Does anyone know of a souce for a well-made version of this effect? I don't mean the cheap, thin yellow version with foam core that's found easily on eBay. I'm looking for a version made with the standard common white magician's rope, with all the rope pieces in the right lengths.

I had one of these that I purchased from Duke Stern in Atlanta back in the mid-70s, and it was great. But somehow, over the year, it has been lost.

TED

Make it yourself! My first was given to me by Monk Watson and I've gone through maybe two dozen over the years. Two lengths of rope, a scissors (to cut one in half) and a needle and white thread is all you need. Takes more time to assemble the materials than to make the prop.

In fact I made one for a good friend and budding magician just last year. It has become a central routine in his act (using a variation of my story line published here on the Café').

Isn't this a Professor Cheers rope trick? I bought the directions on how to build mine a long time ago. I still have the directions. Ted, let me know if I can help with specific lengths etc.

Tom

Tom:

No, this is Prof. Cheer's rope trick -- which I have and still perform on occasion. The "Rope with 4 Ends" (or whatever it may be called) starts out looking like you're holding one length of rope approx. 2 to 2-1/2 feet long. One rope, one middle & two ends. Then it's one rope, two middles & two ends; followed by one rope, one middle & three ends (weird!); and then two ropes, two middles & four ends. Suddenly it's back to one rope as at the beginning. You tie ONE knot in the middle of the rope, and when you swing the rope around in the air, it's suddenly seen to have THREE knots along the length of the rope.

TED

I posted the story line I've been using for over three decades here:

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/searc......=6008642

It gives you some idea of the trick.

Sorry TED, I stand corrected.

Great Story line Harry Thanks for sharing.

It is a fun little routine for me. My story is basically true (except for the rope changing) so it rings true. It is a true personality piece for me gets a number of soft laughs, helps establish my character, and is magical. It clearly isn't a closer but I have opened with it and always keep it toward the top of the act.

The beauty of it for me is that it is technically easy to perform and helps calm the nerves early on in the act. It is almost fool proof, the story line dictates the action to move and vice versa.

Another big plus is that it is so very easy to make. I got my first one from Monk Watson (who remembers him?) and have made dozens over the years.

Who could forget Monk Watson after seeing him perform? I caught his train routine in sterio,At bbotts, tears ago. He had us all in stitches !

Kotah

I have been in magic for over thirty years and I do not believe I have ever seen this performed. Does anyone know of an internet video presentation of this trick?

David Tower

KOTAH:

I, too, caught Monk Watson performing his "train" routine at the Abbott's Get-Together in 1974. What an act!! I'll never forget it.

And the version of "rope with four ends" (also called 1-2-1 Rope) was shown to me and taught by Duke Stern when he was working at a magic shop in Atlanta, GA.

TED

Take a look at the video at 2:30. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8eTBSmFA7c

Enjoy!

Thanks for that! It took me back to sitting in a dinner with Monk with him walking me through this bit. He actually taught me a slightly different handling and said that it was more "modern" (whatever that meant!). The handling I use today is exactly what he talked me through all those years ago.

Go on in the video to watch him again at about 7:18 and watch his traveling knot bit.

Alan,

Thanks for posting that link. I really enjoyed watching the whole clip.

David Tower

I have seen the routine performed a couple times. I have even done it once or twice. I'm not really crazy about it,.. but it's nice if you need a short filler. I keep it in my box in case something breaks.

It is more than a filler for me. My story line and presentation style turn it into a funny personality piece. True I tend to put it a couple of tricks into the act but I have opened with it as it sets the stage in terms of my performing persona. I have also used it as a single-o trick when I was asked to perform just one thing (everyone else was doing cards).

Never learned that effect. It looks great. Is your method similar to tabary's opening segment?

Harry:

I, too, used to open many of my club and civic group shows with the 1-2-1 Rope. And like you, I think it helps set the stage for the rest of my act by showing something off-beat, surprising, and magical right at the start.

TED

Is the trick (Rope w/4 Ends)anywhere in print (or video) that teaches how to make it?
Thanks

You can see Monk Watson his own self, sitting in his den at home in Colon, MI performing one of his handlings of this trick here (it starts at about 2:17 in so don’t get impatient) in the link above. I say one handling because I saw Monk perform this several times and he had two or three handlings. This is his handling using a false knot at the end. He often did a different ending (real knot and toss the rope away).

I think that any magician that has done rope magic for a while can actually figure out this little trick just by watching the video a couple of times.

That said I know that there is a very inexpensive version of the prop being sold for under $5.00. It can be found here:
http://www.mooncostumes.com/item/8880

If you want to see the prop exposed and still not know what to do with it you can check out Elmwood magic’s sight. The prop being shown is a very cheap model made in india from some kind of knitted material and not rope. It can be remade in rope in about 10 minutes.

Ado Colombini has a version of this trick that ends up with plucking the ends off the rope. It can be found on a couple of his videos.

I have been making my own since I got my very first prop.

Thanks Harry. I appreciate it!