Our next SAM #12 Assembly meeting will be on Friday, March 15th at 7:00pm. The theme will be “Tricks with a Thumb Tip, 6th Finger, Sanada gimmick, and other false appendages with which you can create great magic.” Plan to attend. It will be at Eagle Magic and Joke Store, as usual, in Burnsville. Until soon, best magical wishes, TomOL.
President Tom O’Lenick got the meeting started by showing the “heavy weight (almost 11 pounds)” new book written and published by Richard Kaufman called Deland – Mystery and Madness. The book comes with a special deck of cards printed by the US Playing Card Company of tricks that Theodore DeLand created from 1904 until 1931. Some included cards are for The Yogi Wonder Cards; The Devil’s Own Trick; X-ray Pack, and Phantom Card trick. O’Lenick also show two additional decks that Kaufman reprinted; The Automatic Trick Cards (deck with a million marks) and Wonder Deck. Deland was very prolific creating and selling hundreds of card tricks during his lifetime. Theodore DeLand, Jr. died in a psychiatric facility in 1931.
The group also shared some upcoming regional events. On March 29th, Masters of Illusion will be at Mystic Lake Casino near Minneapolis. Piff, The Magic Dragon will be in nearby Madison, Wi. Jerry Martin will be attending and invited others to ride along. Also in March, Adam and Lisa Moore will be ending their year of performances at the Plymouth Playhouse.
Tonight’s performances began Larry Kahlow performing the DeLand Phantom Cards. Then a “show and tell” by Jerry Martin. He showed a double reel device made by P&L that allows the magician to “float” a spread of cards between his widely separated hands. The P&L device was sold since the early 1960s. He then showed a clever new version called “Suspenz” which accomplished the same effect.
Next up was Drew Hanson. He show a very clever new trick that utilized a Rubick’s Cube that was mixed and hidden. Drew then correctly predicted the Green side with 100% accuracy. A new technology that most had not heard allowed Drew to fool the group. He was kind enough to share the method with everyone in a short tutorial session. I’m sure Google was deluged with searches following his presentation!
Tom O’Lenick announced he had made a prediction and then continued by asking four people to each select a random digit from 0 to 9 from which they would collectively create a valid time that you would see on a clock. The volunteers decided upon 7:53. O’Lenick then directed their attention to a black cloth bag that had been hanging in full view throughout the entire meeting. Without going near it, he had another individual collect the bag and announce what was inside. Surprisingly, it was a wristwatch set to the exact time that had been randomly created moments earlier. This is a great new effect called “ShowTime.”
Our next SAM #12 Assembly meeting will be on March 15th. The meeting theme will be “Thumb Tips, Sixth Fingers, Sanada gimmicks and other false appendages with which you can create great magic.” Plan to attend. Until soon, best magical wishes, TomOL.
The threat of a severe Minnesota winter snow storm didn’t keep many magicians away from the January SAM #12 meeting which featured our annual auction. More than 20 magicians brought pockets full of money to take advantage of the deals that would ultimately be offered by the four sellers that brought boxes, bags, and tubs of magic. Upon a final review of the auction tally sheets more than 60 items were sold (most well below wholesale pricing) to everyone. The club receives 10% of the sale price of each item sold to add to our finances. All area magicians were invite to attend. Non-members were charged a $5 fee to participate in the auction.
Some items featured in the auction included numerous DVD titles, special decks of cards and packet card tricks, some magic collectibles and a few books and pamphlets. Unusually absent from the sale were any gimmicked or specialty coin tricks. I’m sure that most people took advantage of the excellent prices and brought home a new trick or two for their magic collection.
The SAM Assembly #12 would like to extend special thanks to our Treasurer Adam Moore who tracked all the sales on a time saving computer program created by former local member Geoff Williams (now living in Florida). And, David Stahl who logged every single transaction. And everyone that came to the auction.
Following the 2+ hour auction, members had snacks and deserts provided by host Larry Kahlow and others who brought yummy treats. Conversations about the “deals” people got continued for another hour. The theme for our next meeting will be “Magic you’ve learned from the Internet” on Friday, February 15th at 7pm at Eagle Magic and Joke Store in Burnsville. Stay warm! Spring is just around the magical corner!
Sort through all your old magic because the next SAM Assembly #12 meeting is the annual auction event and will be an opportunity for you to sell all of it! I’m sure lots of great deals will be offered to the group on Friday, January 18th at the meeting. Plan to be there for all the fun! 7 pm at Eagle Magic and Joke Store in Burnsville.
There is no charge to sell for dues paid members. The non-member fee is $5. Everyone will pay a 10% u for props they sell to the SAM #12 treasury.
Sam Assembly #12 is excited to announce that our next meeting on Friday, October 19th at 7 p.m. will be held at the Plymouth Playhouse to see Adam and Lisa Moore (Moore Magic) perform their 80 minute magic show. Following the show there will be a backstage tour of the theater and a question and answers session. individuals that join the SAM #12 (dues $15) prior to the meeting will be able to get into the show for free. Dues may be paid online at SAM12.org. Become an SAM Assembly #12 member right away and take advantage of the free admission to see Moore Magic at the Plymouth Playhouse on Oct. 19th.
September was a busy month for SAM Assembly #12. On September 18th the group hosted a fun lecture with Steve Marshall from Florida by way of Tokyo Japan. Steve has been touring the Midwest Region for most of the summer. His lecture was filled with lots of clever magic inspired by Japanese magicians. The Ben-san Bowl routine with sponge sushi; the Color Changing Rubber bands and the Little Triumph were each remarkable in their own way. As well as being a former “Ringling Clown,” Steve is a very entertaining magician.
Then on Sept. 28th, President Tom O’Lenick called the regular meeting to order by reminding the dozen people in attendance that dues is due for the 2018-2019 year. If paid prior to the next meeting (which can be done on the website www.sam12.org), the assembly will pay (as a special perk) your admission to the magic show that Adam and Lisa Moore are presenting that the Plymouth Playhouse theater. Adam recently made the offer for SAM #12 to hold its October 19th meeting at their show. Following the show, Adam and Lisa will conduct a backstage tour and answer questions from the attendees.
Since the group has been on summer vacation without meetings in July or August, it was fun catching up on member activities. Some included discussions about the Sam National Meeting held in Orlando, the IBM in Grand Rapids, Magic Live in Las Vegas and FISM. During September, the Minnesota group had an excellent representation at the Houdini Club of Wisconsin convention in Appleton (the community where Houdini grew up).
Meeting performances this month included: a Rubber Band effect by Manny Benitis; a Enlarging Chinese Coin presentation by “Magic” Brad Gudim; a Vanishing and Reappearing Coin held high above his head by Larry Kahlow; and a quick coin routine by Drew Hanson. Presentations were followed by snacks broght by Jerry Martin and Tom O’Lenick and deserts hosted by Jennifer Kahlow. Magic chats and sessioning by everyone continued for another hour.
Plan to attend the Steve Marshall Lecture on Tuesday, September 18 at 7pm at the Regency Woods Apts Community Room, 2200 South Plymouth Road in Minnetonka. Regency Woods is just west of Ridgedale Center Mall with easy access from I-394 and I-494, Current SAM Assembly #12 members may attend without charge. Others will be charged $20. You can register online.
Bring your questions as well as Steve loves to discuss magic with you and tell stories of his life and travels.
