Hi Bob:

I'm Rick Morein, the guy from Green Bay who said..."Are you Bob?" on Thursday when you were walking down the street in front of Fab, then we went inside and talked for about an hour.

It was great to meet you, talk magic (silks and eggs and loads and such), and make another friend in Magic, Bob. I sincerely appreciate your time.

I'm sorry I couldn't make your lecture, but I did buy from Rick an 18 inch line of silks and a set of 16 matching 18 inch silks.

I thought the line of silks was absolutely gorgeous and I could immediately see a number of commercial applications when I saw it so I couldn't pass it up!

Bob, where would you reccomend I look for more information on using or routining presentations using your line of silks? I've got all the Rice's books, Tarbell, etc. Any information, tips, pointers and suggestions you may have for the line of silks would be appreciated.

I have various Crystal Silk Cylinders, Change Bags, production boxes, etc.

I've been thinking a bit about how to possibly do this bare-handed with a switch.

I do a one person platform show, no assistant.

Hello Rick,

It was great meeting you in person there too.

The Line-of-Silks is a very useful prop. And yes, it will fit in your coat top pocket for steals. Try punching the bottom out of a paper cup and reaching through to produce the Line-of-Silks that appear to be coming from the cup. Of course you can fill a 36' stage with the production. Then retrieving the silks gives you cover for producing huge body loads, table loads, etc. It certainly changes a small act into a stage act with great simplicity. A common problem for magicians is learning to use a whole stage with a stage show. There is a big difference in a stage show and others. Frankly, even most tricks for TV won't work in a real stage show.

There is no specific book for Line-of-Silks. It is just a production item that has served me very well for many decades. It has all the advantages of large streamers without the disadvantages. It doesn't twist and if you damage a place on a streamer, the whole streamer is ruined but with a Line-of-Silks you just replace the damaged silk.

You got the most practical size with the 18" silks. Often I use the one with 24" silks for larger stages (48' wide stages). The 12" size is good for smaller work areas like platforms in nightclubs, meeting rooms, etc. The 9" size is for small rooms like home birthday parties and still gives about a 15' production. The 18" size is the best size for most situations and only takes about the space of a pack or two of cigarettes when loaded. That is the reason it will also fit most pockets in clothing. I like to think of it taking the space of a small frozen orange juice can. (That may also help you with ideas! Mixed fruit punch?)

One of the ways Lucy and I use the larger Line-of-Silks (18" or 24") is to start one end and let the audience pass it around the perimeter of the room and come back to us. It is especially good for audiences that can not come up on stage to participate. This solves a major problem with nursing home and hospital audiences.

Thank you also for your post.

Let us know how you use your Line-of-Silks.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

PS --- For a bare-handed switch, scheme while thinking about a putting the Line-of-Silks bagged in a hair net on a loop. (Review old egg magic and I think it will help.)

Here are two video clippings of Line Of Silk:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz-WaDeV4qs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgsU13v2Eho

A good use for the line-o-silks as they were known as years back, is to use them for body loading on a spectator. Not seen now-a-days so it would be new to our audiences today.

Magic Inc., use to sell a baby bottle with the load inside the bottle. You produced the silks, then the bottle as the finale. Their site is so poorly put together I cannot find if they still offer it. But using a Nielsen Vanishing Bottle would be another way to do the effect with a spectator.

Abbott's Magic sells a very old little book by the late Eddie Joseph, The Art of Body Loading. Sells for only $5.00 here: http://www.magicgettogether.com/mm5/merc......ry_Code=

This would be a more entertaining routine then pulling them out of tube or box.

There was a wealth of great material in Loyd's "Light from the Lamp" column including a wonderful handling of the baby bottle from spectator's coat in Genii in the Mid 60's.

Combining this with many of the "Flip Stick" moves should make for a great routine with a huge production ending.

Go for it!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

PS --- Production of the Line-of-Silks has been a great hit here August in France. There is no doubt that it makes a small act a big act. In the dealer room at Magi-Fest 2010 they can be seen at the booth of Ray Witkowski (Tabman Tables) Fur's Class Magic. (His address, if you miss him, is 3582 Bethel-New Wilmington Road
New Wilmington, PA 16142 (724) 946-2420)

Hummm.... Got me thinking this could be a good way of going (never saw it performed before). Thanks for sharing the videos!

Rick,

Rick Fisher at FAB and I have talked and I'll be there again at FAB August 2010. I hope to see you again there.

Bob Sanders
Magic by Sander

Are you lecturing?

I won't spill the secret, but there will be some new news at FAB for 2010.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Hope the bad weather missed you folks.


I'll see you there again in August.

Bob Sanders
Magic by Sander

This year (2010) Syd Abbott will be at FAB too! And FAB will be at its new location across the street.

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander