Use the Abbott cage. never a problem or stiches

I'm not really familiar with Abbott's cage, but isn't it much like a jellyfish? One of the features I did like about the MW cage was that it could held sitting upright flat on the palm of one hand. This was not the traditional holding position, but it was a nice vanish to bring the free hand over the top and then with a slight wipe of the palms, the cage was gone.

The Abbott's syle is difficult to hold but it does vanish easily. It was performed by a number of famous old time club and stage magicians. After seeing the Billy McComb DVD on the Vanishing Bird Cage, I wish Abbott's new how to wrap the Ribbon as the original cages were wrapped. I think it would improve the handling many fold, and maybe even assist in the cage being very slightly more rigid. I guess the prop way to apply the ribbon has gone as many secrets, to the grave. Only the few who have the originals know the proper wrap method.

Michael, thanks for the drawing. I see what you mean, but I never had that problem. I would say a problem like that was that the wire bars were not bent enough or to much over a right angle, thus causing a bind against the other bars and bending the cage out of intended shape.

I find this discussion very interesting as this is what the Café is really intended to do, discuss magic and the possibilities.

A Lindhorst cage purchased from Gene DeVoe at DeVoe's Magic Den in St. Louis was my first vanishing bird cage. Yes, this is modeled after a Lindhorst bird cage.

I had the Rolls Royce of cages... a Jon Martin... but when someone offered me $1,000.00 for mine I sold it. I now have an Owen, once broken in, is terrific. I also have an olde German cage that works like a champ, which I use in lectures to demonstrate my dump of the cage and vanish of the pull so you are left totally clean. For MC work I used Ken Brooke's gag doing the cage with a jumping stool.

I think you may have misunderstood my drawing. The wires were in perfect alignment, as they should be. Nothing was bent out of shape. The drawing shows that one corner in mid-collapse. Because the wire bar closest to the end of the square bar stock is set away from the end by about 1/2", it creates the effect of a small pair of scissors, as it closes. Until the cage has fully collapsed, that "scissors" area becomes a snagging point. Snagging the jacket cuff is bad enough, but I managed to snag the web between two fingers.

Michael, I understand now, that is why Tommy Wonder put a loop wire over that corner, to guide the clothing over the edge.

The current India copies do the same thing, that is why I am trying to mold the clay glue over the loop bars. This I hope will smooth out things traveling over the glue, as well as make it kind of a thicker bar which I hope will guide the clothing up over the edge.

Tommy had an original Milson-Worth that had the brass bars and aluminum bars. This made it possible to solder extra brass wire bars to the unit. All the India models are chromed, so that make soldering more difficult.

Tommy's cage was made to vanish fast but did not lend itself to being quickly reset.

Owen's are a great cage but they do usually have to be broken in.

Chris at Encore Magic used to make a very good cage. In fact, Lance used his most of the time. I still trying to get him to build me one. Chris made some cages for Tommy and even a couple of Tommy's complete units with his permission for guys.

One thing to remember is why Billy did the cage slowly. He could show you the scar where the bar broken and jabbed him in the wrist. That is when he developed the slow motion vanish. That tape set has to be the definitive work on the bird cage as far as rigid cages.

I have seen a couple of guys that can hold the Abbott's cage securely, but not many. I once asked H. B. why he used the Abbott model. He gave me a couple of very good reasons. First you will not break a kid's fingers in it. Second, he wore it for over half of the show so it had to be comfortable to year.

Bill, you are absolutely correct about how the ribbon is sewn on today versus the old cages. There is a difference.

I think it should also be note that though we call this an Abbott cage; it was also made by others. Ed Miller made a very good one. I have one that a customer made me that is very good also.

Richard

Somewhere I have an Abbott "close up cage" as I recall it was about 3/5ths size. A lot of the European models will stand up and also have clever sleeve guards. I used to be a nut and bought many cages, including a round Martin cage as well as the rectangular one. I sold my Martin cage pull to Tommy Wonder but still have my Hammerton one. However, what I use is a giant fishing line LOOP from around my thumb on the hand opposite the cage. That way I can slip it off and dump the cage and the loop and wind up clean.

The first magician I remember seeing as a kid was Steve Shepherd, who closed with the vanishing cage and let audience search him, winding up with his clothes all off, except for a pair of polka dot boxer shorts. He was a great club date act in San Francisco in the '50s and created the Girl in Goldfish at Bimbo's 365 Club.

Pete Biro, I would really like to see your version of the Vanising Cage, if you could make a video and stick it on your site or Youtube, that would be wonderful to see. Just the intro, Vanishing and Clean-up.

Richard Hughes, thanks for your comments, they are very interesting.

My arthritis prevents me from doing something so physical... besides... the getaway requires a live audience situation to get the misdirection and timing right.

I walk on with the cage and fake bird in it. I walk to and fro a bit, saying, "I'm taking my bird for a walk. Can you see it back there? (talking to the back row)... no? Wait... (I then get the jumping stool, set it down and start to stand on it, but it collapses, and flies up in the air (at this time the cage goes) AND WHEN IT COMES DOWN I CATCH IT... AND REALIZE THE CAGE IS GONE.

Then, when the time is right I get the loop off my thumb and either dump the cage (and loop) into an open top table or go to the wings to get something and toss it.

I have a National Magic cage that I love. It is the best looking cage from the stand point of really being a cage. A few years ago I bought a new costume and I did not practice with the new suit except for a few times before the show. Well in the show it did vanish but not real well. It got caught about halfway and ripped the lining of my jacket and tore up my cage. I contacted Jim Riser to fix it and he wouldn't touch saying it was a dangerous cage. It was modified before I bought so I don't think it is a danger anymore. Just need to find someone to fix it. I love cages wish I could find more. Anybody?

Pete:

The bit with the jumping stool is brilliant. I have to give that a try!

The stool with cage gag was given to me by Ken Brooke.

I have a vanishing bird cage from the 70's or 80's
It came in a silver mylar tube with stick on letters.
Does anyone know who made it?

I wish I could have met Ken Brooke. It seems like I love everything he put out, and his instructions are second to none.

Ken was a performing genius and one of the best "demonstrators" anywhere. A great teacher too.

The Owens cage is the best cage on the market. It can be held with one hand away from the body. It's vanish is very smooth. It's hard to imagine getting that kind of quality, or anything near it, for $45. I have owned a MW, Abbott and an Owens (which I still have and use in my lecture and performance) which Les Smith worked on while I was in the shop. I wish he was here to comment because the man was a master craftsman who knew his magic intimately. I would always get an earful of theory and opinion from him while he tinkered on whatever he was working on. It's more than a sentimental choice for me, it's simply the best cage. My work on the Vanishing Canary Cage is in the April Genii.

Looking forward to it John. And when can we be expecting to hear more about this quest for the grail on the Magic Newswire?

Mac
I am going to start writing them again at the end of April