I was watching some of Harry's old performances from TV and was reintroduced to a routine that I had tried to figure out many years ago but was never able to find it written up anywhere nor was I able to figure it out by watching the program over and over on VHS. He starts out with a newspaper and begins talking about when he was a boy, he wanted a hat but could not afford one, so a guy showed him how to make one out of paper. He proceeds to fold the paper hat into several hats using only one or two simple folds from the last hat. It was a very impressive routine. Does anyone know what this routine is called or where I may find a similar routine in print?

Posted: Feb 11, 2007 6:24pm
Please ignore this thread. I just realized he wasn't using paper, but rather a felt type material.

This nearly-lost art is called "chapeaugraphy", and there is an inexpensive ($3) downloadable ebook on the subject at http://www.lybrary.com/the-art-of-chapeaugraphy-p-246.html

If you want more information, they also offer a CD for $25 with three ebooks (including the one above) at http://www.lybrary.com/chapeaugraphy-p-68.html

I got the Chap-o version of the felt ring at a very reasonable price (mine was $14.95 plus shipping - I'd double check their website just to make sure), and did go to Lybrary for the first ebook Airship mentions. It's fun to work with.

http://www.chap-o.com/

The Chap-O is great, but you should know that you will have to cut the felt to fit your noggin, but they include a template to allow you to do just that. My suggestion is to start a size smaller than you think you will need, and play with it a bit, and then if you need to take more off that is a simple matter. You can make your own if you have access to thick felt material, however after pricing out the cost of thick felt versus the Chap-O, I went with the Chap-O. The Chap-O also comes with an annoying "Chap-O' designer tag/label, but that can easily be reomved, since it is glued on to the felt.

Gene Anderson has a newspaper chapeaugraphy act in "Newspaper Magic" which shows how to fold a sheet of newspaper into six different hats (Mortarboard, Admiral's Hat, Napoleon's Hat, Hood, Sombrero, and Cowboy Hat).

Magic Inc has a good book by Frances Marshall. Multiple examples and I think a simple routine that I used in my outdoor performances for years.

Robert

I believe the paperback, "Complete book of newspaper magic" has a simalir routine with about 5-6 different changes and in the end it turns into a shirt, there is a rhyme that goes with it.

NUMS