talkmagic.co.uk

I will look it up this afternoon Stu--in memory of the fact that I was trained for 5 years at The Henwood Academy of Dance & Dramatic Art--about 5 minutes away from your shop.
I once told John Milner, in a couple of e mails, it is a pity he couldn' have opened the shop when I was at The Henwoods, in the early 1950's!! and living in Cradley Heath.
Of course he wasn't born then!

Allen Tipton

Sorry Stu-- I have checked Alan Shaxon's 'Routined Magic', volumes 1 & 2--videod I think, in Germany--and alas it is not there.

And I'm sure I have seen it on a tape somewhere!!


Another thing that has stuck in my mind is:
Someone produced a gas mantle made of a sort of plastic--stronger than the old fragile type

Allen Tipton

I did come across a very old time magician who pretended to inhale gas, stuck a pipe in his mouth & lit it. He had a sponge, soaked in petrol!!! in his mouth and breathed the fumes down the pipe!! NOT RECOMMENDED!

You might be interested in the version by Ram Das & Kim--they signed my autograph book at the BMS Celebrations in 1954. Wonderful 'Indian' Act with a huge Zombie, bigger than a football!

MULTI-JET GASOMETER.
'It consisted of a length of capped brass pipe, into which were fastened 7 metal jets.
Then there was also the usual rubber tubing. One by one the 7 jets were lit as the performer blew through the tube. A great sight with all 7 burning away.
One by one they were then extinguished, the last being 'turned off' with the old gag of twisting the ear.'
NO gas mantles.

It is in the thick red catalogue; No 4 part 1. Published by Edwin's Supreme around 1967. It is 28 pages in (you will have to count them..No numbering) with a great illustration. The price 63 shillings
For our younger readers this is £3:15p.

Paul Anthony of Cyncoed, Cardiff and Russ Hall (Magick Enterprises,Sheffield) bought up lots of Supreme's stock. I think Russ also bought the rights of much Supreme apparatus.

Might be a good idea to ask them or Ian Adair if he remembers the effect.

Allen Tipton

Well I can't ask for better info than that! Thank you very much Allen, definately lots of helpful info there that I can use.

John probably wouldn't thank me for this but trust me he was around in the 1950's! But to be fair he would be quite young.

Small world by the way, I'm Cradley Heath born and bred. Born and still living in Colley Gate in fact. Whilst classed as 'Halesowen' I'm sure you know that us Colley Gaters class ourselves as Cradley.

Thanks again for the help.

tilly lamps.


http://www.tilleylamp.co.uk/spares.htm

Thanks Dale. I thought for a moment then, 'Who the hell is he calling a Tilley Lamp!'

More useful info!

Odd thoughts at a tangent (with no magic and nowt to do with the thread) Vesta Tilley was an English Male impersonator who appeared in the UK and USA, her real name was Matilda Alice Powles, so I guess she just took 'Vesta' as in Swan Vestas matches and 'Tilley' as in lamp to be her stage name .

OK, back to the plot!

spot on re vesta. a name that all men would know, but Tilly is short for Matilda, her first name.

And when Cyril Critchlow had his wonderful Museum & Theatre on Coronation Street, Blackpool, he had one of Vesta Tilley's stage suits on display.
She married into the 'Upper Classes?'
Well to Walter de Frece who was a theatre owner and entrepreneur. He was knighted in 1919 (?) so Vesta became--Lady de Fece.

From memory--in the 80's--I think there was a Coco the Clown outfit there too.
In the Theatre, which was upstairs, there were large posters of Chung Ling Soo.

Allen Tipton