What's the overall scheme of the show? What medicine is being pitched? What does it cure? And how is this particular prop going to fit in?

1890s has a lot of different styles, materials and colors. You want to fit your apparatus to the rest of theme and to your character.

Before you decide what color it is, consider: Who are you? What is this thing? When and where did you get it? What's it supposed to do?

If you want your 65 back on those mak ones ...PM me.

Wise advice CJRichard. I think I was "putting the horse in front of the cart", as they say. I have some homework to do. I'm going to hang onto both sets till I figure it out.

Thanks!
DeWayne

If you do decide to sell that original set, try to contact one of the guys who collect UF Grant/MAK. They very often look for variations of the same prop. It's also fairly obvious that they have high regard for the maker from a historical standpoint. Whereas I might consider a re-furbish job, as I've defined above, they are in it for the collectibility aspect.

They can also be useful to you in identifiying a piece you might have a question about.

http://ronsmagicpalace.com/

http://www.magictrickcollection.com/

There may be others that I'm not aware of.

Thanks Michael. I looked at both your references. In both cases the stencil used on my Kuma Tubes is the same stencil shown on what they refer to as "Moxahalla". The tube looks to be the same size but the Moxahalla tube is yellow and green. Mine is red, white, and black like all the Kuma Tube I see just with the "wrong" stencil.

Thanks!
DeWayne

I noticed that, too. No telling why that might be, fluke or intent. Curious, though.

I'll let you know the one guy wanted to see a picture.

http://www.magictrickcollection.com/

"Thanks for sending the picture. If that's not a Moxahalla then you have what appears to be rare combination. The Kuma Tubes themselves are rare in good condition."

Michael;
After seeing the amazing quality of your work, I would venture to say that any piece you refinish will someday be a collector item as will your original work.

"The very essence of the creative is its novelty, and hence we have no standard by which to judge it."
Carl Rogers

When so much paint is applied over time, the stencil becomes too thick, brittle and hard to spray through - so a new stencil is made. Since there was no master pattern to follow new stencils are usually made differently depending on how they felt that day.
If the artwork is applied by silkscreen the screen is cleaned-off and is reused for years.

That's the story I got from Swoger and what I've experienced meself.

Hey Jay!

Got the tubes today. Just what the good doctor ordered. THANK YOU!

For some reason you do not have a PM button or I would have let you know via that method.

Thanks!
DeWayne

I have the same set, used them quite a bit years ago. I always liked the kuma tube effect, the production of the fishbowl is a startling ending, the gimmick in the tube really makes it appear as though the bowl cannot fit inside of it. I did have plans to make a much larger/stage version but never got around to it, I have seen many times in hobby stores/fabric places they sell copper pot type items which would be great instead of a fishbowl, I believe Owens sells one similar to this.