I own two of them. Have had them for around 5-6 years. They have held up well.

I have the mikame staff it a verry fine product I bought mine from stevens .

Just used mine last night. Looks great !!

DaddyDoodle, Your staff is not an Abbott's they made them in Brass and did not chrome plate them, the metal loops on Abbott's is just brass wire, plus no bulb on the top.

Looks like you have a very superior Flag Staff model that is very well made. Consider yourself lucky to have such a nice piece of equipment.

After 5 weeks on the road I just got home to find waiting in my post box a custom painted flag by Richard Hughes on an Abbotts staff and, like everything I've ever ordered from Richard, beautifully done.

I look forward to poking some eyes out.

I think it looks astonishing when it appears out of nowhere - the size of the silk is great in itself, but add to that a solid brass staff and it's sensational.

Does anyone have a picture of their Mikame flag staff? I recently acquired a used one but I think it may not be genuine. There is a small sticker on the handle that says "made in korea". I thought all Mikame products (especially the "Prestige" line) were made in Japan. The 6' silk looks like those pictured on most product listings (tie-died with circular rings) but it does not really feel like silk. Also, the handle has white tape on the end to make it appear like a wand if that half was protruding from something like a hat. The item did not come in the original box, but did have photocopied Mikame instructions. I can post pictures of mine if that would help identify it.

Regards,
--John

The white end of the staff was a Neil Foster idea a whole bunch of years ago!

Neil "set" the prop and the silk end was in a top hat with the white end sticking out (looked a bit like the standard wand in a hat).

Neil just picked up the hat(with "wand" showing, walked down stage ands whipped out the staff. It looked great and no one that I know of ever commented on the rather "unorthodox" handling!

I don't use the staffs (staves?!) in every show--too much set up for a school show performer on the road doing 3 and 4 shows a day in different towns! They do pack small and play big, and really fill the stage when I do an evening "promotion" show.

I have had Abbott's props for 30+ years and am happy with them. I had Recil sew a silk ribbon on the edge of the silks that hooks to the staff (less chance of tearing holes in the silk).

Like Richard Hughes said above--careful pleating and folding the silks is CRITICAL!

I like Abbott's 6' "MAMMOTH PRODUCTION" SILK, too. They hold up well.

T. Nelson Downs used two for a finish when he retired from vaudeville--see the Faucett Ross book for Tommy Downs' technique.

Thank you for the reply. Here are some pictures of the one I bought. Does this look like a Mikame original?

Regards,
--John

Click here to view attached image.

Here is the staff in open position with attached silk. Thanks for everyone's help. I really appreciate it.

Regards,
--John

Click here to view attached image.