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Difference between revisions of "Chop Cup"

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A [[gaff]]ed cup with a built-in magnet in the base (or bottom), allowing the retention of magnetic balls or other [[load]]s.  Used alone or as part of a [[cups and balls]] set.
 
A [[gaff]]ed cup with a built-in magnet in the base (or bottom), allowing the retention of magnetic balls or other [[load]]s.  Used alone or as part of a [[cups and balls]] set.
  
The premisse of this concept was described in French in [[Récréations mathématiques et physiques]] by [[Jacques Ozanam]] in the revised edition of 1723 done by a so-called [[Grandin]]. There is wax or mutton suet on the balls or in one Cup.
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The premise of this concept was described in French in [[Récréations mathématiques et physiques]] by [[Jacques Ozanam]] in the revised edition of 1723 done by a so-called [[Grandin]]. There is wax or mutton suet on the balls or in one Cup.
  
 
It was popularized by [[Al Wheatley]], a professional magician who performed under the name [[Chop Chop]]. His original Chop Cup, created in the mid 1950's and presented in 1955 Santa Barbara Convention, was made out of a section of hollow bamboo and marketed as ''Chop Chop's One Cup & Ball Routine''. By 1957, Wheatley's company, Excato Magic, was advertising a modified aluminum Chop Cup in magic magazines.
 
It was popularized by [[Al Wheatley]], a professional magician who performed under the name [[Chop Chop]]. His original Chop Cup, created in the mid 1950's and presented in 1955 Santa Barbara Convention, was made out of a section of hollow bamboo and marketed as ''Chop Chop's One Cup & Ball Routine''. By 1957, Wheatley's company, Excato Magic, was advertising a modified aluminum Chop Cup in magic magazines.
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Wheatley saw [[Larry Jennings]] perform his Chop Cup routine at The [[Magic Castle]] shortly after it opened in 1963. It was noted for its loading of a big ball and the use of a silk handkerchief and a shot glass.  He was so impressed that he asked Jennings to please not reveal his method or routine in print until after his death. Larry kept his promise, and did not publish his routine until a year after Wheatley's death. It was published in [[Genii]] Magazine, Volume 29, Number 7, in March of 1965. [[Don Alan]] used a  version of the Chop Cup on his national TV show and popularized it with magicians everywhere.  
 
Wheatley saw [[Larry Jennings]] perform his Chop Cup routine at The [[Magic Castle]] shortly after it opened in 1963. It was noted for its loading of a big ball and the use of a silk handkerchief and a shot glass.  He was so impressed that he asked Jennings to please not reveal his method or routine in print until after his death. Larry kept his promise, and did not publish his routine until a year after Wheatley's death. It was published in [[Genii]] Magazine, Volume 29, Number 7, in March of 1965. [[Don Alan]] used a  version of the Chop Cup on his national TV show and popularized it with magicians everywhere.  
  
The trick has spawned many variations, leading to elaborate routines developed by Larry Jennings, Ron Wilson, Earl Nelson, Alan Wakeling, [[John Mendoza]], [[Danny Tong]], and [[Jim Swain]]. The Nelson and Wakeling routines eventually appeared in [[The Chop Cup Book]] (1979). Ron Wilson's Uncanny Chop Cup saw print in [[The Uncanny Scot: Ron Wilson]](1987).
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The trick has spawned many variations, leading to elaborate routines developed by Larry Jennings, Ron Wilson, Earl Nelson, Alan Wakeling, [[John Mendoza]], [[Danny Tong]], and [[Jim Swain]]. The Nelson and Wakeling routines eventually appeared in [[The Chop Cup Book]] (1979). Ron Wilson's Uncanny Chop Cup saw print in [[The Uncanny Scot: Ron Wilson]](1987)
 
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== References ==
 
== References ==
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*''Chop Dixie Cup & Balls'' by [[Donald Moston]] in The [[Linking Ring]], May 1973. Vol. 53, No. 5, p. 71.
 
*''Chop Dixie Cup & Balls'' by [[Donald Moston]] in The [[Linking Ring]], May 1973. Vol. 53, No. 5, p. 71.
  
*''Paper Chop Cup'' by [[Tad Polhemus]] in [[Genii 1975 June]], Vol. 39, no. 5, p. 220.
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*''Paper Chop Cup'' by [[Tad Polhemus]] in [[Genii 1975 May]], Vol. 39, no. 5, p. 220.
  
 
*[[Pockety Chop]] by [[John Snider]]. Tom Zoss, 1975.
 
*[[Pockety Chop]] by [[John Snider]]. Tom Zoss, 1975.
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*''No-Magnet Chop Cup Routine'' by [[Bill Brodersen]] in [[Apocalypse]], August 1984. Vol. 7, no. 8, p. 958-960.
 
*''No-Magnet Chop Cup Routine'' by [[Bill Brodersen]] in [[Apocalypse]], August 1984. Vol. 7, no. 8, p. 958-960.
  
*''Revised Chop Cup Routine'' by [[David Roth]] in [[The New York Magic Symposium - Collection Three]] writtten by [[Stephen Minch]]. New York, 1984. p. 21.
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*''Revised Chop Cup Routine'' by [[David Roth]] in [[The New York Magic Symposium - Collection 3]] written by [[Stephen Minch]]. New York, 1984. p. 21.
  
 
*''New Wave Chop Cup'' by [[Danny Korem]] in [[Korem without Limits]]. D. Robbins Publication. New York, 1985, page 52.
 
*''New Wave Chop Cup'' by [[Danny Korem]] in [[Korem without Limits]]. D. Robbins Publication. New York, 1985, page 52.
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*''Cheap Cup'' by [[Martin Lewis]] in [[Martin's Magical Inventions Lecture]], 1999.
 
*''Cheap Cup'' by [[Martin Lewis]] in [[Martin's Magical Inventions Lecture]], 1999.
  
*''Lean Mean Chop Cup'' by [[Don Alan]] in [[In a Class by Himself: The Legacy of Don Alan]] written by [[Jon Racherbaumer]]. L and L Publishing, Tahoma, CA, 2000. p. 269.
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*''Lean Mean Chop Cup'' by [[Don Alan]] in [[In a Class by Himself: the Legacy of Don Alan]] written by [[Jon Racherbaumer]]. L and L Publishing, Tahoma, CA, 2000. p. 269.
  
 
*''Chopped Taters'' by [[Doug Brewer]] in [[The Unexpected Visitor]]. Magic Smith, 2001.
 
*''Chopped Taters'' by [[Doug Brewer]] in [[The Unexpected Visitor]]. Magic Smith, 2001.

Revision as of 21:17, 1 January 2015

A gaffed cup with a built-in magnet in the base (or bottom), allowing the retention of magnetic balls or other loads. Used alone or as part of a cups and balls set.

The premise of this concept was described in French in Récréations mathématiques et physiques by Jacques Ozanam in the revised edition of 1723 done by a so-called Grandin. There is wax or mutton suet on the balls or in one Cup.

It was popularized by Al Wheatley, a professional magician who performed under the name Chop Chop. His original Chop Cup, created in the mid 1950's and presented in 1955 Santa Barbara Convention, was made out of a section of hollow bamboo and marketed as Chop Chop's One Cup & Ball Routine. By 1957, Wheatley's company, Excato Magic, was advertising a modified aluminum Chop Cup in magic magazines.


The Chop Cup became a popular magician's tool in part due to the celebrity of Don Alan, who made it a staple of his act. Don Alan performed his Chop Cup routine on the "Ed Sullivan Show" in 1960.

Wheatley saw Larry Jennings perform his Chop Cup routine at The Magic Castle shortly after it opened in 1963. It was noted for its loading of a big ball and the use of a silk handkerchief and a shot glass. He was so impressed that he asked Jennings to please not reveal his method or routine in print until after his death. Larry kept his promise, and did not publish his routine until a year after Wheatley's death. It was published in Genii Magazine, Volume 29, Number 7, in March of 1965. Don Alan used a version of the Chop Cup on his national TV show and popularized it with magicians everywhere.

The trick has spawned many variations, leading to elaborate routines developed by Larry Jennings, Ron Wilson, Earl Nelson, Alan Wakeling, John Mendoza, Danny Tong, and Jim Swain. The Nelson and Wakeling routines eventually appeared in The Chop Cup Book (1979). Ron Wilson's Uncanny Chop Cup saw print in The Uncanny Scot: Ron Wilson(1987)

References

Chop cup routines in print:

  • Tea Cups and a Ball by Ajit Krishna Basu, in The Magician Monthly, november 1932. Vol. 28, no. 12, p. 144. It's not a Chop Cup routine but a transposition between a ball and a liquid in two tea cups but it seems to be the first use of a magnetized ball.
  • Combination Larry Jennings' One-Cup Three-Ball & Chop Cup Routine by Fred Kaps in Fred Kaps Lecture Book. London, 1973.
  • The Chop Cone Routine by Rick Johnsson in The Linking Ring, April 1976. Vol. 56, no. 4, p. 73.
  • The 'How To' Book of the Chop Cup by Merlyn T. Shute. Morrissey Magic Ltd. Montreal, Canada, 1980. p 45.
  • New Look Climax to Cups and Balls...Colombini in Magigram, Feb 1982. Vol. 14, no. 6, p. 383.

DATES PLEASE !


Web references: