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Anatole Inner circle 1912 Posts |
The theme for the next meeting of IBM Ring 103 in Norfolk, Virginia is "Classics of Magic."
I am writing an article for our newsletter _The Wizard's Eye_ trying to discuss what makes a trick a "classic." I've compiled a list of some of the tricks that I consider to be "classics" and this is what I have come up with so far: The Cups and Balls Linking Rings Producing a Rabbit from a Hat Sawing a Person in Half The Egg Bag Aga Levitation Ball Vase Chinese Sticks Miser’s Dream Back Palm Card Productions Color Changing Handkerchief Coin in Bottle Out of This World Passe Passe Bottle and Glass What other routines could be included? In my efforts to define what qualifies a trick to be designated a "classic," I have established two criteria so far: 1. A classic stands the test of time (e.g. "Cups and Balls," "Linking Rings," "Sawing a Lady in Half") 2. A classic is popular with both magicians and the audience they perform for (e.g. Egg Bag, "Out of This World"). I'd be very interested in thoughts from members here as to what they consider to be a "Classic of Magic." ----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez
----- Sonny Narvaez
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martydoesmagic Inner circle Essex, UK 1665 Posts |
Hi Sonny,
A classic car is any motor vehicle 25 years or older, usually with some historical interest to collectors. I think a similar definition works for magic tricks: Any popular magic trick 25 years or older that is historically important to magicians. Anything a little newer (between 10 and 25 years) could be considered a modern classic. Cut and Restored Rope should be on the list. There are also a ton of card tricks that could be on there, e.g., "Triumph", "McDonald's Aces", and things like the Card Stab. Same with coin magic: Coins Across, Matrix, Three Fly. There are also specific creators that I'd associate with classic material, such as Dai Vernon, Larry Jennings, Roy Benson, David Roth, and so on. I think most classic magic tricks have an element of novelty/innovation. They're unlike anything that came before or a much better version of something already existing. I hope that helps! Good luck with your article. Marty |
funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9981 Posts |
Two in hand , one one pocket variations are very ancient.
I think Coin to Bottle would qualify, and any ring and rope
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
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Anatole Inner circle 1912 Posts |
Thanks for your comments, Marty and Ken!
Great suggestions! ----- Sonny
----- Sonny Narvaez
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ChrisPayne Loyal user UK 240 Posts |
Cards across
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critter Inner circle Spokane, WA 2653 Posts |
Triumph?
Ambitious card?
"The fool is one who doesn't know what you have just found out."
~Will Rogers |
Tom Cutts Staff Northern CA 5925 Posts |
The obvious… Invisible Deck…. And the less obvious but far more performed… coin from child’s ear.
And of course… sponge balls |
critter Inner circle Spokane, WA 2653 Posts |
Chink-a-chink
Card stab
"The fool is one who doesn't know what you have just found out."
~Will Rogers |
ChrisPayne Loyal user UK 240 Posts |
Here are a couple of (possibly) provocative suggestions about what makes a classic.
There should be a clear and distinctive effect or plot that a spectator can describe in a short sentence. So "almost anything with a ring and rope" doesn't fit. There may be many different methods and variations evolve, in fact that is good support for it being a classic The plot/trick needs to endure, not simply be old. There are plenty of old tricks that have simply had their day and, because they haven't endured, are not classics. |
Lawrence O Inner circle French Riviera 6811 Posts |
Further to the smart selection above, we could possibly consider adding (in a more logical order)
Color changing knives Three card Monte Nutshell and pea Floating cane (or stick or wand) Coins through the table Spoon bending color changing deck (including nudist ones) D'lite effects Floating $ bill Card or coin under glass (or salt shaker) Spellbound Purseframe effects (with coins or with sponge balls or other prop) Cigarette or pen through coin Sponge bunnies (or sponge balls) Cylinder and coins Torn and restore newspaper Gypsie thread Stage floating handkerchief Cigarette multiplication and vanishes Torn and restored paper hankerchief Professor's nightmare Al Leech's Hot Card Trick (also called Chicago opener or red hot mamma) Six card repeat Book test Cold reading Linking borrowed fingerrings Ring on string Ring on stick Chop cup (if accepted as slightly different than C&Bs) Diminishing cards ACAAN Open travelers (sometimes called invisible palm) Blendo Twentieth Century Silk Salt pour from the fist Rice balls Smoking the thumb Snow Storm in China Zombie ball Billiard balls (or golf balls or glass soap bubbles)
Magic is the art of emotionally sharing live impossible situations
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John magic New user 20 Posts |
Every Magician you know has one
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BobMillerMAGIC! Regular user MN 103 Posts |
Ring & String is a classic routine because it uses a classic effect: Penetration. (or non-destruction) Other tricks in that same type are: Sawing a person in half, Linking Rings) I would define Penetration as a bit different than Cut & Restored Rope which is a Restoration. Solid through Solid is a good description. And the most eye-popping Ring & String Routine is Relentless because it has many variations and is the only R&S routine with three ON moves, which are more rare. Here's a link to the video:
https://buy.bobmillermagic.biz/magic-1/1......download
PreDate: The NoMem Calendar Trick
http://www.BobMillerMagic.biz |
tommy Eternal Order Devil's Island 16544 Posts |
Classical is normally considered characteristic of the 18c. As far as magic goes that would be witchcraft, sorcery, and the like. The "false sorcerers" as d'Argenson called them, practised divination and drew up horoscopes. They had books of invocations with diabolical symbols, which they used to dictate pacts to simple people; they even persuaded them that they themselves had become sorcerers. One can play the role of a "false sorcerer" of the 18c and use evocation in effect, et cetera. For consistency, everything would have to fit the bill.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy |
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