I've never owned/used a set of Traditional Cups. What are the benefits of that style?

I have a special fondness in my heart for Traditional cups. Mainly due to their history with the trick. I don't think there are really any benefits over modern rounded cups (probably a few cons actually). I think probably the only real benefit is the loads "look" bigger sitting on top of the cups since the cup is smaller near the top.

If I could exchange all of the cups in my collection for different traditional cups I would in a heart beat (seriously, PM me if you have a trade in mind).

-Todd

Frank… I also lean more toward the side of traditionally shaped Cups for much of the same reasons as Todd. To me they look more mystical and like a magical curiosity that lends themselves to more of a story (that’s just me).

However my favorite PF style Cups are still the RNT2 Squatty 2, I like all the rings and they have turned a neat rose color as they have aged.

Thanks,
Bruce

Man do I hate initials. PF style?

Magicians... PF= Paul Fox... small rounded Cups.

Bruce

I've never cared for them. My very first set of cups was a set of Charlie Miller cups from Magic Inc. Too me, they seem closer to the traditional tapered design than the rounded PF style. They feel clunky in my hands. My next set were Johnson's and from there, I've owned and used nothing cups done in the Paul Fox style. Risers and Sherwoods being my favorites. My collection has pretty much disappeared do to medical bills. The only set that remains is the set I use all the time. Copper smooth Sherwoods that came from Pete Biro. They handle like a dream.

In the end though, I think it's mainly a matter of personal taste.

I'm with Lint and Bruce on this. I much prefer the traditional cups. In fact, my favourite cups are my chrome-over-copper P&L cups (see attached picture). Can't exactly tell you why because the PF style is, in my view, much more practical and easier to work with. I think it's just an aesthetic thing....and a kind of linking up with an earlier time when these cups were the thing.

http://s759.photobucket.com/albums/xx238......31-1.jpg - P&L cups

Paul Fox style.

I have a few sets of trads and though I like them I don't like to perform with them as much as I do with aroundedtop cup. Just personal pref really.

It's all a matter of personal taste. However, it is a fact that a rounded top cup will take a larger load than a traditional cup with the same skirt length and the same mouth diameter. It's a matter of geometry. The size illusion is more of a by-product.

Ok. Thanks. I'm not concerned about size illusion. I think that if at the end of my routine (notice I said MY ROUTINE) they are focused on size comparisons I've not done my job at all. They should be laughing and freaking out at the hat load by the time their brain could even get that far.

I would care more about size illusion for a chop cup routine, perhaps.
Actually...probably not.

Thanks for your input.

While the vast majority of my cups are rounded PF variants, I too have a thing for the look of the traditional cups. I own only one traditional set (Biro/Johnny Paul Cups) and really love the way they look.

In my limited experience with traditional cups I find that there are a few moves that are made much easiter with rounded or PF type cups.

The elevator move is somewhat easier with rounded top cups, although it will work with a Ross Bertram style cup if you practice with them enough. It is much more difficult with, say, a P&L cup.

I use traditional style cups because one of my main performance venues for presenting the trick is at Renaissance and Mediaeval faires. The Paul Fox style cups look too modern to use in these venues so I stick with the traditional shape cups.

Of course, they only look modern to magicians. A nice patina'd set of PF style coppers looks just as old fashioned to a layman as any other cups might.

I just like the lines on the traditionals.

But I'd know the difference and that's all that matters. I'm the type of guy who carries period appropriate coins in my pockets while in garb even though no one knows there there but me.

And fair enough. As good a reason as any!

What kind of balls did Johnny Paul use with his cups??? I have a set of Pete's JP cups and I love them. They're so classic looking.

Sponge balls...2" I believe.

Cardamagically,
Dom

Sponge balls...2" I believe.

Cardamagically,
Dom

Perfect. Thanky Dom. Ive got a bunch of those. Do you know if his routine's ever been pubished; besides video??