The Best Vanishing Bird Cage?

[Ray Eden]

Okay... more questions.

I finally got my Vanishing Bird Cage from Owen Magic Supreme. How 'loose' does the cage have to be to vanish correctly and quickly? Should the cage maintain a rigidity or should it collaspe without assistance when ready for the vanish?

I've also been working with the Owen Magic Supreme 1727 Flash Pull. Any advice for making the pull work quickly. I've had good success with it, but I'm sure there are tips that I could use to make it better.

Thanks,

Ray Eden

[Pete Biro]

Usually the Owen, and any other, cage needs some "Breaking IN" so as to be loose enought to vanish EASILY.

You should check out Tommy Wonder's DVDs and see how much has put into his cage setup to make it go so fast.

Also, Billy McComb's work covering it with a see-thru silk, which Lance Burton is using, really makes it spooky.

[Geno Munari]

The best vanishing bird cage I have ever seen was a cage used by Johnny Alladin. The cage was so small when it collapsed it could go through a wedding ring. Because of its size it never jammed.

I have used the bird cage (Abbotts) since 1988 and that was the best and still the best for me since I can't get one like Johnny's.

[Jim Riser]

Geno;
Was Johnny Alladin's cage a ribbon covered flexible cage (Abbott style) or a "rigid" (Lindhorst) style?

Ray;
Re: Your last email to me
Once the cage is broken in and collapses quickly (without squeeks), it should be ready for a vanish. To really make things go quickly I remove all slack from the pull (move cage out away from the chest) just before the vanish. I really put the tension on the pull. Doing this almost shoots the cage up the sleeve when you release it - and with very little arm movement. I like the vanished cage to reside between my elbow and shoulder.
Jim

[Ray Eden]

Thanks Jim,

It seems that I'm doing it right then. I've done it for my wife and claimed it looked as fast as TW; although, I don't really believe so since he's using a much better pull. Regardless, it does go fast.

Any hints on how to assure that the cage goes between the elbow and shoulder? I think that I may have short arms. :-)

Ray Eden

[Jim Riser]

Ray;
Just adjust the length of the pull. The cage on me actually is partly behind the shoulder.
Jim

[Pete Biro]

If you use McComb's silk idea the cage does NOT have to go fast... it just melts away under the translucent silk cover.

I use a length of nylon fishing line from the cage over to my other side down and looped around my thumb.

After the vanish you can let it loose from the thumb and toss the cage into a case or behind a table and you are free to be strip searched. If you wish to be... :D

[Pete Biro]

McComb, and others I believe... just filmed material for a DVD on the vanishing birdcage for Chris Reeseman of Encore Magic... Watch for it.

[Guest]

Mr. Biro, you are absolutely correct. Because of your obligations as official photographer of the World Magic Seminar, we were unable to have you join us. Thank you so much for photographing the Teen Weekend and Matthew says "Hello".

Yes, that weekend we taped over 6 hours at The Houdini Studio in Las Vegas. I want to thank Geno and his staff for their time and hospitality. On Saturday we taped Billy McComb teaching the slow-motion bird cage vanish. On Sunday we were joined by Ken Klosterman, Johnny Thompson, Tommy Wonder and Billy McComb and taped the history of the vanishing bird cage. They started with cages, and we had almost 25 of them, going back to the 1800's. They also discussed construction and performance styles with each cage. From there, the discussion centered upon the Take-Up Reel and we had various Reels throughout history. As comprehensive as this discussion was, we did have some things that were omitted. Out of respect for performers who are still performing original versions of the vanishing bird cage and cage constructions, these were not discussed. Even though we had so many cages, I think we were still, with this collective group, missing important cages in history. Part of this project is a photo library of cages and, on Tommy Wonders' suggestion, part of this project will be a booklet of photos and CAD drawings of various cages throughout history. It is my hope that if Billy has put 60 years into the performance of the vanishing bird cage, this project reflects that amount of respect to both Billy and this wonderful effect that started with De Kolta.


If anyone has a photo of a bird cage that I may include with this project and/or dimensions for the accompanying booklet it would be greatly appreciated.

Photos and descriptions of this project can be found at www.encoremagic.net.

If anyone has any questions regarding this project or photos that they may be able to supply, please email me at encoremagic@hotmail.com.

[David Alexander]

I may be one of the few performers who have used a Lindhorst-style cage, a soft ribbon-covered Abbott cage (made by Pete Bouton), and a Martin Round cage all in professional performance. The first two are somewhat different effects from the latter.

In my opinion, having done the trick thousands of times, covering the cage with a silk dilutes the astounding effect of the Vanishing Cageor Flying Cage as de Kolta called it. In the pure effect, at one moment, it is there in your hands and a split second later it is not. The performers empty hands offer no clue as to where the cage has gone. With the speed of a light bulb being turned off, the cage is completely and totally gone from sight. It is an astounding moment for the audience and the experienced performer knows he has to stand and wait for the applause as the audience is usually too stunned to respond immediately. In my view, to cover the instantaneous vanish with silk ruins the presentation of one of the great classics of magic.

The one-off presentation of the Vanishing Cage is an astonishing effect. Repeating it with children from the audience ala Blackstone, with the cued lifting of the performers coat tail by a curious child is entertainment.

The use of red ribbon around the soft cage has a definite purpose as it makes visible in a large theater something that is small. The Lindhorst-style cage looks more cage-like in smaller venues. As Jim Riser has explained, both cages should ride in the sleeve between the elbow and shoulder.

The Martin Cage is a mystery presentation that proceeds from the amazing to the impossible. In Fraksons presentation, the cage vanishes; everywhere the audience suspects it might be is shown to be wrong; and when the question remains as to where the cage is, it is reproduced in a surprise ending. Continuing Novelty into Surprise.

The only cages I have not experienced are the clunky Bartel (sp?) models and the Martin Square Cage which I understand was modeled after the Bartel, but made with far higher quality. The finest exponent of the latter model is Granville Taylor of England. He produces the cage from a silk, sets it on his table, and later in his act vanishes it visibly, removing his coat in the manner of DeBiere to show that it has vanished completely.

[Guest]

1952, I believe, I bought a cage from Phil Thomas in Baltimore. Maybe my memory is less than what it might be but as I recall it was made by Merv Taylor. Since no one has mentioned him in this thread....I'm open to correction.

[Christopher Starr]

Originally posted by David Alexander:
...In my opinion, having done the trick thousands of times, covering the cage with a silk dilutes the astounding effect of the Vanishing Cage

I agree...have seen Lance Burton perform it with the silk covering, and it just looses the "wow" factor, especially after watching Blackstone Jr present it so many times with no cover.

Just my 2...

[Guest]

I saw Billy McComb vanish the bird cage at 4F. It was pure magic.

[NCMarsh]

So I've just purchased an Owen cage and, while waiting by the mailbox, am voraciously consuming all the info. I can find on the cage and related items...

I'm wondering: has anyone experimented with using an Al Baker "Lightning Pull" (essentially the same as a nylon cord wrist-to-wrist pull, but with a loop of elastic going across the back between two loops of cord) with the cage?

I haven't had the chance to experiment yet, and am sure there must be a reason it doesn't work, but it seems like the elastic could serve the same function as a take-up reel because it allows the line to be much longer while under tension before the vanish, and then it shortens as the cage flies

Two great sources I've found on cage work that I don't hear mentioned much: John Booth's Marvels of Mystery and Alton Sharpe's Expert Hocus Pocus...the Booth book has a great quote from John Northern Hilliard that the cage would "fool a man from mars"

[Q. Kumber]

Also check out Tommy Wonder's DVDs.