I’d like to know if any of you know what book is considered to be the, "definitive" work on thimble magic? I’ve often thought about learning but haven’t taken the plunge?

Thank You!



Sincerely, Steve

I believe the book "Digital Effects" has just about everything you would ever want to know regarding the demanding art of thimbles.



I’m pretty sure L&L pub. carries it.

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Hi Steve,



For a real amazing thimble routine check out Mike Caveney’s book "MagiComedy" It is out of print, but the last time I was at Mike’s house he found a case in the garage, so you can still order one through him at

http://www.mcmagicwords.com

The routine is really something. A whole act by itself. Plus it is a "must have" book.



Wobbly guy for no reason



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You can get the Berland thimble act on Ebay, they have it for auction every week (Mondo magic). A very nice all wooden set with holders and a nice routine with a production of a full shot glass.



It’s usually less than $20.00, I had one that Mr. Brooks talked me out of



That would be a fairly cheap way to start.

Hey buddy, I just needed a set to mess around with until I get a good "Fakini" set.





_________________

Life is not a problem to be solved...

but a mystery to be lived.

Joe Mogar's Digital Effects is probably the most extensive and it is well written. Joe also sells nice plastic thimbles for about $15 or $20 a set.



If you want to start cheaper, there are a few smaller books for under $10:



Enochs, Lloyd: Master Manipulation of Thimbles

Hugard, Jean: Thimble Magic

Stern, Duke: Latest Thimble Magic

Wiersbe, Warren: Tantalizing Thimbles



Doug A.

There is only one place (actually two) where you will find the most direct thimble routine. Dai Vernon Book of Magic, and John Carney's video, Up Close and Far Away.

You will not find a more direct, magical, and portable routine anywhere else.

When I started in magic, more years ago than I care to remember, I bought a Berland Thimble act. I used it, with some slight modifications to the presentation, for years. I still have my original set and have two back-up sets all sold to me by Sam Berland before he passed away. I still practice this routine and do perform it from time to time (just to keep my hand in, so to speak).

I have also played with the nesting type of thimbles. Pat Page turned me on to them in the mid 70’s. I never actually put them into an act. They were something I would “play with” at a club or friends house. They are a great concept and I have seen a couple of magicians do great routines with them.
I just haven’t given them the time needed to build a routine that I would include in an act.

I also bought a set of the Fakini “Ultra Thimbles” from Denny (Denny & Lee), a few years ago, when I was buying a second set of Fakini balls (actually second set of Fakini golf balls and a second set of Fakini regular multiplying balls). Frankly, I don’t like the Fakini thimbles very much. They are fairly easy to manipulate but are much too large for my hands. With three stacked across my palm (a move I use) the top and bottom stick out. With four stacked! Don’t ask. So I have a set that I play with but have never performed with (four white thimbles, one sort of day-glow red and a jumbo white). I may end up selling them. Again it is not the thimbles that are poor (they are great!). It is me and how I handle them. I have not given them the attention they deserve.

The thimble routine that I am performing regularly, right now, does NOT even use thimbles! It uses a plastic gimmick made to look like a colorful band-aid. The concept and routine belongs to Skip Daniels.
He markets it as “Skip’s Big Boo Boo”.
I think it can be had from Hank Lee. All the moves and sleights are thimble moves and sleights! It is a classic thimble act with the final appearance of band-aids on all fingers! Believe it or not, I use it in my stand-up act for adults. I think that it plays better than a thimble act would in the venue’s I tend to work.

I don't know about "definative" but "Now you see it, now you don’t" has a pretty good section on the basics

What can you do with thimbles?? Apart from a very very small 'thimbles and balls' routine??

Hi,

Supreme had a good teach in book on nesting thimbles.

J. McBride has some nice moves on his manipulation tapes.

The illustrated book of close up magic might be suitable.

Tarbell vol 4

Routined manipulation part 1 and 2 has a good stage routine.

The Leipzig book has a direct and simple stage routine.

Yours faithfully

Dan

Most people don't see a reason to put thimbles in their act. It is not as natural a prop as most other props in a show; however, I've used an act for the comedy club gigs. I don't do it a lot, but I see no reason that I shouldn't since, there are not a lot of other magicians doing it. I also have some good jokes for thimbles if I do want to do it. I like thimbles... why not.

What!? You never heard of "thimble-rigging"?

:devilish:

[quote]On 2002-03-19 14:34, M.P.D. wrote:

"Most people don't see a reason to put thimbles in their act. It is not as natural a prop as most other props in a show..."


If this is true-- and I'm not sure it is -- that very fact might create an interest not found in card tricks. No one is going to say, "Oh, no. Not another thimble trick"?

It shouldn't take much work to come up with a reason for having a thimble on your finger. Or no reason.The appearance of a thimble on the magician's finger could be a surprise to him -- as cards and cigarettes kept appearing and dumfounding Cardini.

Magician tries to take thimble off and it appears on another finger. It disappears and appears again, changes color, multiplies, etc. Dumbfounded frustration.

If you get a chance, you should watch Johnny Ace Palmer's closeup act. If I remember correctly, he opened with some thimble moves.

Hal

I was fortunate in 1999 to see the award-winning act of Roy Davenport as part of an end-of-the-pier show. He included thimbles in his act. It highlighted for me the number one problem with thimble magic – you can’t see the blighters. As a performer of this he’s obviously become aware of this - before starting the routine a lady in a spangly dress walks across the stage carrying a large sign bearing the advice ‘WATCH THE THIMBLES’.

Hmm…

Cheers,

Matthew Blackwell

…and anyway… where’s the *excitement* in thimbles?

Hey, when you're about to shove a really sharp needle through thick burlap; finding a thimble is pretty exciting.

Sable

Nimble Thimbles is available from most magic dealers and good for starters. Comes with thimbles (dif. colours, nested, and regular) A booklet is included with moves and routines.

Don't forget about Tarbell, ofcourse.

cheers,

john

Steve Get those Fakini ones they are great,

Just one tip I have found both with the thimbles and the billiard balls, they seem to gather the grease from your hands and become very slippery if you wash them in washing up liquid then very very thouroughly rinse off with very cold water they go back to being sticky again

Cheers

Stephen