It is very hard to find one of those Korem Salt Bowls that still works.

After the initial run of them, there were some big issues with these bowls, and they never seemed to be quite the same.

You might send a message to Kenna Thompson and Ron Allesi that you are looking for one.

Posted: Apr 18, 2005 3:13am
Here is some more on the salt pour. According to Ross Bertram, it was originated by Henry Gordien, who used a simple tube. Ross tried increasing the capacity various ways. Ade Duval had Danny Dew make him a special gimmick for producing a silk which was later converted to use in the salt pour. Vernon had one of these.

There is a lot of information in The Magic and Methods of Ross Bertram.

To fill in the gaps of my historical knowledge : What is the Danny Korem Salt Bowl ? What did it do ?
(not asking for the method; just a description of it's function in a salt pour routine.)

I've posted this before. But I think it bears repeating.

The 2-DVD set "Ed Sullivan Presents The Beatles" contains the entire episodes in which the Beatles appeared. Two of them also contain magic acts. One is Fantasio (no canes or candles 'though!) and the other is Fred Kaps doing a card trick that goes wrong, (the audience seems embarrassed at first, Fred is almost done with the trick before they realize they're allowed to laugh) and the salt pour.

Can you supply the exact title, publisher etc. on that DVD with Kaps doing the salt, please?

"The Four Complete Historic Ed Sullivan Shows featuring The Beatles"

distributed by GoodTimes Entertainment (very VERY small print here, but it looks like 16 E 40th St., NYC, NY 10016.

Produced by SOFA Entertainment. http://www.sofa4u.com There's a number on the inside flap that reads 05-81624.

Fred Kaps is on the first disc, on the first show right after the Beatles (there's a position I wouldn't envy!)

Do you think we might get the Sullivan people to release a "magic" DVD? Or at least maybe a "variety" DVD that would feature magic along with the vents and acrobats et. al. that have appeared on the Sullivan show over the years.

SOLT, with help from Ricky Jay "did" a series with variety acts that did air, but I missed most of them. I don't have time to check right now, leaving tomorrow for three weeks in Europe.

OH, thanks for the details, etc., above.

Korem's Super Salt Bowl created the illusion that a clear plastic bowl was slowly filling with salt as it poured from your hand. It made whatt amounts to a saltshaker or so full of salt, look like a 10" in diameter by 3" high bowl of salt. It think it enhances the illusion since there is such a long pouring, but such a small quantity on the floor. This looks like the amount of salt is being produced that the illusion creates. It was mechanically very clever and ingenious, but not so well constructed.

Rick Anderson also had a salt pour gimmick that was literally endless. As I recall, he called it the Solid State Salt Pour. You stopped the flow whenever you wanted. You could, literally, pour for an hour if your audience wasn't asleep 58 minutes before. It relied on something completely different from the usual Salt Pour gimmicks. He, too, had a bowl, but its purpose was to vanish the "salt" at the end or, more accurately, change it to a silk.

I like the idea of catching it in a bowl, or a tray, rather than setting the stage up for a "sand dancer!"

I'm lost. What's SOLT? And I don't get to see a lot that DOES air these days so I'd be looking more for a DVD set like they did with the Beatles.

Andrew Solt is the owner of the Ed Sullivan shows. Do a google to find his site.

He runs a production company that bought the Sullivan run of programs about 20 years ago. It's great that they're finally releasing some of the material, and allowing re-broadcasts (though mixed and matched from different old episodes) on public tv. Of course, if you live in New York or LA, you can also view a lot of Sullivan material at the Museum of Television and Radio History.