Bosco's fold up chair.

MaxNY · Postby **MaxNY** » December 4th, 2002, 7:57 am

Five years ago, they aired a wonderful magic special, it documented magic and it's history. They had a three second clip of (I believe) Bosco. When he left the stage, he grabbed (what appeared to be a chair) from the top of the lean, flipped it up.... the whole chair folded (spring hinges) into a suitcase looking thing. Any idea who made this? Who has the rights,(as if that matters). Was there ever plans for this chair? Who is "sitting" on this chair now...

David Alexander · Postby **David Alexander** » December 4th, 2002, 8:26 am

The performer was probably Horce Goldin, wearing a white suit and part of a short film. I believe the entire film is in the SAM film library.

There have been several magicians who used something like this over the years. I believe there are plans around - and you can't sit on the chair as I recall, but I can't remember who put them out.

David Alexander

Pete Biro · Postby **Pete Biro** » December 6th, 2002, 10:31 pm

TRUE STORY... The Horace Golding chair to suitcase is mine. Only I don't have it. I bought it from the Davenport Crypt, brought it home and was going to have Johnny Gaughan restore it.

However...

I moved. The moving company LOST IT. LOST IT.

I didn't realize it for over a year, as it was in a group of items stored in the basement. When I went to find it... GONE...

:eek: :mad: :eek:

MaxNY · Postby **MaxNY** » December 7th, 2002, 7:32 am

Peter, incredible story! I find that so weird... I just remember seeing the piece of footage, and while it aired, I was on the phone with another working magician. The second they showed it, we both stopped mid-sentence, and couldn't remember what we were saying! I took the footage, and slowed it down frame by frame using broadcast Digital Betacams, still had trouble figuring out exactly how it folded up... Was this a popular item? Or just one of a kind? Are the plans in print anywhere?

Pete Biro · Postby **Pete Biro** » December 7th, 2002, 9:32 am

Not sure, but I "think" it was a one-of-a-kind. It was in great shape, except for the primitive and worn out elestic used in those days.

I was going to have Johnny Gaughan "re-finish" the wood (I believe it was a mahogany) and make sure all the screws and hinges were in good shape and replace the elastic with bungee cord.

I wish I had photographed it... argh...

However, I still have the table to suitcase from that era. It is in pretty good condition and with very little fiddling I could get it to work fine. The cloth handle needs replacing.

I used it in a show in London at the Magic Circle and before I could get offstage and back into the dressing room I had three guys offer to buy it from me!!!! :p

Pekka Gunst · Postby **Pekka Gunst** » December 8th, 2002, 10:21 pm

There is a description of the workings of the chair in one of the Dutch magician Marconics books.I must admit that i had difficulties to understand the exact workings of the trick from the brief descriptions.The description is illustrated.You can find the trick in old Davenport catalogues from the 30`s.There is one if I remember right "car to suitcase" trick too.

MaxNY · Postby **MaxNY** » December 9th, 2002, 7:32 am

Pekka can you send me a copy of this? I will in turn send you any American television magic show, (in NTSC format, I will be able to send it to you in PAL soon). Max

Pekka Gunst · Postby **Pekka Gunst** » December 11th, 2002, 6:01 am

Sorry Max i dont have the book.As I said the description of the workings of the chair is very brief no blue prints.Especially the hinges and their placement caused problems when i tried to reconstuct the chair on paper.
But let me make a prediction...
I see a chair like this on the market in the near future...

MaxNY · Postby **MaxNY** » December 11th, 2002, 7:17 am

I did check out a supplier of rare and unfinished hardwods yesterday. They had barnyards full of Mahogany, Teak, and Heart Pine. This is great that you tried to work it out on paper. Pete, would you lend us an inside on just where the bungees were placed?

David Alexander · Postby **David Alexander** » December 11th, 2002, 7:55 am

Max,

You'd probably be better off getting a copy of the film, watching it several times, perhaps even going through it frame by frame. That way you'd have a better idea how the thing folds up.

Jim Riser · Postby **Jim Riser** » December 11th, 2002, 10:09 am

One of these sold on ebay about a month ago. I saved the picture(s). When I get back home in a about a week I can dig up the jpg, if people are still interested. It looks like a straight forward construction job to me. Someone remind me next week.

The real question is not where the hinges go or where the bungee goes; but who is going to be first to clain he owns the "rights" to this effect! Then the war of words begins. :)

Jim

MaxNY · Postby **MaxNY** » December 11th, 2002, 2:41 pm

I did "bounce" up my VHS to a Digital Betacam, only to slow it down... but you do tend to loose things in the "rasta" especially during action, let alone that this originated from film. I'm gonna dig out my tapes, and see how, and where... I wasn't even thinking bungees, till Peter PotaMuse said that they were present. I was thinking more of spring hinges.

MaxNY · Postby **MaxNY** » December 11th, 2002, 3:55 pm

My footage isn't even from the Magic documentary, but from raw footage that I believe originated from the Magic Castle long ago. The footage they used in that documentary was much more scratched than what I have in my collection. See, my copies must have been transfered to video... then the original footage probably ran thru a scratchy projector many times since. Horace Goldin's assistant brings on the chair, and yes it folds up nicely into a "closed suitcase". I have got most of the hinge points figured out, but where the bungees? Peter did the four legs break or fold up in any way? Or did they just neatly hinge into the seat? Were the legs bungeed like... say a breakaway wand?

Rafael · Postby **Rafael** » December 11th, 2002, 4:36 pm

dear MaxNY,

I have the book of Marconick with the plan of the fold up chair and i'm looking for some tapes of
American tv magic shows (ntsc)....(sound like a deal)

Greetings
Rafael

Pete Biro · Postby **Pete Biro** » December 11th, 2002, 4:58 pm

My memory glands are shot, but...

I believe, unless an assistant walked on with it, it was onstage and required a wire frame on the floor to keep the legs in place.

When you picked it up the legs folded inward (pulled by elastic) the chair back folded back and in and in half and the seat, the box, folded in half downward.

All wound up inside the seat, which was now half size owing to it folding in half.

The table I have is all gravity. You grab a handle in the middle, and ropes pull the legs inside the tabletop which folds in half and you have a boxlike suitcase to walk off with.

Jim Riser · Postby **Jim Riser** » January 21st, 2003, 8:44 pm

There is currently a chair to suitcase (Bland) on ebay.

If interested, see:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... tegory=427

Jim

Pete Biro · Postby **Pete Biro** » January 21st, 2003, 10:34 pm

Looks really nice condition... not the same design as the one I had tho... looks more like the table to suitcase I have.

Marco Pusterla · Postby **Marco Pusterla** » February 13th, 2003, 4:37 am

Hi!
the "Chair to Suitcase" used by Goldin was a dealer's item (so, not "one of a kind"), produced by Davenport, in London. It was first manufactured in 1913 and sold for 25 shillings (around $115). I don't know when the production ceased, nor how many chairs were produced.

Hope this helps, ciao!

-- Marco

Pete Biro · Postby **Pete Biro** » February 13th, 2003, 10:37 am

Sounds like what I had was a Davenport one... I found it in the Crypt! :genii:

Tom Ladshaw · Postby **Tom Ladshaw** » March 29th, 2003, 2:23 pm

Someone in Mexico still makes these folding chairs...I bought two of them at a TAOM convention several years ago. I've since sold both of them, but I saw another at the last TAOM I attended. I believe I paid about $40.00 each for them. Perhaps some of the dealers from South Texas might be able to help???

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