I just posted this on the Danny's Busker site.
Might as well add it here too.

But....don't tell me about how windy it is at the pitch. I don't care. Wah wah wah.
Just do it when it's not windy.


Check out what's developed recently.
Let me know what you think...


I've been doing Ammar's Coins Thru Silk a lot lately in all but my larger stand-up shows.

Some great lines have been developed that would work great on the street...

3 coins. One goes thru the silk in the usual way and you're left with 2 coins.

With 2 coins in the silk, ask a lady... "Which do you prefer, Miss, the top or the bottom"

Even though you are talking about the coins, the obvious inuendo cannot be ingored by most and causes a lot of follow-up bits. You'll collect 'em as you go.
I do this very innocently, by the way. It's not my fault.



After she answers.... "The Top" (the usual answer) you can ask her husband. "Sir, did you know this about her?"
or more bold...
"Sir, do you agree? She like the top better?"



"As you'll see, the second coin will ...<pause>... well, I usually say penetrate, but with this group, I better say pass ... right thru the silk."


As I've performed this, I've had people refer to the silk as "underwear", and just last night... "my thong".

The lines keep building on themselves. The audience comes up with some good ones. They're basically doing the trick for you.

Let me know what you think.
Frank

You'll notice I take Doc Eason's advice here and lead them to the door (with inuendo, etc.) but they walk right thru all by themselves.

Confused. Is this about the coins thru the silk, or inuendo?

Both!
I guess.

I always liked the effect. When I started to do it, I did not mean to word the effect that way. It was kind of a mistake.

Anyway, the effect is spendid. I really like it.
It's great to get away from cards and let people see something they just don't get a chance to see often.

I was working with David Roth's coins through silk for a while, but utlimately decided that it didn't fit. How different is Ammar's version?

Ammar's version uses a see-thru silk.

You actually see 3 coins in the silk. One melts thru.
Then it's spectator's choice. Top or Bottom coin melts thru.
Third coin melts thru while in the spectator's hand.

And it's just a plain sheer silk and 3 coins.
No gimmicks. How refreshing.

Jim, It is very different than the usual coins and silk work. Not that the others are bad, in fact I plan on stealing Curtis Kam's from POSI. It's worth a look and it's on one of his ETMCM videos.

Jim,
It's also in one of his MAJ publications, as well as explained on his Magic Castle video (now on DVD!)

According to Michael, if you're paying more that a couple of bucks for the silk you're shopping in too nice of a store.

Wal-Mart has these for $1.50 and they work great! I've tried various colors but found that the double thickness during part of the routine changes the color enough that it sort of gives away what's happening. If you want to try this routine, stick to plain white.

Buy a few while you're at it. They don't always stock them, and the scarves get dirty and snagged rather easily.

Others have some good bits and moves for this routine as well.
I've also seen some versions where, in my opinion, they completely miss the point, and handle the coin in the silk too much.

For me the magic of the routine comes from coins being dangled inside the silk and one slips thru without going anywhere near it.

I guess Michael's own website is too nice a place. That's where I get mine and they're $6 each, I think. I bought white first and now I use red.

BTW, you'll be able to see through a regular 18" yellow or white magiciancs silk, but although not as see through like the Ammar silk.

I actually are rehearsing to start out with Nate Leipzigs version as an intro. 3 coins are thrown into a silk and completely vanishes. They are materialised one by one in thin air (a la a misers dream) and thrown/vanished up in the air only to drop into the silk one by one (only 3 coins are used). Then I'll move into the Ammar version of coin through silk. It requieres a less see through like silk to perform the Nate Leipzig intro (DAI Vernon, revelations DVD).

Coins through silk is easier to perform and almost equally great as Ring on String (Jay Scott Berry style) or Charming Chinese Challenge (Troy Hooser) which is also two great penetration close up effects. The ease of handling makes Coin through silks a great trick in the tool box.

Frank, Its of course about personality, style and personal charm, but I personally recommend never to create fun "below the belt" or to insinuate anything of the like in our jokes. I agree it makes people laugh most of the times, but that says more of the people laughing than the quality of the joke it self, and you will never be regarded as a class act gentleman with those kind of jokes - unless you really have the personal charm to get away with everything (you might have). In the words of the late Nate Leipzig "nobody minds being fooled by a gentleman" but somebody minds being fooled by a lesser man. I believe we can entertain, make people laugh and create wonders without going below the belt. I admit you patter is of the "innocent" type - however it's IMHO not really necesarry to go there. Again what might work for me, doesn't necesarrilly work for others. I just like to start the debate before everybody picks up on the "below the belt" style of jokes.

Is this the series of magazines that he published a few years ago?

I saw this performed recently at a IBM ring meeting, and it did look very nice. We have a couple of silk and coin routines that night, but this very visible one was the biggest hit.

BroDavid

Yes, MAJ is the Magical Arts Journal. Actually, it turns out that I found it in his Third National Tour Notes.

Vraagaard,
I'm not really doing anything below the belt. They are. I just follow along if they do. I didn't mention it here but the first time I used the "top or bottom" line, it was completely innocent. The lady just took it there.

When I take out the silk and somone yells out... "is that your thong", clearly I did not have a part in that, either.

Now, once people are laughing and having a good time with it, then it's just something you can have fun with. And it's not really you anyway. It's them.
There's nothing nasty about it, in my opinion, if done properly. Especially if you hint that you're the one that's surprised by the path the audience goes down.


I certainly would not be shoving this into their face to any degree.
I'm extremely sensitive about the issue.

My point was not as obtuse as ... "hey, let's all use inuendo and here are some lines to use".

I was making the observation that, after performing this effect many times in the past few months, this elegant effect seems to sprouting inuendo all by itself without any prodding from me.


IT'S NOT MY FAULT!!!!!
:)

Frank

You might want to look at a DVD by Nate Kranzo called Outside the Box. Among other items it has a very nice coin thru silk routine. I have been trying to combine part of the Ammar routine with the Kranzo routine but have not quite got it worked out. I really like the beginning of Ammar's routine, but after that I think Kranzo's is much stronger. (My Opinion)

Good Luck

Walking Bob

Ammar recently lectured at the Castle. His Coins thru Silk was one of the items he discussed. This routine really is a thing of beauty and it is truly a worker.

Hi Frank,

I see your point, and I believe we agree. I'm just sensitive to the subject since I've seen to many magicians lately doin a lot of "below the belt" and "toilet" jokes, and I don't think it's a trend we want to expand.

There's of course nothing wrong in catching a remark from the audience and "ride" along and let them continue the fun themselves.

It was just that your intial post was so much about the patter, that I wanted to raise a flag.

This is a beautifull routine, and I actually seen the Nate Kranzo version also, some quite clever additions.

Regards

Jan

I have the Kranzo DVD and didn't see anything yet that I thought about using.
I'll have to revisit. After revisiting, if anyone wants that DVD, let me know.
I'll probably be ready to swap/sell it.

I had one of the first of Nate Kranzo's booklets/manuscripts, and it was downright dismal. Hard to read, and tougher to understand. He said he was going to redo it, and send it out to me, but after a long while, he said his computer crashed and he lost it all. So I never bothered to pick up any more of his stuff. I know it is hard to illustrate with words, so maybe his video stuff is better than the manuscripts. But somehow it doesn't surprise me that it sounds like the Kranzo dvd is a bit lackluster.

BroDavid

Instead of 'Ammar's Coins Thru Silk ' do Francis Carlyles 'Silver & Copper Extraction', somehow similar to Dai Vernon's 'Expansion of texture'...
Use this -at least- when doing close-up work.

When I read and saw Michael Ammar's "COIN THRU SILK" I loved it. It was easy, visible and practical non card material, but I never got the reaction I wished!
A very good variation I saw from Chris Power at a convention. He let the coin dropped in a crystal ashtrey, that produced a great sound too. I never saw his routine in print or on tape but it should be published.
David Roth has a variation of M. Ammar's routine on one of his DVD's.

Daryl Martinez gave the advice to MA -when MA started to do it-, just to do it one time only and as a C/S extraction instead.
As it stands, it is too repetitive for audiences, it is very good and very visual, but mostly for magicians, and it was in MAs prize winning FISM act..,but again, that's for magicians..
Francis Carlyles version using a non-see-through silk varies, gives more spec involvement and has a surprise ending.