Hi Escape Folks,

I am David Kaye. I write a column in Magic magazine about performing kid shows. I am writing a column now about an escape and I am having trouble identifying this trick. I would love your help.

This is an escape using a 15 inch PVC tube. Two holes are cut in the tube. Also two ropes are wrapped in thread in the middle. These are put into the tube. Around your wrists, break the thread, and you are out.

Does anyone know what this is called? Who invented it? Origins? Anything?

Thanks so much.
David Kaye

A version is taught in Dixie doley and he called it Bamboo Torture Device.

I don't know if that helps. I am sure some one here with more knowledge has the original name, but its too late tonight for me to look into my books. If its not answered by noon tomorrow I will pull out my books and look.

Grandmothers Neckless.
Then upgraded to ropes and rings (Street magic trick) See Percy Press DVD.

Ken

That Tie might also be Norm Bigelows or Abbotts has something similar.

The trick has been sold for decades (since the 1960’s at least) as the “Shanghai Shackles”. I don’t know who first took the old “Grandmother’s Necklace” principle and turned it into an escape trick. I bought the trick from Douglas Magic Land in Dallas, Texas back in about 1966 or so. I believe the instructions gave name to the person making the prop. I have long lost the instruction sheet (still have and use the prop).

In the late 70’s John Novak took the principle and turned it into a Pillory escape. The pipe went from 12-14 inches to three feet long and had three holes cut into it rather than two. One hole each for wrists and one for the neck. He changed the ropes to light chain. It became a dramatic escape in John’s hands. John used painted PVC pipe for the prop. It was cheap and easy to make and played strong.

I don’t think that Norm Bigelow used anything like this (but could be wrong).

I used John Novak’s idea and built a double cross bar pillory with the bottom cross bar made of metal and curved upwards at the end giving it a vague anchor look. I called it the “Anchor Escape”. It was used as a one-off publicity piece with me being dropped into a lake.

David, I guess you got your information you needed! I'll stop digging through my instruction folder trying to find them (I purchased this item about ten years ago).

I'm having withdrawls from lack of good bagels and pizza! Gonna try to remedy that in 2007!

Margarette

Norm has a different variation known as the spirit tube tie that does not use holes in the tube, and is an independant original version though similar with the tube between the hands and neck. Lay people still find this a very entertaining item.

It can be found in the work:

"Escaped.... and still on the run" by Thomas Carrier (a classic set of lecture notes from 1996 that is very difficult to find)

It is included as a bonus item that Norm describes as "the two ropes through the neck illusion" in an updated form.

To all who answered,

Thank you so much. I know very little about escapes and you really came through for me. You guys really know your stuff.

Read a fun kid show escape routine in the February Magic magazine.

David Kaye