Been thinking about adding this to my bag of tricks. Anyone care to share there thoughts on who makes the best
version of this. I've found many makes on this effect, Bob Sanders, Richard Hughes, Viking, FAB and so on and so on. Anyone have a favorite?

There are three basic types of 20th Century Silk methods(yes there are others, but are variations on these three).

The gimmicked version, Bob and others have these versions. Only disadvantage is that there is not a knot seen and silks are not usable in another effect.

Unprepared version where the folding does the work. Advantage, knots are where knots are supposed to be, and silks can be used for other effects. Some of the folds used you have to be careful with so that exposure does not happen.

Switch method with unprepared silks. Use M***** glass or some other type of switching apparatus (Bags, etc.). Uses twice as many silks, but silks are usable. Also you have a prop involved.

All of the above methods can be done in a magical way and it just depends on what you are looking for in the effect.

James has given you a very good overview of the different basic ways to do the 20th century effect.

Each manufacturer has his own way of making his sets. The weight of the silk may be different from other sets. The vanished silk can be a solid color, a printed silk, or a tie dye.

Best if so subjective. It depends on what you need the effect to do and how you want to use it. The bottom line is if it does the job for you, that is the best.

Contact me via regular email if you need more information on my products.

Richard

If you are really committing to a 20th Century routine, you may also want to consider 24" rather than 18" silks. (You will need long arms.)

This will allow you to use 24" Knots-Off silk with the 20th Century Silk.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Or even 36" silks...yes I have made them that big.

Richard

MagiFest in Columbus is a great time to go to the dealer room and compare various 20th Century props. Take advantage of it!

Things you need to consider:

1. Can all 3 silks be shown square?

2. Is there "flash" from the bottom of the silks?

3. Is there "flash" through the silks in bright stage lights

4. Can you pick up the silks and accidentally dump out the load. (Top easy to find without looking?)

5. Are the silks real, colorful, whispy and convincing?

6. Do these silk mesh with the other silks in the rest of my act?

7. Can I get the color combinations I want?

Actually, my observation is that price is a poor indicator of these characteristics.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

I use something called Tube Blendo. I'm not sure if it is still available. The basic effect is supposed to be that three small silks (red, yellow, green) are placed in a cardboard tube. They come out tied together. Then they blend into one tri-colored silk. Instead of putting all three silks it the tube, I only put the red and green ones in the tube. Vanish the yellow one. All three are taken from the tube, the yellow between the red and green. Applause. Then I change the silks into the one tri-colored silk.

There is another trick which is also called Tube Blendo which uses four solid colored silks and bullseye blendo. That one is not suitable. This one uses only three solid colored silks and a diagonally died (tie-dyed) silk. The silks are pretty small, but you could make it out of larger ones with some fabric dye. (start with all yellow silks, then dye red one and red portion of the Blendo silk, then dye the green silk and the green portion of the Blendo silk, so the colors match.)

I use this for kids birthday parties, adult parties.

I also use it in my Gospel program, to illustrate the Trinity. The yellow silk (the Son) taken from the other two and placed in a draw box, which then becomes empty. The yellow silk is then on the right hand of God the Father ...

You don't have to use the cardboard tube, many devices will work (change bag, etc.), but the tube is pretty cool.

In deciding what version to do, you should think about whether you want to produce the silks magically before you do 20th Century silks, and whether you want to use the silks for something else.

For example, you could produce three white silks magically, then dye each a different color. Use the three colored silks to produce a bottle ("This"). Then tie two of those silks together, vanish the third, etc. After the vanished silk is found between the other two, you can then blend all three into a huge tri-colored silk, using your favorite method.

Thom

Thom,

For your Gospel Show, start with blank silks and change them into silks of the same colors except they have Christian Fish on them. There are loads of messages that can go with that.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

To clarify. In the Gospel presentation, I don't do the silk dying bit. I start with three silks tied together. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit were all present at the creation. ("In the beginning was the Word (Logos)..."). The yellow silk is untied, the other two go back in the tube. the yellow silk (Jesus) comes to Earth. He is killed and placed in a tomb (the box). But on the third day is tomb was empty. After the yellow silk (re)appears between the other two, I talk about the three persons of the Trinity. How although they are three ways we know God - as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer - they are not three gods, but One. Then I show that what appears to be three silks, each a different color, is (or becomes) a single tri-colored silk.

Anyway, the same locking drawer box is a good way to vanish a silk. It also might remind people of the scene in "The Illusionist" where a hanky is placed in a box, held by a spectator, then disappears.

Thom

Rarely do I do a show without 20th Century Silk. It is an easy way to make a volunteer look magical.

I think the reason more people don't use it is because they frankly don't know how to vanish an 18" or larger silk without gimmicks. That is a very poor excuse for not performing entertaining magic. Card and coin magicians will use gimmicks in a heartbeat. Stage magic should be no different.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

The absolute BEST version of 20th Century Silks is, in my humble opinion, HIDDEN in Albenice's Reel Magic!

It's a KILLER!

(I think it's pretty much a true statement that if you want to HIDE a great trick, put it in a book!)

If anyone has seen this done, they will know what I mean.

Jack Bridwell invites me on stage in the showroom to demo this every year at Abbott's.

Rainboguy,

In less than two weeks Colon will be full of magicians again.

Come by FAB and play with some of the odd 20th Century Silks that just aren't available the rest of the time. There are some for many unique situations like Happy Birthday, The End, Thank You, zebra stripes, and 24" sets. There are also loads of color combinations to use for team colors, Scouts, etc.

It will be good to see you again.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

PS --- Don't forget that FAB is in its new location across the street!

Please, Richard and Bob .. no offense, but wdwfan71, you might want to look at Silk King Studios as well. By experience, my 20 or 30 year old Rice Silks look brand new to this day! Just sayin'...

Ruth Rice has been so kind and generous, I cannot leave her out!

http://www.silkkingmagic.com

Gratefully,

Doug

LOL!

You'll never hurt my feelings plugging Harold Rice. Ruth will tell you he was one of my magic heroes.

Really hurt my feelings. Send me your Rice silks! LOL

Actually as the economy in the USA continuously deteriorates, silk becomes a better and better investment. As the magicians' silk importer, I have experience a 26% decline in the value of the US dollar in foreign trade so far this year and there are still 3 months to go. If this holds true for two more years of the current administration, silk prices should increase by another 52% by the next election in 2012.

The great news is that good silk stays good silk for a lifetime. You certainly can't say that for rubber, paper and plastic props. I have silk props over 30 years old in my show. (I won't tell how old some of my real silk treasures are!)

Multiple 20th Century Silks allows changing colors for themes, sponsors and seasons. This month I am using black and orange.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

I've been playing with a method detailed in a 1959 Linking Rings -- using a double paper bag. This can be used for 20th Century, Color Changing, Sympathetic and many other approaches. You place the two knotted silks and the free one into the sack, inflate it and pop against your hand with a loud bang. The three silks fly out all knotted together. The inner sack will not burst as it is not inflated. Toss the crumpled sack away, but remember to retrieve it later.

For Halloween I'm having a Rainbow Silk being "frightened" into ghostly white with the color flying through the air as a million dots.

I used to use 24" silks for 20th Century. I used an "M" Goblet, and a Rice Palmo for the vanish. I used to work without sleeves a lot, so a pull would not have worked. A servante was set up behind my table for the ditch. I don't have most of those Rice Silks any more due to the loss of all my magic, earlier mentioned.

I did keep a few, though, and will definitely purchase more in the future. So the gaffed 20th Century is recommended, eh? I am going to look into that. And, it saves $50-60 on that M***** Goblet! LOL!

Doug

This does work! I used this method for years to "print" a card on a blank silk.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Read through the Rice's Encyclopedia and you'll find hundreds of pages on just the 20th century silks.

The best method is the one you enjoy the most and have fun performing.

Peter Scarlet from England has a very visual version of the 20th century silks, were the silks fly through the air and leap between the other silks. Very magical, it is in his lecture notes.

Fantasio also has a version using his vanishing canes.

Fukai has a version in his lecture notes, using a vanishing cane as well.

Take a look at Tony Marks version in his book, he uses a string of 5 silks.

Which one is the best (?), the one you are willing to put the time and trouble into for your audiences. Do you want to present your magic with little effort or do you believe the effect is all important, and you want your magic to look as magical as you can.

Many versions, which fits your image and work ethic.

Nate Leipzig's in Roy Benson by Starlight, Charlie Miller thought very highly of it.