Pete Biros - Ring On Wineglass

Pete Biro’s Original

Ring On Wineglass As performed by Fred Kaps

Linking Finger Ring History and the Ring On Wineglass n addition to the traditional linking ring routines there has been a vast amount of work done with finger rings.

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Various finger rings have been marketed, from simple cheapies with a cut slit, ala the classic linking rings, to a very clever, locking key finger ring, popularly called the “Himber Ring”. The original rings sold by the well-known bandleader and magician, Richard Himber, came in three styles, the most popular the man's Signet ring. Originally it was marketed under the name StaggeRING. Two versions were made, one with and the other without a stone. The ring was made to open with a hinge, hidden by the platform for the stone (or initials on the plain version). Another variation, called ToweRING was a Gold wedding band with a uniform circumference. The ring was segmented with one of the segments pivoted to open. It locked in the closed position. The original rings were, in fact, invented in 1959 by Persi Diaconis, who at the time was working for Himber at something like a dollar an hour. Persi would run around New York getting various suppliers to manufacture things, have instructions printed, and most important, worked at inventing tricks for Himber. he solution came to him one day while riding a bus. He had gotten a letter from Fawcett Ross suggesting the effect as a challenge. It was known that a member of the Bamberg Family had, in the past, linked borrowed (switched) rings onto the Linking Rings, and that European artiste Freddy Fah had done something like this performing on ice skates! Manufacture of the rings was handled by the well-known magician/jeweler Willy Schneider. Schneider was one of the inner-circle magicians in New York and for years brought top lecturers into the area. He was kind enough to hire this writer on several occasions. Much has been written on the various methods of performing the Linking Finger Rings. Ron Wilson, in his book The Uncanny Scot, has a number of good ideas. Richard Osterlind published a manuscript well worth looking at, but the best, most practical handling I have yet to see is in a Billy McComb video tape that is part of the Greater Magic Series, produced by Joe Stevens. McComb's idea to show the gaffed ring to the very spectator that loaned you a ring is genius. The way he handles it makes it the first practical NO SWITCHING (at the crucial moment) routines extant.

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everal, including Wilson, suggest routines where the gaffed ring is on a volunteer in the audience. You can't really say he is a stooge, as he does not know the ring is gaffed. The handling is that you “loan” a ring to him saying, “I need several people to loan me rings, but they are always slow to get started. I would like you wear this ring and when I ask for rings, jump up and say, “Here, use mine”. He just thinks he is helping to get the show rolling and does not know the ring you gave him is actually a trick ring. My suggested handling for this version is, at the end of the trick, when you return the rings, do the other two first and when you get to your helper, do a false transfer, and hand him nothing, with a wink and a thanks. That way you don't have to worry about finding him and your expensive ring later! Evidence of how good the Linking Finger Ring effect can be was proven to me one night at a college campus show performed by the Amazing Kreskin. Amazing (as far as I know Amazing is his first name) received three standing ovations that night. One was for his version of the Dr. Q (fake) hypnotic act, the other at the end of his show, but the biggest reaction came at the conclusion of his presentation of the Linking Finger Rings. What amazed me was that Kreskin (George Kresge) in no way tried to be clever. He did not do any wonderful moves, he was in fact, ham fisted. He hid the rings in his hands, switched the rings in and out and did it in a way a sleight-of-hand critic that was knowledgeable to the handling possibilities, would have puked at! But it was his presentation, his sell, that overcame his lack of being clever. Much like Uri Geller when he misses. He becomes all the more convincing to the believers. The Kaps/Koran Connection About seventeen years ago, working on the Linking Finger Rings with the late Fred Kaps at the Claremont Hotel, in Oakland Calif., I revealed to Kaps an effect I created, worked up in my notes, but had yet to perform. When I told him about my PREMISE, Kaps went crazy. So much did he like it, he featured it two times (that I know of) on television specials. One on the FRED KAPS MAGIC SHOW, produced by John Fisher, with technical advisor and assistant Robert Swadling. The way I described my idea to Fred was this. I said, “Fred, the only real way to find a vanished, borrowed ring is to have it appear on the stem of a beautiful crystal champagne glass. And the only way to give it back is to have to break the glass”. The ring, I explained, must be ungimmicked, borrowed in fact. When I said this, it was all over. Fred could only ask, “You can really do this?”

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The tone in his voice was incredible. It was like I had just told him I knew the secret to walking on water. I had to be honest and tell him that I had not actually done it, but that the handling was in my mind and that I was waiting to see him personally to discuss it. He couldn't wait to hear. I told him that the lead in was not critical, the ring vanish could be done in any way, but the part that I had to do a little more work on was how to get the ring on the glass. I told him he would have to find the right shaped glass, go to a glass repair man (they are often found at antique glass shows) and have the stems cut off at a decorative knob or joint. Then rig a holder in your close up case, or behind a bar, if you are working behind one, that would hold the base and the top of the glass in alignment. You slip the ring onto the stem, hit it with a drop of crazy glue, then push the two parts of the glass together. If you saw Fred Kaps do this routine on one of the aforementioned TV specials, you saw real magic. (You can find it on You Tube). On his own special he had a beautifully designed bar, one like you would find in a modern home, not in a commercial public bar. Fred began with two spectators seated at either end. In his opening sequence he borrowed the ring, tied it onto a length of rope (very convincing handling from Scotty York) and then he slipped a ring box over the ring while it hung in view. The ends of the cord were held by the two spectators. To conclude, Fred removed the box, leaving the rope sans ring. He asked one of the spectators to open the box. Expecting to see the ring in the box, thinking the trick was getting the ring off the rope, the spectator showed a bit of shock when the ring was not there. There was however, a small folded piece of paper in the ring box. Fred asked him to open the paper. It read, “Don't forget the drinks.” Earlier in the show he offered to pour each of them a drink, but forgot to, once he got into the magic. After the reading of the note, Kaps brought forth a glass of sherry for the woman, then set an empty glass in front of the gentleman, bringing out a decanter, as he said, “You wanted, what, port?” Before he started to pour, he looked at the glass and the man's ring was around the stem. ords at my disposal can't describe the effect this had on the spectators. Fred brought out a cloth serviette, covered the glass and shattered it with a small hammer to give the ring back to the gentleman that was kind enough to loan it to him. Paul Gertner later worked out a variation on the ring on the stem of a glass, using an hour glass and a handling for the switch he got from Scotty York’s yet unpublished effect “The Sands of Time,” that won Gertner the top prize at the Desert Magic Seminar some years back. In fact, the original fabrication of the gaffed glasses that Kaps used was done by York. The fit was so good that the crazy glue was not necessary. York did a lot of behind the scenes work for Kaps and in fact one of Kaps' TV specials featured five effects, four of which were invented by

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York, the fifth was Robert Harbin’s Zig Zag. So grateful was Kaps to York that when he died he left his own (Hans Trixer-made) personal Himber linking finger ring set to Scotty. Not one to be content when working on an effect, Kaps had done additional research and experimentation with this effect. A letter from the well?-known Welsh magician, Trevor Lewis, shows how various minds can be working the same path. ewis writes, “I guess great minds think alike, because I thought the idea (ring on stem of glass) was original with me. Roy Roth also claimed originality in Abra about three years ago (Kaps hadbeen dead for over ten years). I'm certain that like so many other ideas in magic we must have thought of the idea independently. “Here's my side of the story. Just after the 1976 FISM I enjoyed two weeks with Kaps, Frank Garcia, Dick Koornwinder, and others at Philippe Fialho’s home in Nice, France. Several ideas were kicked around in that exalted company, some good, some brilliant, some impossible. Amongst the ideas that found favour were finding a borrowed ring on the stem of a glass and producing liquid as a final load from a Chop Cup. “The problem with finding a ring on the stem of the glass is of course... the stem has to be broken to retrieve it. It was suggested that a marked chinese coin with a hole could be used for table hopping. Obviously not as good, but less costly and workable. There was another problem. Getting someone to make the goblets and the stems. “I discussed the wine glass idea with Frans Biemans at the British Ring Convention. Biemans told me he had a friend who owned a glass factory in Holland who could make the glasses. A year later at the next convention Biemans called me into his room and handed me a parcel. I eagerly opened it and unwrapped one bowl and two stems. He said his friend had made six and since I'd thought of the idea, it was mine to keep. I kept the pieces safely locked away as they were really to precious to use. I had no idea who had the other ones, but obviously Biemens and Kaps had one or two each.” Lewis went on to explain that a few years later Biemans gave him an additional bowl (which, unfortunately was chipped) and a few extra stems. One complete set will be donated to the Magic Circle for their museum. In a letter from Kaps, dated 8 August 1978, Kaps mentioned taping his special for the BBC and he used a glass given to him by Biemens. The following item, also devised by me for Kaps, has seen print, but I wish to include it here for completeness. A very nice way to finish any Linking Finger Ring routine is to display the final two rings on the end of a pencil, one hanging below the other, and have them visibly unlink themselves.

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There is a marketed routine using a small hook on a pencil to make it look like the rings are linked, but you had to physically take the ring off the hook to unlink it. One like this was made for Robert Harbin by Billy McComb. Nice. Very good as a matter of fact. But, how would you like to have the ring just melt away and visibly unlink itself, dropping into the spectator's outstretched hand? All you need is a full-size regular wooden pencil with a rubber eraser on the end and a bit of invisible thread. ith a razor blade, cut a slit in the eraser, from the end to the heel. Then, take a short length of invisible thread, a little less than the length of the pencil, tie a knot on either end and thread this through the eraser so it hangs down, with the knot at one end keeping it from slipping out. Slide the rings onto the pencil from the end opposite the eraser. You are at the point where you have two rings on the pencil. One can be the gaff, it depends on your routine. You want the ungaffed ring closest to the eraser end. Arrange it so you have the thread gripped back along the opposite end of the pencil, with the slack taken up. Slide the ungaffed ring off the end so it is held only by the thread. Position the rings so the one on the thread looks like it is hanging, linked to the one on the pencil. All you have to do is let your grip on the thread go and the ring magically drops, seemingly unlinking itself, visibly! he final item of this chapter produces the same effect, but was accomplished with a beautiful gold mechanical pencil. Within the innards of the pencil is a sliding piece of spring steel. This piece, operated by your thumb via a little knob, would stick out, and retract into the barrel of the pen. You could hold the unlinked ring in place on the wire, and with an indetectable move, the rings would visibly unlink. Who did this? It was a well-guarded secret of the late Al Koran. Koran tipped this to me backstage one night and said, “Some day, long down the road, you can do what you want with this. But wait ‘til the right time.” Many thanks, Al. It is now the right time, and the one item that makes this book well worth having. The first performer I showed this to was Bruce Cervon, who used it, and made the conclusion of his routine a miracle. It was then decided to make these up, and working with Joe Porper we came up with a beautiful version. t the same time I was not happy with the way the original Himber Rings were opened and closed and designed a new type of ring. Again, Joe Porper brought this new design to fruition and we named it the “Ghostly Linking Finger Ring.” When he saw it Billy McComb said, “This is the way the Himber Ring should have been designed in the first place.” The finest handling of this can be seen on You Tube being performed by Taiwanese magician, Lu Chen.

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BORROWED RING ON WINEGLASS By Pete Biro, performed by Fred Kaps hen Fred Kaps came to Northern California, in 1970, do a series of shows for the Dutch Clubs in the area, I was working on various ideas with the Linking Finger Rings and revealed to Kaps an effect I had created, but had yet to perform. When I came up with this concept I immediately thought of Kaps because whenever he did anything he did it better than anyone else, and I felt, at the time, he was the only person that could pull this off the way I felt it should be done. When I told him about my premise, Kaps went crazy. So much did he like it, he featured it two times (that I know of) on television specials. One on the FRED KAPS MAGIC SHOW, pro- Considred the best all-around magician of our time, Fred Kaps. duced by John Fisher for the BBC, with technical advisor Robert Swadling. The way I described my idea to Fred was this. I said, “Fred, I have worked out a way to find a vanished, borrowed ring on the stem of a beautiful crystal champagne glass. And to give the ring back you have to break the glass. The ring, I explained, is ungimmicked, borrowed in fact.” When I said this, it was all over. Fred answered, “You can do this?” The tone in his voice was incredible. It was like I had just told him I knew the secret to walking on water. I had to be honest and tell him that I had not actually done it, but that the handling was worked out and that I was waiting to see him personally to discuss it. He couldn't wait to hear the explanation. I told him that the lead in was not critical, the ring vanish could be done in any way, but the part that I had to do a little more work on was how to put the glass back together after the ring was slipped on the stem. I told him he would have to find the right shaped glass, go to a glass repair man (they are often found at antique glass shows) and have the stems cut off at a decorative knob or joint. Then you would have to rig a holder in your close up case, or behind a bar (if you are working behind one) that would hold the base and the top of the glass in alignment. You slip the ring onto the stem, hit it with a drop of CRAZY GLUE, and then push the two parts of the glass together. If you saw Fred Kaps do this routine on one of the aforementioned TV

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specials, you saw real magic. On the BBC special he had a beautifully designed bar, one like you would find in a modern home, not a commercial public bar. Fred began with two spectators seated at either end. In his opening sequence he borrowed the ring, tied it onto a length of cord (very convincing handlingfrom Scotty York) and then he slipped a ring box over the ring while it hung on the cord in full view. The ends of the cord were held by the two spectators. o conclude, Fred removed the box, leaving the rope sans ring, and handed the box to the woman on his left. He asked her to open the box. Expecting to see the ring in the box, thinking the trick was getting the ring off the rope, she showed more than just a bit of shock when the ring was not there. Kaps the consummate actor, acted like something had gone wrong, and he looked around for the ring to no avail. There was, however, a small folded piece of paper in the ring box. Fred asked her to open the paper. It read, “Don't forget the drinks.” (Note: Earlier in the show he offered to pour each of them a drink, but forgot to once he got into the magic). After the reading of the note, Kaps poured a glass of Sherry for the woman, and then started to set an empty glass in front of the gentleman. Bringing out a decanter, Kaps said, “You wanted, what, Port?” Before he started to pour, he looked at the glass and the man's ring was seen around the stem. To return the ring Kaps brought out a small hammer, put a serviette over the glass and struck it with the hammer, breaking the stem. He then returned the ring to the gentleman he had borrowed it from. Words at my disposal can't describe the effect this had on the couple, and the TV audience. he way Kaps did this for his special was simple. He had English magician Bob Swadling as an assistant, who was hidden under the bar. Kaps dropped the ring through a trap in the bar to Swadling who put it onto the stem of the glass and assembled the pieces for Fred to finish the routine. There was one problem to solve before he could do this. He needed to have the glasses made. The first prototypes Kaps got were made for him by Scotty York. Later, Frans. Biemans, a Dutch magician friend of Kaps told him he knew a man that owned a glass factory in Holland who could make the glasses. At Phillipe Phialho's home in the South of France, Kaps talked to Trevor Lewis about this, and Lewis later discussed this with Biemens, and a year later at a convention Biemans gave Lewis one bowl and two stems. Lewis kept the pieces safely locked away as felt they were really to precious to use. ewis went on to explain that later Biemans gave him an additional bowl and a few extra stems. One complete unit will be donated to the Magic Circle for their museum.

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In a letter I received from Kaps, dated 8 August 1978, Kaps mentioned taping another special and he used a glass given to him by Biemans. It should be noted here that Paul Gertner's award-winning ring found on an hourglass was inspired by the Ring on Wineglass following Kaps' TV special. In addition, Bruce Kalvar marketed a similar effect using Brandy Snifter and a different approach. My One Man Ring on Wineglass Following Kalvar, and others, putting the effect on the market, I was a little miffed. But, I can't blame anyone really, I should have marketed, or published it myself to get proper credit for the concept. I did, however have this published (finally) in Genii Magazine, in the August, 2007 issue. So, how do I get my credit, and how do I get my trick back? The answer? Improve it. Here is what I have developed. It can be done as I will describe it, if, and I emphasize “IF” if you are a really good performer and have the chops, and guts it takes to do the very bold, necessary moves. The preparation. Go to a shop that sells wine glasses. Get cheap, short-stemmed Brandy Snifters. Buy half-a-dozen so you will have enough to make the gimmicks and practice with. Take a small file and nick the stem about half way down. Then cover this with a cloth and tap it at the file mark with a hammer, breaking the glass into two pieces. (See the photos). The break does not have to be square, just clean. From a hardware store buy some clear neoprene hosing, the diameter that will just fit, snugly, over the stem of the glass. Cut this to the length shown in the accompanying photo. Stick the stem and glass together, held together by the tubing. (This was Kalvar's idea, but he had you go under the table, or out of sight with the glass to do the work). Now, what I wanted to have was a stand-up routine, no going south, no hiding the glass, nothing phony, nothing covered. Assemble the gimmicked glass and hold it by the stem in your right hand. Walk into the audience and borrow two men's wedding bands. Don't borrow women's rings as you don't want any trouble losing a stone, or

doing any damage. Keep them to simple men's wedding bands. As you borrow them have them dropped into the glass (the gimmick is hidden by your right hand holding the glass). wirl the rings in the glass as you walk back to your working position. At this time you take the upper half of the glass away in your left hand, and edge palm (see photo) the base with the stem sticking up. (This is where skill and handling comes in). While you are walking, you pour the rings from the bowl into your right hand onto the stem (which is hidden in your hand and it should just appear as if you are pouring the rings into your empty hand). Now you bring the base up to the stem and stick them back together. Act as if you are sticking the rings onto the stem. Once everything is back together you grip the glass from above and show the rings on the stem. The reason to use two rings is to hide the gimmick. See the photo to show you how the rings are displayed, and how each ring hides an end of the tubing. Sell this. Sell it big time. Now, you place the glass on its side on a tray, cover it with a handkerchief and bring out a small hammer and break the glass. Really break it for the best effect. And then lift the handkerchief and remove the two borrowed rings and return them to the loanees. Alternate Handling for a No Assistant Variation Steve Cohen, "The Millionaire's Magician," called from New York May 15 to discuss handling for this effect. He suggested what I think makes this a really practical ONE MAN handling. It is so simple I think this is what I will use myself. Prepare a silk handkerchief (I like Paisley designs) with a cheap ring hanging from the center of the handkerchief on a thread. Have

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this on the inside as you fold the handkerchief and place it into your jacket's breast pocket (or have it on a table, etc.) The gimmicked glass is on your table behind something or out of sight inside the table, however your working conditions allow you to have the glass handy, but not seen. Ask to borrow a ring from a gentleman. "A unique wedding band would be fine," you say. Have him take the ring off, take it in your right hand, examine it, etc. Bring out the handkerchief. Now you to the old dodge of apparently placing the ring under the handkerchief and having the spectator "hold" the ring through Steve Cohen performs at the Waldorf Hotel, New York. the cloth. What you actually do is let them hold the duplicate through the cloth while you palm out the borrowed ring and bring out the wineglass. Keep the split section hidden by holding it by the stem. With both hands you bring the glass under the handkerchief, pull off the base, put the ring onto the stem, then push the base back onto the bowl. You now hold the glass under the handkerchief and ask the spectator to let go of the ring, to "Drop it into the glass, where something UNUSUAL will happen." They hear the ring drop into the glass. Pause. Lift the handkerchief away and show the glass does not contain the ring. It has vanished. You hold the glass so the ring is not visible at this point. Put the handkerchief away. "Actually," you say, "It really hasn't vanished… look… it's here on the stem of the glass." Show the ring, ask him to identify it, etc. You say, "The only way to release your ring is to break the glass." You now can put the glass into a paper bag, or cover it with a napkin, whatever fits your routine, as you bring out a mallet and give the glass a whack separating the two pieces. You could have some broken pieces in the bag, dump all out onto a tray and then carefully pick the ring up and have the spectator identify it and thank him for his help. When you finish make sure to ask, "Is your ring in the same condition as it was when you gave it to me?" Take your well-earned applause.

These photos should help you understand the basic handling Top left shows the gimmicked glass with the tubing in place. Top right shows the pieces separated and the ring put onto the lower part of the stem. You do this under the handkechief. Center left, shows how you display the ring on the stem (KEEP IT IN MOTION). Center right you then covered it with a cloth or paper towel and tapped it with a hammer, separating he pieces. Bottom left shows a dummy ring on a thread attached to the handkerchief. Bottom right, put ring under handkerchief to do the dirty work, and have spectator hold it though the cloth over the glass.