Thanks everyone for the kind words and encouragement.
I didn't put this vid up for kudos but to show how beautiful this routine is with no change of handling from the original.
Marion
You're right about Roth being my main inspiration when learning coin magic. If I can be half as good as him I would be a happy camper.
Lawrence O
I will have to look up Al's routine you're referring too. As of right now I still feel a lead in effect is the way to go.
Tim

See also the thread
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......&forum=3
( I linked to page 3 as Lawrence O has an excellent (as always!) historical review on this page.)

Yeah it does. Tim's version is bad ass!



I am learning from David Roth right now. However the way you presented Chink A Chink, I don't remember David presenting it like this! I mean, I use some indirect methods as part of my misdirection, but in your version it's like you are using direct methods which makes it puzzling as I can't see how you can use a direct method of misdirection in David Roth's version, IF this is David Roth's version which uses his particular method exactly.

Edit: OK OK OK, I think I know how you did it! Wow, that is awesome Tim. Very sly and smart move! Awesome man! Initially you fooled the hell out of me but now I am pretty sure what you did! That is awesome man! I think throwing in the indirect method of misdirection in addition to the way you do it wouldn't hurt the presentation of the trick. It might enhance it, but I am not sure yet.

Mr. Kaps doing the effect: http://youtu.be/N6OLG5xVrg8

Tim- That was AMAZING. Is there any place that this "hand turnover move" is described?? That was really super!

The effect can be performed with sugar lumps, beer caps, dice, marbles, balls, sugar packets (if no shell required), weights...

Letting the lumps (or the coins or the...) appear as David Carre does is a nice idea. Could be done using Slydini’s impass, the shuttle pass, the changeover pass and L’homme masque load, it becomes a miracle. Al Schneider three paper balls is also a nice combination to collect the balls from the lap or from my Lawrence O's Hold Out.
Chink a chink can be then performed to get further into the routine

Here is a bibliography for Chink A Chink (do not blame me for any missing reference but instead add any missing one for our information)

Amedeo’s continental magic by Frank Garcia and George Schindler p. 38: Amedeo uses his glove as cover instead of cards (great idea as the gloves symbolize the hands. Would work nicely for a repeat effect of Chink a chink: do you think that I’m doing anything with my hands… I’ll no longer cover the sugar lumps with them, I’ll cover them only with my gloves…
The sugar lumps under the two napkins (or gloves in Amedeo’s way) as presented by Daryl in Fooler Dooler can then make a nice follow up. It is possible to let a full glass appear under the napkin or the gloves for the climax.

Another classic complete routine
An idea would be to do the effect with sugar lumps or dice and suggest that people suspect sleight of hands. Then the effect is repeated with cards using Charlie Frye’s technique (square sponge stuck under a card) and is concluded either by a reverse matrix or by more interaction with the spectator (Daryl’s Fooler Dooler).


Alford, Jason & Conn, Doug: Chink A Change ONYX – Number Three ©April 1998 & The Second Deal ©April 25, 1998 & Thinking and Wondering © 1998 by Jason Alford, & Doug Conn, Hammond, LA, p 16 Chink-A-Chink (Jason Alford and Doug Conn): Four coins are borrowed from a spectator: a penny, nickel, dime and quarter. The coins are placed in a square formation on the performer's working surface. With only the shadow of his hands coming near the coins, the magician causes all four coins to instantly and visibly travel together and join in one corner; p 18 Slow Motion Chink ( Jason Alford and Tomas Blomberg): Four coins are borrowed from a spectator: a penny, nickel, dime, and quarter. The coins are placed in a square formation on the performer's working surface. The performer waves his hands over two of the coins and causes one of them to travel invisibly to join the other one. He repeats this twice more, causing all four coins to travel together under one hand

Ammar, Michael: Easy To Mater Money Miracles Vol 2. 1995. Shadow coins. The routine is very thorough letting the coins travel from outer left to inner right corner and then from inner right to inner left and then upper right before meeting one by one at the upper right corner (instead of the traditional matrix upper left). A presentation along the steps of Juan Tamariz’s magic way, discarding along the routine every possible solution. The extra coin is supplied by a shell and Michael offers a very nice clean up to re stack the shell at the end (a false turnover could be added for a version on a table). Two coins in each hand. Shelled coin on top of the two coins in right. Classic palm the shell. Have the coins examined. As coins are returned restack the shell rubbing the coins in the other hand to conceal the tiny noise. Table the two far coins (shelled coin on the far right slightly slightly closer to the inner right and left). Adjust the coins, stealing the shell as the coin out of line is adjusted and lay the shell on the far right keeping the coin under the base of the thumb (or as Dean Dill does, under the heel of the little finger).

Pôl [Paul Asnar]. « Dé...routant ». Editions Cardini Club 1979. reproduced in Revue Magicus n° 117 2001. 5 pages and 26 figures describing this magnificent vertical Chink-a-Chink with four dice, placed behind cards. The dice magically meet behind one single card.

Bennett, Doug: Extra Sensory Deceptions ©1984 Doug Bennett p 13 Flash Flight: Chink-A-Chink performed with flash cubes (difficult to find nowadays)

Billis, Bernard. At one of the shows in the “Plus Grand Cabaret Du Monde” series French Channel 2, Bernard presented the Sands routine with buttons, the last one ending sewn on the silk.

Born, John. COINvention Inaugural Collection DVD # 1 does a chink a chink with coins meeting at the right outer corner and a reverse matrix (without cards) and then a chink a chink with the coins meeting to the left outer corner. I don’t like John’s flourishes but the design of the sequence of moves for these chink-a-chink are perfect (no explanations but possibly reconstructed)

Carré, David. Pabular p 365 Production of four dice and their use for a chink a chink in numerical order.

Colombini, Aldo: Greater Magic Video Library Vol 52: Magic of Italy VHS Chink A Chink (performance only) & Classics of Magic VHS Matrix Chink A Chink & Classical Magic the Colombini Way © by Supreme Magic Chink-A-Chink & World's Greatest Magic – Matrix. Matrix/ Chink-a-Chink & World's Greatest Magic by The World Greatest Magicians: Matrix/Coin Assemblies Matrix/Chink-A-Chink

Conn, Doug. Tricks of My Trade - The Magic of Doug Conn; One of the most magical effects performable is "Chink-A-Chink." From Yank Hoe to Mohammed Bey to Albert Goshman, the genre has seen many variations. David Roth redefined "Chink-A-Chink" by stripping the props to their bare essentials - only four apparent coins and the performer's two hands. He titled his ground-breaking routine the more politically correct, "The Original Chinese Coin Assembly." Multiple variations of Roth's effect soon appeared, and they continue to do so - a testament to how wonderfully magical it is. Michael Ammar, Homer Liwag, Jason Alford, and Chad Long have all applied themselves to the genre (as have I). Doug's contribution to the assemblage is "Scramble." Doug has taken that venerable household item, the Scrabble™ tile, and applied its distinct properties to "The Original Chinese Coin Assembly." In fact, Doug employs both Roth's routine and Liwag's "Flash Rice" routine within "Scramble." Not only is Doug's routine magical, but it is one that will be talked about after your audience goes home - the familiar Scrabble™ tiles practically ensure this happenstance.
In effect, the performer places four small, familiar-looking wooden tiles on the performing surface in a square formation. While waving his hands above the tiles, they jump around the performing surface as if they had life of their own, eventually collecting into one corner of the square formation. The magician turns the tiles over and their familiarity becomes apparent - Scrabble™ tiles! The four tiles show an E, an O, a G, and an N. The performer repeats the effect, this time with the letter sides of the tiles visible. As the tiles collect and jump around, they form different words that are in synch with the performer's patter. Finally, as the magician says, "Just say go, and they're GONE…" all four tiles jump to one corner and spell the word "gone!" You will need five Scrabble™ tiles: one G, two O's, one N, and one E. One of the O tiles should be a slightly darker shade than the other O tile. If you cannot find an O tile with a different shade, then you must mark one of the O tiles very slightly on the blank side so that you can distinguish it from the other tiles. The routine is best performed on a close up mat & Connsolidated Connundrums ©2006 Doug Conn p 6 Snooker: Doug's approach to Chink-Chink or Shadow-Coins using a shell


Cros, Daniel. Las Vegas Close Up by Paul Harris p 87 Paper Chase. A paper napkin is tron in four pieces which are rolled up into four balls. After a chink a chink effect repeated three times, the last ball to travel is placed into the pocket and joins the other ones on to the table. Three of the balls are gathered under the finger of a spectator and the fourth is placed to the pocket. Upon lifting his finger and unravelling the napkin balls, the spectator finds that the fourth ball has wielded with the other three and that the napkin has restored.

Cummins, Paul. Apocalypse Vol 10 # 10 © Oct 1987 by Harry Lorayne: p 1405 Knichc A Knihc uses a special gimmick

Diamond, Paul: Mister Humble and Friends Impromptu Magic by Paul Diamond © 1988 by Paul Diamond p 2 Clorox Chink-A-Chink & Lessons in Magic - V3 - Mr. Humble [VHS] & Videonics PROGRAM #77 Paul Diamond Vol. 3. Chink a Chink using plastic bottle caps

Dill, Dean: Apocalypse Vol 17 No 3 © March 1994 by Harry Lorayne p 2331 Coin Explosion: "Gymnastics with coins"; chink-a-chink display, coins backfire and many coins appear

Dobson, Wayne: Pro-File ©1984 Wayne Dobson, Magick Enterprises p 7 Lightning Chink-A-Chink

Downs, Nelson. Is sometimes erroneously credited for having published the first chink a chink effect. The one published in his book is a matrix effect (coins under cards by John Hoey) and not a chink a chink effect where only the hands are used as cover.

Dill, Dean : Dill Displacement Extreme Dean. uses 2 shells and the coin is dragged by the base of the pinky instead of the base of the thumb allowing the hand to be slanted convincingly.

Einhorn, Nicholas: The Practical Encyclopedia of Magic ©2002, 2007, Anness Publishing, HermesHouse.com p 122 Sugar Rush Uncovered: Chink-A-Chink with sugar cubes

Eldin, Peter: The Magic Handbook © 1985 by Simon & Schuster. p 18 Chink a Chink: Matrix routine with sugar cubes covered by hands.

Elliott, Bruce: Classic Secrets of Magic © 1953 by Harper & Row - Galahad Books. Chapter 8 p 93: The Two Covers and the Four Objects: Chink A Chink type effects with Coins under playing cards (matrix) and another version with Magazines covering cards a la Al Goshmman

Farrell, Bob. The Art of Close Up Magic Vol 1 ©1996 by Lewis Ganson, L&L Publishing p 333 Four Dice Chink-A-Chink: Dice and the dice pips transport one by one to the same corner

Gallo, Mike: Lecture Notes [first Mike Gallo’s Lecturre] © Mike Gallo Buffalo NY: Cornered is Mike's version of Roth's Chink A Chink

Ganson, Lewis: The Art of Close Up Magic Volume 2 © 1996 by Lewis Ganson L&L Publishing p 112 Chink A Chink Simplified: Chink-a-Chink using any small lightweight objects and a tiny bit of double sided adhesive.

Garcia, Daniel. Sh4de DVD © by Daniel Garcia; Daniel Garcia’s version without any extra coin or shell with a sort of reverse matrix effect follow up

Goshman Albert. Magic by Gosh. The life and times of Albert Goshman © 1985 by Patrick Page: "Chink-A-Chink". Four beer caps travel from hand to hand, a giant beer cap appearing at the end under the salt shaker. Translation in French by Alain Devals in La magie de Goshman © 1987 by Editions Guy Lore et Daniel Vuittenez: "Chink-a-Chink" p. 68 to 73, 10 figures & Albert Goshman Live at the Kennedy DVD. © 1985 by Patrick Page: performance (only) of Chink-A-Chink amongst other effects

Gross, Henry: Pure Magic! A Primer in Sleight of Hand ©1978 Henry Gross, Charles Scribner's Sons p 191 The Four Paper Balls and Two Napkins: a Chink-a-Chink effect using paper balls and napkins

Harris, Paul: Las Vegas Close-Up Chink-A-Chink with paper balls & Art of Astonishment, Book 1 - Pieces of Strange to Unleash the Moment © 1996 by Paul Harris. A-1 MultiMedia, CA; p 211 Paper Chase (from Las Vegas Close-Up) Chink-A-Chink with paper balls

Hoe, Yank. Conjuring with Coins by T. Nelson Downs. Sympathetic Coins is mentioned here because it a matrix effect not the first chink a chink as sometimes claimed

Kam, Kurtis: Professional Close-Up of Curtis Kam - Deceptions in Paradise
©1996 by Jerry Mentzer, Magic Methods p 38 Chink-A-Chink: four coins in a diamond pattern assemble to one location. Uses 5 coins & Kurtis Kam's Deceptions in Paradise VHS. Curtis presentation and explanation of his Chink A Chink.

Kane, Peter: A Further Card Sessions ©1982 by Peter Kane p 47 The Chink-A-Chink Aces

Kaps, Fred: Fred Kaps lecture It’s so simple DVD © 1965 by Ken Brooke Fred Kaps gave a landmark lecture at the Magic Circle including his presentation of Chink A Chink

Kaufman, Richard: CoinMagic ©1981, 1992 Richard Kaufman and Alan Greenberg p 51 Ultra Coin Assembly: Chink a Chink for magicians, hands never cross

Kennedy, John. Lecture Notes III ©1983 Translocation.

Klan, Rune. Three Pieces of Silver VHS ©1997 Translated in French as Le voyage Sympathique » p. 4 and 5 of the Revue Imagik n° 17 October, no gimmick and ends clean.

Kort, Milton: Kort is Now in Session ©1962 by Ireland Magic Company p 57 Exhibit Twelve -Dice / Dice / Dice: combines ball move from John Scarne, coin effect of Dai Vernon, and Chink-A-Chink from William Larsen into a lengthy dice routine. Uses 5 red dice (about 5/8"), a similarly sized green die, and a double sized die

Korth, Jens. The Art Of Close Up Magic Vol 2 by Lewis Ganson p 258 Roulette: A routine using poker chips and a roulette cloth. The chips vanish, penetrate, change places and colors. Uses a few gimmicked chips. Phased routine includes a penetration, a Chink-a-Chink sequence, flying counters, a color change, and a climax.

Liwag, Homer: Magic Man Examiner – Number Two “Flash Rice” is Liwag’s Chink-A-Chink routine & MAGIC Magazine ©May 1994 by Doug Conn “Scrambble” is Homer’s routine with Scrabble pieces

Malini, Max: Malini-Bey Chink-a-Chink. Stars of Magic. Series 3, N° 3 ©1947 -Tannen Publications. Four sugar lumps are placed in a square formation. The magician places his hands over two of the sugars. One by one the sugars meet at one of the points. Originally the routine became well known thanks to Max Malini but Mohamed Bey (Leo Horowitz, a genius) improved it mainly in avoiding the hands crossing.

Malmros, Gert: Chink A Chink Coins. 8 page booklet ©1980 by Gert Malmros from Sweden fully explaining his Chink A Chink four coin assembly Routine. This is a sit down routine at a table. The four coins are placed in four corners of the table and covered by the hands. One by one they travel across ending with all four coins under one hand.

Marconick. Marconcik’s Super Magic © Marconick p 2 Les sphères nomades. The effect is performed with three balls (the fourth one being stolen as the third one is taken out from the pocket)

Marlo, Edward: Apocalypse Vol 9 No 1 © Jan 86 by Harry Lorayne p 1159 Raised Assembly: a coin assembly using the hands (chink a chink)

McClintock, Reed: Knuckle Busters Volume 4 [manuscript]. New World Chink-a-Chink is an in the hands version for strolling magician without a table available

Mendoza, John F: The Excellence of Dan Fleshman © 1983 by Tom Westerheide, Illinois p 57 Caps Across (Ken Garr): a Chink-A-Chink effect followed by caps across and caps thru the table using bottle caps and a bottle production ending

Mentzer, Jerry: Another Close Up Cavalcade ©1975 Jerry Mentzer p 137 The Die and Box: Several effects with a specially constructed Die Box - Die Thru Hand; Die Thru Handkerchief; Visible Die Thru Handkerchief; Chink-A-Chink with silk

Mueller, Ken: Essential TUC © 2011 by Funsway Chink-a-Sway is a way of introducing the TUC (or any comparable gimmick like Ambivalence) into a set of examined coins for later effects

Mullica, Tom: Expert Impromptu Magic Volume 17 VHS - Tom Mullica © A-1 Multimedia; This is the final video of a three volume set on impromptu magic by Tom Mullica. It includes Chink-A-Chink

Neighbors, David: David Neighbors On The Double Coin Gimmick © by Ken Simmons p 36 Succession Chink A Chink using Mike Gallo‘s Siamese coin gimmick & Las Vegas Lecture © 1997 L&L Publishing, CA p 24 Cardless: a Chink-A-Chink routine with coins and without covering cards. Uses a shell

Poland, Ellison: Wonderful Routines of Magic © 1969 by Ellison Poland, MA p 183 A New Dress for Chink-A-Chink

Regal, David: Apocalypse Vol 13 No 1 © Jan 1980 by Harry Lorayne p 1736 The Coin Diamond: quick reverse matrix/chink a chink with coins and the hands

Rindfleisch, Joe. Extreme Coin Magic DVD Matrixy. No extra coin is used. An actual improvement on David Roth’s Chink A Chink and Michael Ammar’s Shadow coins. During the setting up his idea to arrange the visible coins with the dirty hand is nice but the performer should give some movement to the right hand as well. High Rise Matrix is a superb idea of palming a piece of flesh colour clay to gain depth in the coin picking. It achieves something like the Charlie Frye’s matrix with dice: the height of the hand above the travelling object destroys any suspicion of palming (the hand doesn’t even touch the coin). In Joe’s routine the absence of cards supplies an even greater deception than in Charlie Frye’s effect. This is a really great gimmick and Joe supplies a smart idea to disengage it at the proper moment. If performing standing the Cool Clean Up works with the gimmick on.

Rink [aka J. Van Rinkhuysen]. The Art Of Close Up Magic Vol 2. p 112 Chink A Chink Simplified: Chink-a-Chink using any small lightweight objects and a tiny bit of double sticky tape;

Rosenthal, Harvey. New Stars of Magic. Volume 1, Number 5 ©1973, Tannen Publications 7 pages and 42 figures. Four coins are placed at the four corners of a silk. The corners Perfect Coin Assembly. of the silk are folded over each of the coins concealing them from view. They all meet at the upper left corner. Each travel is more difficult to understand than the previous one. The last travel is made under impossible conditions.

Roth, David: A Lecture by David Roth © 1977 by David Roth: Chinese coin assembly & Apocalypse, Vol 1, N° 1, 1978, Ultra coin assembly: an additional coin is used but the hands cross during the routine & Coin Magic by Richard Kaufmann - 1981. p 51: the hands no longer cross and an additional coin is still used & David Roth's Expert Coin Magic © 1985 by Richard Kaufman, Kaufman & Greenberg; p 65 The Original Chinese Coin Assembly: Chink-A-Chink with coins, using the hands instead of cards as cover & Ultimate Coin Manipulation Collection & New York Coin Magic Seminar Vol One Coins Across. Chink A Chink. David uses a very unique circular movement to bring the coin at the base of the thumb when it still seems at the fingertips & Expert Coin Magic Made Easy Vol 1 DVD: Basic Coin Magic includes Chink-A-Chink & Expert Coin Magic Made Easy Vol 3 DVD Intermediate to Advanced Coin Magic includes Advanced Chink-A-Chink & New York Coin Magic Seminar DVD Volumes 1 © 2005. Featuring David Roth performing and explaining Chink-A-Chink with coins

Sachs, Edwin: Sleight of hand ©1875 by ; Reprints by Dover (1980), Pomono Press (2006) p 40/41 The Travelling Loaf Sugar: describes Chink a chink with sugar lumps (since the book was published in 1875, it cannot be claimed that Max Malini, born in 1873, was the inventor of the trick.

Safuto, Joe: The New York Magic Symposium Collection Three ©1984 by Stephen Mich and Adam Fleischer, New York Magic Symposium p 111 The Trick That Never Was is a cigarette routine combining Chink a Chink, a restoration, and a sealed container with a time travel theme

Sanderson, George P.: Right Under Their Noses ©1977 Micky Hades International, Canada p 71 A Layman's Chink-A-Chink: In honor of George's father, he presents this impromptu version of Chink-A-Chink, using newspaper and a hat.

Sands, George & Van Slyker. “Birds of a Feather”. The Tarbell Course in Magic by Harlan Tarbell, ©1954 vol. 6. p. 148-152. This “New version” uses only four coins and a handkerchief by folding its corners over the coins.

Schindler, George: Magic With Everyday Objects ©BY 1976 George Schindler, Dorset Press p 86 Teleportation: Chink-A-Chink with napkins and paper balls

Schneider, Al. the Al Schneider Technique Vol 1 DVD Theory and Magic: Five Steps of Chink-A-Chink (Shadow Coins). With the pause as an old Buddhist Monk and the hand change for misdirection. The routine illustrates the importance of allowing some time after the revelation of each effect.

Schulien, Matt. The Magic of Matt Schulien © 1959 by Philip Reed Willmarth. p. 100 to 106 (p 87 in the later edition): The Cards and the Cigarette;. A borrowed cigarette is broken into four pieces. After traveling under a card, the cigarette is restored and handed back to the owner of the cigarette. The pieces are ditched under the table.

Simms, Warren E.: The New Conjurors' Magazine Vol 1 N° 7 © 1945 by Walter Gibson Chink-A-Chink Supreme

Stern, Carl. Lloyd E. Jones in the Bat ©April 1946 # 28 p 148 The travelers. A Chink a chink effect without the name and four (plus a palmed one) sugar lumps.

Stone, David. La Magie des pieces Cocktail Matrix is a standing version of chink a chink with four silver and a penny using an extra coin (a double facer) as misdirection. Placing the last move in the spectator’s hand is interesting.

Tarbell, Harlan: Tarbell Course © 1928 by Tarbell System, Inc Lesson 37 on Oriental magic includes Chink A Chink & Course In Magic Vol 5 © 1948 by Tannen, 1976 by D. Robbins & Co., Inc p 254 Chink A Chink with Chinese weights using a shell

Thompson, John: Polished Polish Prestidigitation. © 1981 by Jeff Busby p 29 Chink-A-Chink: John Thompson's superb handling of the original Max Malini approach. Commercial Classics of Magic Vol 2 DVD: Chink a Chink with EL variant of sliding the lumps not credited but I taught it to him when he came to Paris for my birthday and he taught me the Malini’s one published by him which I’m using now, having only added the Charlie Miller - Scott York Diamond formation.

Thompson, Frank: The Pallbearers Review © May 1972 Chink-A-Chink

Tremaine, Jon: The Amazing Book of Magic & Card Tricks ©2000 Salamander Books, Ltd; 2000 Barnes & Noble Books p 204 Over the Top: Chink-A-Chink with bottle caps & Jon Tremaine: Volume Two - Commercial Close-Up Act VHS. Chink a Chink: Coin assembly

York, Scott. Scott York Lecture Magic Castle. page 41 Another Perspective on Chink-A-Chink. Using beer caps the routine brings in the Diamond formation created by Charlie Miller. Translation in French by Jean-Pierre Meunier, p. 18-19 de la Revue Arcane n° 45 de janvier 1987

Walsh, Audley: Dice Dexterity. Chink-A-Chink

Watkins, Dan. Caplocation. An evolution of John Kennedy’s Translocation effect. No gaffed coins are used (Bottle caps are used). It utilizes very easy to acquire, cheap “throw away” props. Obvious and immediate application to restaurant/bar magicians. No sliding coins (or caps): The hands cover the caps, and simply move away. The performer can literally step back from the table and allow the audience to take in the miracle if he desires. There is no need to have a soft surface to perform on

Williamson, David. Williamson Wonders © 1989 by Richard Kaufman. Floating Assembly. The routine uses only four coins and four cards which seem never to touch the cards. Translated in French by Jean-Jacques Sanvert as Les Merveilles de Williamson par Richard Kaufman. Ed. Mayette Magie Moderne ©1994. p. 44 Assemblée Flottante

York, Scott: Lecture ©1975 Jeff Busby Magic p 41 Another Perspective on Chink A Chink: using bottle caps and a diamond shape instead of square enabling the caps to end up towards the audience instead of in a corner

Now the classic matrix formation always seemed meaningless to me (it doesn't make sense to end up in a corner instead of magic being generous and delivering the objects towards the audience in the "center stage"). Thus I perform the effect with the props initially in a reverse T formation -with three objects towards the performer and one towards the audience- so that at the end all the four props end up towards the audience... but that's the way I feel and it fits my story.

I realize that my biblio is missing

Chadier, James. French Connection DVD offers several original kicking methods

I have a question:
Comparing Kaps routine with Roth's routine they both look to be the same in method. Just using different props. If this is true then who created this routine?
This is where I get so confused on crediting people. I learned this routine from Roth so that's why I credit him. But, if Fred was doing this before Roth, which I think he was I just don't know anymore what to think or believe when crediting.

Tim

"Being generous"? Granted, this is just spitballing, but I suspect that after something like Chink-A-Chink the audience isn't thinking "Ok, that was a neat trick and all, but it sure was selfish and thoughtless of him to send the coins off to the side like that."

Tim your routine is absolutely beautiful...even though its the same as Roth's Chink a Chink...yours has a special touch! I really enjoyed it!

Putting it the way you do, you are definitely right but now what if, instead, you were considering it in terms of an audience thinking "Ok, that was a great trick and the magician made all his silver coins come our way"

You may find it ridiculous but Scott York didn't

I've performed the Scott York "diamond pattern" routine for many years in restaurants, using bottle caps.
It never fails to get a great reaction.

I always perform it at the end of the meal when there's more table space.

The "diamond pattern" also means the performers hands/arms don't cross. It looks so casual and innocent with the bottle caps. I love it, and so do audiences.

Riley

I'm not dismissing having the assembly go towards the audience as opposed to towards the magician, I'm just saying that framing it as "generous" seems to be missing the point. You do it because, all other things being equal, magic that happens away from the magician is usually going to have more impact than magic close to the magician, due to relative levels of impossibility.

To answer Tim's question, have a look at Lawrence's biblio above. The earliest appearance in print of the Chink-a-Chink effect (done with sugar cubes) is in Sach's "Sleight of Hand" in 1875. So neither Kaps nor David are credited with the general effect. As I recall, Sachs doesn't claim to be the inventor either. So we may not be able to credit the creation of the effect itself.

We can, however, credit changes to the original routine that we (as students, scholars, artists, whatever) feel make a significant difference Here, I would argue that David Roth has contributed two things that make the routine more deceptive. First, he developed a way to perform the effect with coins, thus cancelling the suspicion that the performer is somehow picking up and dropping off the items on the table. Second, the method he chose also creates a strong illusion that the performer isn't even touching the coins. That wasn't really a part of the original, and many early routines involved the performer openly picking up and rearranging the objects. (Even the Bey routine has you moving the cubes to the center of the table.) So, since I consider David's innovations significant, I credit him with creating Chink-a-Chink with coins.

The way you credit reveals a lot about the way you think about things. For instance, although I see the change to coins as significant, I don't think anyone deserves a credit for simply substituting dice for sugar cubes. That change doesn't necessistate a change in handling, nor does it change the effect much.

As to the formation on the table, I prefer the diamond pattern, or as Lawrence has described above, the "reverse T" formation used by Scotty York in his coins and ring routine. I'm not sure that moving the coins towards the spectators will always be seen as a gesture of generosity, but it might. Or maybe it'll just feel "right" to the audience. Proper blocking is like that. You don't know why, but suddenly, you feel more involved in what's going on onstage.

Curtis,
As always thank you for your input. I'm very happy to hear you say replacing a object with another doesn't constitute as a change in creator. My credit is still good David Roth the creator of Chink a Chink with coins because of the changes he made with method.

In theatrical/acting terms, sharing of the stage is often viewed by the beneficiary of the gesture as generous, so though it might be considered a fine point, and the points Andrew raised are significant, I think Lawrence has hit on a subtle but also significant and valid perspective.

Is there a source you're citing for this?

I was speaking from my own experience as a theatre student and honours graduate, but if that's not sufficient, the term abounds on the net. Here's one:

"A consummate supporting actor and a generous lead, he has the ability to shine in scenes without necessarily dominating them."

http://www.oscars.org/awards/governors/2011/jones.html

Being present and giving with others in a scene is most appreciated by fellow actors and theatre critics. Audiences recognize it, too. They may articulate in other terms, but view it positively and acknowledge it. An actor's generosity doesn't go unnoticed.

It seems as though you're talking about an actor sharing the stage with another actor. Are you saying that same generosity is inherent when performing for people who weren't expecting to be involved?