Ring 50 “Spring Cleaning” Auction Draws A Crowd at April Meeting

Before the auction began Dick Christian (Christian the Magician) performed for the 61 members of the audience one of the last remaining and operational Blooming Rose Bushes.
Our auctioneers Dick Christian and IBM Past President, Bill Wells did a fantastic job demonstrating the live auction items and getting the best dollar. Overall lucky bidders got some fine magic equipment. Lucky bidders walked off with some of the interesting pieces like: A Square Circle, Spear Thru Head, Guillotine, Silk Production Box, Spirit Slates, Dove Vanish Box, Fire Purse, Mental Epic, and a collection of Eugene Burger Books, just to name a few. Louis Hofheimer (Capt Token) was top bidder for a collectors item T-Shirt from the former Al’s Magic Shop. Dwight Redman was the lucky bidder for a Kollossal Killer Wallet, another hard to find quality item. Mike Leggett tied up Abbott’s Encyclopedia of Rope Tricks. Eric Henning struggled to the top with a high bid for a 22"x33" framed Magic Castle Lithograph by Terry Lamb. Louis Meyer was happy to see his Ian Adair’s Crown Jewel get lots of bids bringing in four times more than he expected. Eighty-four items sold in the auction netting the Ring $171.30 in fees and donations for the Ring Treasury. Twenty-four items were sold in the live auction and sixty nifty magic items in the silent auction.

Magi-Whirl 2007 Is Happening April 13 & 14
This years Magi-Whirl events have some of the finest lectures and performers that you won’t want to miss. If you haven’t paid for your registration, you can do it on-line until April 10th. After that you will have to pay at the door. The registration fee is $50. If you only want to attend the Saturday evening Gala Show featuring the Magic of Krandl & Company, the Amazing Humorist Tim Sonefelt, Magic by Bob Sanders, the Magic of Michael Lair, Magician Extraordinaire Michael Taggert, DC Magician of the Year Dwight Redman, and Magical Master of Ceremonies – Bob Carnathan, the cost is $10. Cash or checks are only acceptable at the school. Make checks out to IBM Ring 50, there is no ATM available.
Directions to Magi-Whirl - Using I-495 (Beltway):
Take Exit 176B (Telegraph Rd. North). Follow overhead signs to Duke Street West (Route 236 West/Landmark). At the 2nd traffic light, turn right on Cambridge Rd. and then an immediate left. Drive a very short distance up the hill to Bishop Ireton on the right. Use the very first entrance to the parking lot. Entrance to Magi-Whirl is at the far end of the parking lot.

Other Ring 50 News
Jeffery Sobel was voted into the Ring on April 4th. In the wings waiting for membership into Ring 50 are: Gabriel Brehm, Jay Krasnow, and Terrance Moran. Pending IBM membership is Jeff Dionise, and Teresito Malicse. Dave Gregory of Georgetown has expressed an interest in joining Ring 50.

2007 Dues Due
Fourteen 2006 members have not come forward with their dues for 2007. The Constitution and By-Laws state: “Article II, Sect 4, Any member whose dues are three months in arrears shall be automatically suspended.” Suspension will be effective in May. If you don’t have a 2007 membership card, better get one soon. The $15 dues may be sent to Bob Patterson, Treasurer, 3450 Wainscott Place, Lake Ridge, VA 22192-5263. Make checks payable to IBM Ring 50.

Nominations for Office
Wow! Time flies when you are having fun. Another year has gone by. Next month, May, we will hold our annual election for officers. At the June meeting the officers will be installed. Those nominated are: President, Mike Taggert, Vice President, Louis Myer, Treasurer, Bob Patterson, Secretary, Laurie Curry, Sergeant-at-Arms, Reggie Rice, Director at Large, Don Freedman, Director at Large, Bill Wells and Director & Past President Dwight Redman.

Sharpen Your Skills – Two Contests Coming
May 2 Meeting - Magician of the Year Competition
May’s Ring 50 meeting will feature our annual Dan Lacey Magician of the Year competition open to all members. If you want to compete begin your planning now. Each magician will be given seven minutes to a maximum of nine minutes for his or her performance. Competitors will be judged on such things as performance skills, entertainment, and originality. All performers will need to be paid up members of IBM Ring 50 in order to compete. The competition honors the memory of the late Dan Lacey, a former Ring 50 president, who inspired members to explore their limits in performing magic. A bequest from his family and his workplace provided a rotating trophy, which is awarded to each year’s winner. Potential competitors should contact Ring 50 President Dwight Redman.

June 6th Meeting - Winton Carroll Award “Most Humorous Magician”
This is a new contest with a $100 award for the magician showing a ‘bit of humor’. Contest will be held each year for the next five years and will be separate from any other contest. The winner will be determined by "people's choice" in which each member of the audience has the opportunity to vote for the comedy magician of their choice. The one with the most votes wins. Ballots will be made up the day before the meeting once all the contestants have applied. This contest is open to all members. Apply to Dwight Redman for the Winton Carroll Contest.

~~ Bob Patterson

April’s Meeting will have a “Spring Cleaning” Auction

The annual “Spring Cleaning" auction will be held at the meeting on Wednesday, April 4th. It’s sure to provide us with lots of special bargains. You won’t want to miss it.

If you wish to offer any item for the LIVE Auction, you must complete an IBM Ring 50 Auction Inventory Sheet describing the items and any desired reserve bid. Items may be submitted for the SILENT Auction using the IBM Ring 50 Silent Auction Bid Sheet. Forms will be sent out by email in a few days or if you don't have email they are available by contacting Ring 50 Treasurer, Bob Patterson. Please fill this out ahead of time and bring it to the meeting. Forms will be available prior to the meeting. Those selling items should arrive by 6:30 PM to allow the committee time to inventory and assign lot numbers to the items. This will significantly speed up the auction process. His will also allow people to view the items before the auction begins. Come and enjoy the fun.

Mystifying Magic of Mentalism Mysteries

President Dwight Redman opened the meeting and introduced the guests. An update on Magi-Whirl 2007 progress was given and a plea for members to register before the price increase after April 1st. Magi-Whirl chairman still needs a few good volunteers to help with some of the details. Anyone interested should contact Mike Taggert. The annual “Spring Cleaning" auction will be conducted at the meeting on Wednesday, April 4th. It is anticipated that this will provide us with lots of special bargains again. You won’t want to miss it. Two new members we voted into the Ring: Tom Paxton of Columbia, MD and Maziar Namvar of Fairfax, VA. We have received an application for Ring 50 membership from Jeff Sobel of Alexandria, VA. Dwight closed the formal part of the meeting and opened the performance for Mentalism Night.

Arnie Fuoco tested the mentalism capabilities of the audience by offering them a chance to win a large sum of cash. He told the audience that one of five envelopes contained a lot of cash-a BIG BILL. Four audience members selected envelopes and left Arnie with the fifth one. After much byplay it was discovered that the $100 dollar bill was in the one left with Arnie--proving that the audience's mentalism skills weren't on the money that evening. Arnie then had Noland Montgomery certify that a deck of cards was not gimmicked and handed out a large envelope with a prediction inside. Becki Wells was called upon to select one of the cards and when the large envelope was opened the prediction was right on target.


Rucj Uffelman performed Any Card, Any Number that he modified from the lecture by John Born. He then took a newspaper clipping and cut it at a line selected by an audience member. He than had the member pick a word from one of the top three lines. Using mental skills he correctly identified the selected word.


Bob Carnathan demonstrated his mentalism skills. He had a deck of cards shuffled and three spectators each selected a stack of the cards, he then named each of the cards the spectators held.

Noland Montgomery showed a deck of cards that were blank on both the front and back. Faces of cards began to appear one at a time and then the backs appeared. A spectator selected a card from the deck, returned it and the deck was put into a paper bag, which was shaken up. Noland stabbed the bag with a pair of scissors and impaled the chosen card.

Dick Christian passed a wooden box around that had one large die in it. The person with the box was instructed to rotate the die and remember the number on top before passing the box to someone else. While the box was passed to three different people, Dick handed out four thick novels to different spectators. The first person was told to turn to any page. The next person was told to turn to the named page and pick a word in the first line. The third person was asked to turn to any page and the fourth person with a book was told to turn to that page and pick the first long word on the page. Dick then told each person who memorized a number from the die what number they thought of. He then told the two people who picked the words exactly what word they chose. .

~ ~ Bob Patterson

Past Time to Pay Your Annual Dues
Ring 50 dues for the calendar year 2007 were due in February. The annual amount is $15. If you have not paid, contact the Treasurer, Bob Patterson. Don’t delay any further; come prepared to pay at our April 4th meeting. Make checks payable to IBM Ring 50. You can also send a check to his home address at 3450 Wainscott Place, Lake Ridge, VA 22192. If you haven’t done so, please pick up your 2007 membership card at the next meeting.

Magi-Whirl 2007, Washington, D.C.
“The best little convention in the National Capital Area”

Don’t miss International Brotherhood of Magicians, National Capital Ring 50, Magi-Whirl 2007 April 13 & 14, 2007. There will be four lectures, plus two close-up performances, and a Gala evening show. Magi-Whirl is being held at Bishop Ireton High School, 201 Cambridge Rd, Alexandria VA. Only $45 until April 1st. After April 1st it’s $50 for everyone. You can register and pay on our website: http://www.Magi-Whirl.org.

The Saturday night Gala Evening Show includes: The Magic of Krandl & Company, the Amazing Humorist Tim Sonefelt, Magic by Bob Sanders, the Magic of Michael Lair, Magician Extraordinaire Michael Taggert, DC Magician of the Year Dwight Redman, and Magical Master of Ceremonies – Bob Carnathan.
See you there!!!

February Teach-in Declared a Success

Before the meeting James Munton had his downsizing sale and all the early birds took home a box of magical goodies. Then President Dwight Redman opened the meeting and introduced the guests to the audience of 64. Three candidates were voted into the National Capital Ring 50. They were: Gary Goodwin, John Hornick and Carlton Silvestro. Dwight reminded everyone to register for Magi-Whirl before the price goes up after April 1st. The February program was “Teach a Slight/Move/False Shuffle/etc.” Several tables were set up to allow a hands-on instruction. The instructors changed tables every 20 minutes.


Bud Smith explained and demonstrated the multiple uses of various applications of the Thumb Palm, Finger Palm, and Bobo Switch in Coin Magic.

Sam Brothers taught two effects: The Poker Player's Picnic from the "Royal Road To Card Magic" by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue. His second slight was 4 Aces Squared from Lennart Green Volume 7: Green Lite.

James Munton explained his version of the Ambitious Card ending with the signed card appearing in his wallet. He went on to teach the double-lift and top palm.

Larsen Eisenberg performed a version of the Cards Across Plot where he had a spectator choose a card and was not shown to the audience. A second spectator cuts off a group of cards and placed them in his pocket. The first spectator’s card is then revealed and that many cards are caused to join the second spectators cards.

Rick Beatty demonstrated the many ways to use the key card principle. He taught us his method of using the Alex Elmsley, Hammond, and Jordan counts. He talked about stage fright, and posed the question of what do you personally want out of this art; from just being a hobbyist, or a semi-pro, or a collector, etc. tried to get the audience to think about more then just sleights, or tricks.

Glenn Gary closed the meeting with a discussion on the art of stage blocking, and framing your act. He also suggested that you video your act and view your movements on stage and insure you draw the audience attention to magic at hand.

Magi-Whirl 2007

IBM Ring 50’s Magi-Whirl 2007, April 13 & 14. We have lots of dealers scheduled for the dealer room. You can see and talk to real magicians and look at new magic items for sale. On Friday night, April 13, there will be a dealer’s show with the dealers demonstrating the latest magical items, silks, accessories, and supplies. The dealers are: Silk King Studio - Ruth Rice Crone, Bob Little's Guaranteed Magic, Fred Mitchell's Magic Books, DoveLite - Bob Sanders, Hughes Magic, Inc – Richard Hughes, Magic Goods - Pravin Ponnuri, Wonder Imagery - Tim Sonefelt, Sorcery with Class - Scott Correll, Magic by M.P. Lair and Wayne Alan with some preowned Magic & Books. For details go to: http://www.magi-whirl.org./

~ ~ Bob Patterson

"Ring Night" at Ring 50

After the guests were introduced and two new members, Matt Hiller and Richard Kahane, were voted into the Ring, president Dwight Redman began the “Ring Night” performance with a ring and rope combination passing solid thru solid. We learned very early and repeated throughout the evening that a ring really does have a hole in it.

Noland Montgomery performed a rapid-fire, streamlined linking ring routine using 3 very large 13-inch rings and involving the participation of one member from the audience.


Bob Carnathan performed a multiple routine with knots on a rope that came off the rope several times. Then he amazed us with a ring and rope routine.

Rucj Uffelman used a borrowed finger ring and made it pass thru a rope. He ended his routine showing the ring was hypnotic and floated to a vertical position at his fingertips.

Kevin Sievers routine was a mix of parts of Aldo Colombini and Jeff McBride's Linking Ring routines set to music.

Scott McDonald performed two Rope & Ring tricks he learned from a seminar by Tom Craven. The first trick was called Quicksilver where a single ring is removed from the rope even though the spectator can see that the rope is firmly wrapped around the ring right up to the point where it seemingly melts right through the rope. The second part is called Double Quicksiler where two rings of different sizes are tied onto the rope with a very strong knot, and while the spectator holds the ends of the rope, the ring of their choosing is removed from rope even though it appears that to do so is quite impossible since they are holding the ends that need to be used to untie the knot!

Eric Henning, announcing "an experiment in alchemy," brought two men up on stage, borrowed a gold wedding band from one, which the other gentleman examined. The helpers then examined a wand and a length of ribbon, all of which were pronounced solid. The ring was threaded onto the ribbon, and while the audience helpers held both ends of the ribbon and the wand, the ring magically left the ribbon and was seen merrily spinning on the center of the wand!

Lorenzo the Great (Larry Lipman) closed the evening performances with a version of David Ginn's "Comedy Linking Rings" with the help of two volunteers from the audience.

Photos by Bob Patterson and Jim Flanigan

Magi-Whirl 2007 News
Don’t miss I.B.M. National Capital Ring 50, Magi-Whirl 2007 April 13 & 14, 2007. Four lectures, plus two close-up performances, and a Gala evening show. Magi-Whirl is being held at Bishop Ireton High School, 201 Cambridge Rd, Alexandria VA. $45 in advance, $50 at the door. Details: http://www.Magi-Whirl.org.

Lectures by Michael Lair, Tim Sonefelt, Eric Henning, and Barry Taylor, plus two close-up performances with Scott Correll and Larsen Eisenberg. Gala evening show includes: The Magic of Krandl & Co., Michael Lair, Tim Sonefelt, Magic by Sanders, Magician Extraordinaire Michael Taggert, DC Magician of the Year Dwight Redman, and a host of others “The best little convention in the National Capital Area”

Time to Pay Your Dues $$$
Ring 50 dues for calendar year 2007 are due at the February 7th meeting. Treasurer, Bob Patterson, will be collecting the $15 annual dues. Checks are preferred but cash will be accepted. However, please try to have the exact amount. Make checks payable to IBM Ring 50. You can also send a check to his home address at 3450 Wainscott Place, Lake Ridge, VA 22192.

~ ~ Bob Patterson