I just got an e-mail from Walter Blaney today describing something I'd heard about. A company called China Magic is now selling knockoffs of his metal hoop for about half what he charges. They are also selling knockoffs of other proprietary material, such as the Losander tables.

Here's what happens. They either order one of the genuine article by mail, or they go to one of the many illusion shows at their theme parks that employ American, Japanese or European illusionists. They copy everything down to the last detail.

Once the contract is up, they send the foreigners back home with their illusions, and in a matter of weeks, they have Chinese illusionists performing knockoffs.

All anyone can hope is that the people who buy these knockoffs get burned.

Thanks for the heads up. No doubt these fakes will be hitting ebay and others masquerading as the real deal. What a rip off!!

The Chinese belief re: ownership / protected material/ copyright/ etc; is considerably different than ours.
In 1990 I was performing in Beijing and when I cam back to the same park in 1991, I heard something familiar...my entire musical score (20 minutes of music!) had been copied via tape in the exact same sequence and was now being played in support of a unicycle juggling -plate balancing act!

BTW- I can't think of anything further from my style of magic, than the aforementioned act...only goes to show you! LOL

Basically, the Chinese don't believe there is such a thing as private ownership of intellectual property. They are not signatories to the Berne accord, so you can forget about recovering any damages.

I went to the web site of China Magic today. I'm not going to post a link. You can find it by googling. They have knocked off not only the items, but also the packaging in some cases. Walter Blaney's hoop has been knocked off. There is a link to a you tube video of someone who looks like D.C. using it.

They have knocked off a number of Losander's tables.

They have copied Mesika's "Tarantula."

This must be a violation of some kind of FISM policy.

Most of the magicians who competed at FISM know NOTHING about magic except their acts. Gene Anderson spent some time discussing magic with one of the participants. She didn't even know what a THUMB TIP was, for Pete's sakes!

How can anyone give an award to a live puppet that regurgitates an act onstage?

We can't do anything about this, because China OWNS our national debt.

You want a good deal on the Wellington/Zimmerman Master Prediction System? You can get one at China Magic for half what Wellington charges. There's even a link showing Criss Angel performing it.

You want a vanishing cane for a couple of bucks? They have them in colors. Same with appearing canes.

I may have found a flaw in their system, though. They are producing gaffed American coins. Maybe they are making their own coins. If so, then they can be gotten for counterfeiting.

One more thing: This is not a blanket condemnation of all people or things Chinese. One of the most talented and original designers and makers of balls for the cups and balls is James Tong, who lives in Hong Kong. He makes really wonderful things nobody else is producing. There are many very capable and honest people I know both in this country and in China who are fantastically good people.

But there is this wholesale lack of understanding between China and us over intellectual property.

Who suffers from it? The guy whose material is being knocked off, the purchaser who thinks he is getting the real thing and the dealer who gets busted for carrying protected merchandise. Anytime a magic dealer sells a counterfeit DVD from China or a counterfeit trademarked magic trick from China, he is setting himself up for a raid and for prosecution. It happens all the time when people counterfeit Gucci bags.

Posted: Sep 19, 2009 5:11pm
Let me add, lest anyone think this is about people who are from China or who are of Chinese extraction. It isn't. One of the most creative people I know is De Yip Loo, fondly known to his friends as "Louie." He is a very nice man. He was a great inventor. He was a fine craftsman. He has had a stroke and is being cared for by his daughter, Frances Mai-Ling, who is a gifted piano player, composer and singer. She is also a very talented graphic artist.

They are originals. And there are thousands more like them in this country and in China. But this one magic company is doing all of them an injustice.

I'm sure FISM knew about the chinese knock-offs, yet they still went to China for FISM.

What does this say about ethics in magic?

I mentioned this in another topic. A buddy of mine told me that in the Dealer Room at FISM the knockoff bunch were hawking their wares right in front the originators! How's that for big brass ones!

The message I get from FISM is "we don't care about knock-offs"...nice way to respect the originators.

You'd think Yigal would be ALL over that one. I guess he only picks on little guys though.(lol)No offense Yigal, but here's a good fight for you. One worth the efforts.

Well, Gospel Dan, you seem to be only partially informed. Yigal IS all over this one.

What are you actually trying to say, Dan? Are you ticked off because Yigal busted one of your friends for selling a knockoff of some of his material?

I know of a number of cases where all Yigal did was ask someone to quit advertising that they were selling something that he owned.

Nope no axe to grind on my part.(lol) I just thought Yigal would be all over this one like a dirty shirt. I've only seen him go after the little people, and thought here was a real fight to fight. You mention that he is all over this one, so you must have inside info. Sorry for ruffling your feathers.

Dan -- you seem to be the one with the ruffled feathers concerning Yigal. He has gone after much bigger targets in the magic business than either of us when he has seen one of his patents or trademarks violated.

I believe you Bill. You won't get an arguement out of me. Thanks for letting me know.

From what I've read, China is the ground zero for copied CD's and DVS's being distributed. Unless the goods are distributed in the U.S. I'm not sure much can be done. It hurts so many people by this happening.

(...to pander?)

like those bamboo shoots under your wallet?

Feed the panda?

There is something in the wind right now, that if the American manufacturers will do it, they may be able to put some of these guys out of business. If the European manufacturers get on the bandwagon, it will dry up their markets.

More later.