MerlinsMagicShopMike and Disney Memories

[MerlinsMagicShopMike]

Was just thinking, as I often do, probably too often, that as I look at the Tenyo magic line as a whole I find it extremely difficult to pin down my favorite era as in 60s 70s ect. I was going to pick the 80s but I really have a soft spot in my heart for some of the simpler older tricks of the 70s actually the early 70s. I had just started learning my first card palming trick and was considered a Magic Geek. You Know the kind of kid that actually liked science and physics class and could fool anyone but still couldn't get the girl. I remember it like it was yesterday, school was finally out for the summer, the days were hot and yellow with sunshine and I was on my way home from school. I could just smell the magic in the air because I knew that in just a couple of days I would be on my way to the most magical place on earth, the newly opened Disney World Resort in Florida! If that wasn't enough,I had also learned that in this place of wonder was none other than Merlins Magic Shop, my real reason for excitement. I had only ever been to one other magic shop in my life and that was the Houdini Hall of Fame and Magic Shop In Niagra Falls Canada. That was a great shop but timing was not on my side when I was there because I had not yet started my lucrative teenage career as a lawn care specialist aka mowed all of my neighbors lawns for $2.00 apiece. Basically I was flat broke and came away only with a thumb tip,(which I still have to this day!). But this was going to be different, because I was flush with cash from my lawn mowing enterprise. I could see it now, buying the greatest magic the world had to offer and springing it on that cute little redhead down the street, Christ I would be a superstar! After arriving in Disney my one and only interest was finding this place of sheer joy and wonder. And find it I did, I can still see this beautiful vision in my mind just as if I were standing there now. Little did I know then but I was about to start my Tenyo collection.I spent every dollar I had on magic tricks,too hell with those stupid mickey mouse hats. I still have nearly all of those tricks today, too bad I lost most of the instructions over the years. I haven't yet identified all of these tricks but there is a silk tube, a cardboard dominoe trick,some little writing board with three doors, a little green box with a multi colored die in it, a clear box with a ball in it, the classic nickels to dimes trick and too many others to name. I also came away with a REAL miracle ,a zombie ball! I spent nearly my whole time there at that shop,too bad that it no longer exists as it was the happiest place on earth for me. Well that is the story why my name is MerlinsMagicShopMike here. One of these days I am going to go through all of my old magic stuff and figure out what I have Tenyowize. Would be interested to know if anybody else of my vintage can remember this place? Or can you remember your first magic shop experience back in those warm golden memories of long ago?

[David DeTenyo]

Absolutely a delight to read, thanks for sharing this with us
Very interested to know what everyone else's first magic (shop) experience is! Mine is partly written in the member profile section, but I'll write it again in this thread one of the following days.

[SimonC]

what a great story, you've made me all nostalgic and misty eyed
I always loved magic, somewhere in the ether of my mum and dads attic is a VHS of me and my friend olly, aged about 10 doing a magic show, problem was the only way we could fit us both in was to have the camera quite far back, which meant all of our hard work learning the tricks couldn't be seen and it's just half an hour of two squeaky voiced boys talking nonsense.
there used to be a magic shop in colchester as I was growing up, the single most exciting and mysterious place I can remember, stacked to the rafters. sadly it's been closed a good 15years now.
I remember seeing a demo on Saturday morning kids tv for the new Milton Bradley range which included soft coins and crystal cleaver, I was about 8 and CC blew me away, I was so excited to see it in the toy aisle in tescos, and when I got it home and found out the secret it was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen!
around that same time on a trip to London, I made my first visit to the magic stall in covent garden, it was as if this whole secret world had presented itself, with little pockets hidden around the country for me to discover.
in my mid to late teens my focus shifted to music for a long time, all my spare hours were spent practicing the guitar and I eventually formed a band with my friend martin that I'm still in to this day. after I got to university, the band slowed down a bit as we'd all dispersed around the country and my focus slowly centred on magic again. it tied in a lot with what I was studying which was model making and SFX where you are spending a lot of the time thinking of ways to make something unbelievable or extraordinary appear to be happening , a lot like magic.
I moved to London to be a freelance modelmaker, and whenever I wasn't working I would busk on the south bank at Waterloo, under the London eye. I eventually auditioned and earntmy licence to busk on the London Underground (I still have it, it's one of my most prized possessions) During this time, I would often get the tube to davenports magic shop, which is secreted underneath charing cross tube station, and thumb through their catalogue. It was here I became reunited with tenyo, and I would turn up, choose the trick I wanted, go into the tubes and busk until I had enough, and go straight back and buy it, do some more busking, then sit in the pub with a pint, count my days take and then savour my new magical treat.
I'm back in colchester now, combining teaching graphics, making magic and costume design (also fatherhood and husbandry).
The internet has proved a blessing and a curse. my magic shop is long closed down, as are a lot of independent shops, unable to compete with eBay and internet prices. but now I have eBay and internet prices. more than that though, I have come across a community of fascinating individuals, from all over the world

[JohnM]

I still have nearly all of those tricks today, too bad I lost most of the instructions over the years. I haven't yet identified all of these tricks but there is a silk tube, a cardboard dominoe trick,some little writing board with three doors, a little green box with a multi colored die in it, a clear box with a ball in it

Great story Mike.

If the tube is clear then it is probably Crystal Tube. As far as the cardboard domino is concerned, is it the package that is cardboard, because What's Next is a domino trick that is made of metal and comes in a cardboard package. The board you speak of is probably Occult Board. The clear box with the ball is probably Crystal Box. The little green box with multi colored dice might be from someone other than Tenyo.

This picture should bring back some memories of the small box Tenyo that was sold around that time.

smallbox-984x1024.jpg

If you can post a picture of what you are not sure of then we can help identify the items as well as provide scans of the instructions that you can print.

You can use this site to help identify your Tenyos but I must warn you that once you know about the site the likely hood of advancing to further stages of Tenyoitis is all but assured. http://tenyo-magic.blogspot.com/p/compl ... ricks.html

[JohnM]

Another great story Simon thanks for sharing.

I don't have a romantic story but I have always been interested in magic. With my love of toys and magic it was natural for me to start buying Tenyo once I found out what it was.

This is a great thread.

[BobD]

You guy are very fortunate to have the opportunity to visit a real magic shop. When I was a teenager all I had were a few magic tricks and a few magic books. The Amateur Magician's Handbook, Modern Magic Manual, and Tannen catalog were my favorite books. I have slept with these books for several years. My only ambition in life during those times was to visit Tannen Magic Shop one day.

My favorite pastime is to solve the tricks in the catalog. One trick that really baffled me is the Elevator Coins.

elevator coins.jpg

I misunderstood the description of the trick thinking that it uses clear plastic glasses. Although the description of the effect is correct I think the ad is rather misleading because a clear drinking glass is not necessary for this effect.

It was only after the internet came that I began to acquire more tricks, books, and videos. In the year 2012 I was able to visit a real magic shop, Davenport in London. Last year I went to Tannen's Magic Shop and Fantasma. My excitement has cooled down after more than 30 years of wanting to go to Tannen. After all, I have seen almost all the tricks I wanted in YouTube.

[SimonC]

A man after my own heart, one of the thing I love about tenyo is watching and reading about the tricks, and attempting to work out the method, like an interactive puzzle. Let me know if you're ever in London again visiting davenports, I'll come and say hello. John b and I did just that a few months ago. I remember seeing the same kind of description as in your pic of 'impossible pen' in the davenport a catalogue. I had to own it for it to make any sense!

[BobD]

I still do not have Elevator Coins. A friend of mine had one and I immediately lost interest in it after I found out that it does not use clear drinking glasses.

I attended the FISM Convention in Blackpool and passed by London. I don't think I can go back to London within 3 years. I plan to go to Korea this year for the Asian FISM and to Italy next year for FISM. I hope to meet you or any of our members in Italy next year.

[SimonC]

It would be grand to have an FSOM forum meet up at some point

[JohnM]

It would be grand to have an FSOM forum meet up at some point

I think it will happen some day. John B and I talked about it the other day. So the seed has been planted.

[SimonC]

Wicked. We could go armed with a suitcase of wares too. Do we know where and when the next one is?