used it for high schools until I retired, "officially" in 2008. Interesting "anecdote": At a weekend convention in Indiana about 25 years ago, an amateur "magician" ran into the dressing room and tried to grab the prop from my case. I stopped him. He yelled, "I want to buy it!" I said, "It's not for sale." I just watched Alan Shaxon's presentation on one of the links above. I think it was great--but, then, everything he did was great!
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Zlwin Chew Elite user Malaysian Magician with 437 Posts
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I would like to purchase some items from the website however it doesn't ship to anywhere out of Europe or America.
Can anyone lead me to a dealer who would ship Alan's magic to my country in Malaysia, Asia? Thank you =) |
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts
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Chew, I suggest you email them and ask. These are not dealer distributed items. They are only sold on that website and at lectures given by Stephan Short and Scott Penrose.
Their email address for inquires is: steve@alanshaxonbook.com |
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Zlwin Chew Elite user Malaysian Magician with 437 Posts
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Bill Hegbli,
Thank you for your reply. I will email them right now. Would definitely be an honor to own one of Alan's works. |
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AllenChilver New user 37 Posts
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I can recommend the "Toast to Robert Harbin" effect. It's a beautiful piece by Colin Rose.
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Scott Penrose Regular user London, England 190 Posts
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Dear Bill and all
Thanks for all your kind words. In answer to a couple of comments from Richard, Ken Klostermann has a fishing rod that was given to Alan by John Booth. The method for this pole was as per the Booth book Marvels of Mystery but the one ultimately used by Alan in his act from the 1970s onwards involved a totally different method. I have the prop and used it my lectures before having a new rig made. And it did not leave the hands too wet or indeed covered in so called "fish juice". Consequently he did the trick early in his act, often second or third after a vanishing silk in glass and a colour changing silks. He then did many other effects after the fishing in his act where dry hands were required....notably Confabulation and Thumb Tie. The other great thing about Alan's fishing rig is that the table, bowl, telescopic rod and all the other sundries fit in to smallish travel case. All the best Scott |
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hugmagic Inner circle 7672 Posts
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Scott,
Thank you for your enlightening remarks. I understand the difference in the poles. And I am so glad that Alan's work is in print. We talked the last time at Abbott's and I told him it was time for him to do another book as it had been far too many years from his two Goodlife publications. To watch Alan was a lesson in routining and prop management that had been honed carefully over the years. And add to the fact, that Alan was always just joy to talk and work it always made it a treat to see him work again. Thanks again for the footnotes. I have nothing but the highest regards for Alan and his work. 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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Zlwin Chew Elite user Malaysian Magician with 437 Posts
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Urm. Does anyone know where I can buy his props apart from his website? As mentioned earlier, I am from Malaysia. And his website only ships within America and Europe
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Zlwin Chew Elite user Malaysian Magician with 437 Posts
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I have emailed Steve but no reply yet
but I will wait. |
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts
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Chew, Scott Penrose was the other person that is partnered with Steve Short, you can contact him at his email address given in his profile above, in his post.
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts
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To complete this topic, I thought, I would post my review of the Book on the above website, as some may be interested in this publication.
Quote:
On Dec 30, 2014, Bill Hegbli wrote: Reference taken from: http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......orum=110 |
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cowboy5 New user 19 Posts
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Alan Shaxon-The Sophisticated Sorcerer is a nice read for any stage Magician. I like reading about the apparatus that is tested then becomes part of the performance. I enjoyed the book.
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Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts
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Good news, the book is available in the U.S. magic stores at a reasonable price of $65.00
http://www.tricksupply.com/Alan-Shaxton-......1715.htm |
Posted: Apr 24, 2015 09:28 pm 