R.M. Jamison's Spot Sticks

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Q. Kumber
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R.M. Jamison's Spot Sticks

Postby Q. Kumber » June 7th, 2016, 8:59 am

Terry Herbert learnt R.M. Jamison's Spot Sticks from Ken Brooke. Terry still performs it as Ken used do it and at the recent TRIX IN THE STIX convention, John Kimmons taped it.

https://youtu.be/_wr1VPYU0NI

I.M. Magician
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Re: R.M. Jamison's Spot Sticks

Postby I.M. Magician » June 7th, 2016, 10:20 am

When I worked for Kanter's Magic Shop, we had something called Sticks N Stones. It was a set of three polished black plexiglass sticks similar to what you see here. We had a machinist cut the sticks and drill the holes. Then, we placed them into a machine which would finish the sticks. Finally, I placed and carefully glued the rhinestones into the sticks.

The rhinestones would appear, vanish, move, and change colors. The third stick was used for a a very visual finale.

We must have sold a thousand sets in the decade I worked there. In fact, I had to start finishing them at home because we ran out of them so often. As well, we stopped finishing the sticks in that machine because it took too long and was not really necessary.

I should dig them out (I know I have a set somewhere), make a video demo, and post it online. A very entertaining routine!

I have always loved paddle effects. My first paddle was a metal one made by SS Adams. Soon after, I got a set of three made out of tongue depressors and sold by Jimmy Shannon in front of a magic and joke shop on Virginia avenue in Atlantic City in the sixties. In fact, I became his shill although I didn't know it. I was just a kid.

When he would get a large crowd, he would at one point hand me the paddle he was performing and I would make the magic happen. When the crowd saw the magic happen in a kid's hand, they would buy a set. He sold lots of them! When I had to leave, he would hand me a few sets as a payment for helping him sell a bunch of them.

I spent a great deal of time there during my summer vacation in Atlantic City. In fact, that is where I met Mike Kanter. He stopped by to say hello to Jimmy and he introduced me to him. It was after he sold Kanter's. Little did I know that I would be working for Kanter's not long after that.

performer
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Re: R.M. Jamison's Spot Sticks

Postby performer » June 8th, 2016, 3:29 pm

I really wish Terry had done the trick in his normal voice. It would have been three hundred times more effective as it is a good routine.
I believe the routine is in the Ken Brooke book "The Unique Years" that Ken wasn't too happy with Edwin about. At least I think it is there although I may be wrong. I have a vague memory of it anyway.

I have always personally preferred the Dotty Spots trick and have done it nearly my entire life. It is actually my favourite trick. One thing that does make me cringe is how badly most people do the paddle move. They should move their hand and wrist only. The trouble is they always move their entire lower arm and even worse the lower arm AND the upper arm. People just don't do that simple move very well.

Another thing that annoys me is when they do the colour changing knife trick they always put their thumb and finger rignt smack in the middle of the knife instead of the very end. The optics look perfectly dreadful.

Leo Garet
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Re: R.M. Jamison's Spot Sticks

Postby Leo Garet » June 9th, 2016, 9:39 am

I also wish Terry had used his own voice and not attempted Ken Brooke's version of a Yorkshire Accent.
Ken was Tyke through and through and certainly had a Yorkshire Accent, but not the Yorkshire. There is no such thing.
:)


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