Hi. I recently aquired a Production Tambourine made by Tricks Co. Japan. I do not know how old it is but it is in great shape and has supposedly never been used. It is still in the original box and wrapped in plastic. However, no instructions came with it. I know how to use the prop and all, but I would like to have a set of insructuons to complete the set.

I know Tricks Co. has been out of business for a good while. Does anyone know where I might be able to find a set of instructions for this prop? I have searched the net and also here, but came up empty.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Regan...PM me with a better description of the prop. I have used a home made version of the Merv Taylor "TAMBOR", eons ago (1940s) when I was a teenager, and, didn't want to spend the $18. for the Taylor "professional" prop (!!). It served me well for about 10 years. Then I bought a used Taylor tambourine. I've use THAT for well over 60 years!

Back in the '50s, the late Billy Russell, published HIS very practical loading technique, and, I've used it since.

I would imagine that your Japanese prop is not much different than the "standard" Taylor type prop (other than dimensions, perhaps). My (Billy's) handling accidentally was left out of my book. Anyway, perhaps I can be of help!

When you write, give me the dimensions of rings, and loader.

Dick

In the Rice Encyclopedia of Silk Magic, Volume 1, under "Apparatus Quantity Productions," you'll find the original Petrie Lewis instructions for a trick they named "Creative Silks," that is essentially a small tambourine. Like Dick Oslund, I made my first tambourine from a toy drum, combining the drumhead tube principle with the tambourine principle to get twice as much from it. First the drum would provide a load of silks, and then upon taking it apart, before putting it back together, I showed that I could get a load of silks from just the single drumhead, playing it like a tambourine. Then I used the silks from newspaper principle to produce a load from just the plain single sheet of paper with no drumming or tamb-ing parts. I ended with the glass of wine, as described in The Wizards' Journal #35-02. Thanks for triggering those memories!

Thanks guys. I know how the apparatus works and how to use it. I have a routine ready as soon as as I round up a few more items. I just wanted a set of the original instructions because its such a nice piece. I always like to keep the insructions for my props but they were missing this time.

The Tricks Co. Japan item # is SM-11 and they called it, "Production Tambourine".

I have a small close up version made by P&L from the 1960's or earlier. Still in blue box with production paper streamers.

YES~ P&L made "Creative Silks", I believe, as early as the '40s, and, perhaps even earlier, Bill. I've seen the beautiful little prop, but, have never seen anyone DO it!!!