Well, I've always loved watching manipulation acts. I think it is simply beautiful magic. I've wanted to get more involved in this type of magic for a while. Currently, I've been performing mostly closeup (bars, restaurants) for about 25 years. I'm looking for some sources concerning body loading and steals. As a frame of reference, an act I would love to do (not copying of course, but create a routine in a similar vein with productions) would be Salvano's drink act from the Stevens Video Library. If anyone has some sources (books/DVDs) regarding this type of magic, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Patrick Flanagan

Alexander de Cova (a German) released some stuff about it, some are also available in English.

There are several body load diagrams in Rice's Ency of Silk Magic under "Non-Apparatus Producitons". Some can be adapted to other objects with some creativity.

Magic And Manipulation Of Geoffrey Buckingham (DVD)

Also his book "It's easier then you think" by Geoffrey Buckingham is also a great wealth of information on this very subject.

Kyle

Thanks for the replies. Very much appreciated.
Patrick

Buckingham is great for tail steals, waist steals and a few unusual ones, such as the lapel. He teaches you about body angles and misdirection too. There are a few other methods that he doesn't cover, such as the classic elbow dodge ... for the back of the neck. Rice's Ency. of Silk magic is a gem, it's as if he took all known tricks and methods and just taught them with a silk, for example he teaches Shimada's Dove on Cane as silk on cane in Vol 4. Other fine sources I found were in learning Parasols (Parasol Anywhere) and Fans (The Magic of Alan Wakeling) (for trousers steal and work on covered steals). There is also a wonderful steal from the inside of the jacket that Cardini used beautifully well, I've only seen it taught in the Benson book. Lets not forget the back pocket steal in the action of bending down or taking off the jacket too, that's taught in the can/lemon from shoe, or used as per the drink production.

The most beautiful and deceptive steals in magic have to come from Dove work, looped steals can be adapted to other objects.

Another thing to consider for steals to start a routine from empty hands is character gestures, the most famous being a clown who would produce things by stealing whilst scratching himself, personally I have used pulling up sleeves and tugging tails forwards. Also never waste a trip to a pocket.

For Liquid productions, Shimada uses the back pocket in a lovely tail steal taught on his Greater Video Magic Libary DVD on Doves, check out David Stone's new DVD, I think it's called the Real Work Vol 1, he has some lovely bottle/glass productions with a handkerchief. And as a personnal note, I prefer rubber covers to balls, as they scrunch up within the folds of the handkerchief.

And one piece of advice, don't turn your shoulders more that you have to.

I feel as though an entire book could be written on the subject of stealing, and perhaps there is a gap in the market there...

Paul