I'm familiar with a number of methods, but I'm interested in this variation where spectators are holding the ends of the ropes.

Performance video at:
http://magicvideodepot.com/view.php?a=v&t=6741

I have some thoughts about how it could be done, and I skimmed through some of my books to see if it might be something I already have but had overlooked. But, nothing jumped out at me as working quite the same way.

I was wondering if anyone knows if this variation has a name and if you can provide a source (book, DVD, etc.) where I can learn it.

Thanks.

Bob
The answer to your question is in the Stewart James Encyclopedia of Rope Tricks, on page 347. On this page, Joe Karson explains how to do this trick twice without a reset.
Good one.
Al Angello

I'd love to see it, but that site looks like it wants registration, etc...
Steve V

Steve baby,
The Magic Video Depot is a very cool resource for magicians to use; there's a lot of good stuff there. If the Magic Café supplies you with the tell, then the Video Depot will give you the show. How have you lived without it?
Al Angello

Bob Sheets has a video on the subject called "Hang 'Em High". The linked video looks to be that variation. It can be easily made or purchased. I perform the effect in my show. PM me for a video. I am using the same method he uses, but with my lines and a small variation of the handling.

Thanks for the sources. This really helps me out.

Okay Al, I'll believe ya...never heard of 'em before.
Steve V

The Encyclopedia of Rope Tricks will tell you how to do this and other similar effects, but you will probably need to buy a special something to do the effect. You can get this from
http://daytonamagic.net/customer/index.c......tId=9319

The trick from Daytona will show you how to do it once. The method that Al mentioned will have you doing it twice in a row.

If you want to precede this effect with rope that penetrates many times through different parts of your clothes and body, check out Juan Pablo's "Roped".



John

As I stated in my original post, I have some ideas on how it COULD be done with several standard rope gimmicks I already have. But, the methods I've thought of wouldn't allow for very open handling of the rope at the end of the effect (well, one would... but it wouldn't allow the spectators to pull on the ropes at the beginning without exposing the gimmick, and the other theoretically could, but I think it would require too much fiddling around behind your back to do the dirty work). Without tipping the method, can someone tell me if the rope can be freely displayed at the end?

In Bob Sheets' "Hang 'em High", the rope cannot be freely displayed at the end.

I saw David Ginn do a version of ropes thru the body at SEAM 2006. It could be done with little setup and no gimmicks. But, I can't remember how he did it. It was at his lecture on rope magic. He does sell his lecture notes on his web site - http://www.ginnmagic.com You might want to email him and ask if it is on his notes.

The ropes can be handled in a manner that appears to be 'freely'. I'm not a member of the 'let the specs examine everything' club, so I don't worry about it.
Steve V

Magicbob:

I looked closer at the effect that Al mentioned (p347 in Encyclopedia of Rope Magic), and I stand corrected; it does not use gimmicked rope, but it probably won't meet all of the handling details that you saw on MVD (nor the video that Daytona Magic shows).

The MVD performance and Daytona's demo appears essentially the same. I remember when I first saw this, I was impressed.

Some of the other effects in the Encyclopedia of Rope Magic do use gimmicked rope.

John

Not real clearly described either....
Steve V

Could this trick also be found in Abbott's Encyclopedia of Rope Tricks for Magicians (compiled by Stewart James, Dover, Pub. 1975 reprinting of 1945), or is this an entirely different book? It just sounds like a different edition.
My problem is that at page 347 in my book, there is nothing but the words:
"Chapter 8
Miscellaneous Rope Tricks"

Trolle

Trolle,
Welcome to the Magic Café. The Stewart James rope encyclopedia is an addition to the Abbott book, and this trick does not appear in that book.
Al Angello

Trolle:

The Rope Thru Body on page 347 of the New Enc. of Rope Tricks is not in the Dover edition of the original Enc. of Rope Magic (aka Volume 1), but I think it is in Volume 3, Chapter 1. Volume 3 is hard to find, and for the price, you would do better to get the New Enc. of Rope Tricks, which is a compilation of Volumes 1-3.


John

Amazon.com carries the 3-volume compilation for $49.99, and this book automatically qualifies for free shipping from them.

I found another effect along this line:

Using only 1 piece of ungimmicked rope, you fairly wrap it around your waist (no rope thru neck type of method), visibly hold the ends in front of your body, and begin a "sawing" type of motion. Then with no cover, the rope passes thru your waist. Could be performed surrounded, in your birthday suit, if so inclined, and the rope can be inspected before and after the effect.

Sound to good too be true? You will laugh at the simplicity of this old "chestnut" of a method. It is called Abbott's Ribbonifty, p338 of the New Enc. of Rope Tricks (I think Vol. 2 of the original).





Before the New Enc. of Rope Tricks came out, that would have been a good deal, but now you can get the New Enc of Rope Tricks for $50, less 10% & free shipping at Penguin Magic. Alas, there are mistakes in the new version, and if I ever get ambitious, or just have nothing better to do, I may start a thread to document errors (Fajuri was supportive of this).

Knots Off
John

I checked out the Penguin Magic website, and it appears to be the same book that Amazon has, and it's only listed as being 4 cents cheaper. Am I missing something about the "less 10%"?