Reference Guide to Thimble Manipulation

Compiled by Doug A  

Last Update: Dec 2022: added book/product: Vic Jahn's Thimble Routine w/thimbles.
July 2022: Added: Books - Garnet's Nimble Thimble
Feb 2019: Added: Books - R.C. Buff Claudio's Mysteries; Chester Dobski Thimble Trix; Chuck Smith Nite Club Thimble Magic; Videos - Stephen Ablett DVD

Advice: For discussion on thimbles, click here: Article on Thimble Magic

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Books (click on a title to see the table of contents for the book)

Aaronson, Sam: Lecture No. 1. 1960's, 18 pages. Includes "Follow the Red Thimbles", a where is the thimble routine for the table-top

Abbott, Percy: Magic for Magicians. 1934, 64 pages, Abbott Magic Company. Includes Four Thimble Vanish and Passing Thimbles.

Alborough, John: Mainly Manipulative Magic. 1979, 92 pages, Supreme Magic. Includes An Opening Thimble Routine, Production of Four Thimbles, Thimble Through Silk, and Slow Motion Vanish of Four Thimbles.

Bagshaw, Edward: E.D. Proudlock's Routine With Thimbles. 1942, 30 pages, L. Davenport. Holders, sleights, vanish of 5 and production of 10.

Beam, Steve: Digital Effects: The Magic of Joe Mogar. 1997, 228 pages, Trapdoor Productions. This is an extensive and thorough coverage of thimble manipulation. Large format hardbound book.

Beam, Steve: Magic for the British Aisles. 1996, 20 pages, Trapdoor Productions. Includes two Joe Mogar thimble effects - Sucker Punch & Macho Vanish.

Berland, Samuel: Tricks for Today and Tomorrow; 1970. 13 effects, including Knife Through Coat; Thimbles; Goldfish Production, etc. 31 pages.

Berland, Samuel: Twenty Tricks with Wiztax. 1941, 16 pages. Includes Tricks With Thimbles, Thimbles Caught In a Glass

Bertram, Ross: Magic and Methods of Ross Bertram. 1978, 163 pages, Magic Limited. Includes the Toss Vanish of a Thimble, using the Rhythm Count.

Biro, Pete: Pete Biro Lecture No. 1. 4 pages. Includes Pete's Peeper, a thimble routine.

Bobo, J.B. & J.G. Thompson: Watch This One! 1947, 125 pages, Lloyd Jones. Includes Color Changing Thimble, Thimble Change Over, Thimble Pop Up, and Exploding Thimble.

Bruton, Paul: Modern Conjuring, 50 Novel Illusions. 1940s, 90 pages, Universal Publications. Includes The Thimble Trick.

Buckingham, Geoffrey: It's Easier Than You Think. 1952, 192 pages. Includes a chapter on Thimble Magic. This book was later reprinted as three separate volumes, of which volumes 2 and 3 include some thimble magic.

Buckingham, Geoffrey: 1952 It's Easier Than You Think Vol 2. 1952, 74 pages. Includes the chapter on thimble magic.

Buckingham, Geoffrey: 1952 It's Easier Than You Think, Vol 3. 1952/1970, 74 pages. Includes several thimble effects.

Buff, R.C.: Claudio's Mysteries. 1942, 12 pages. Includes A Modern Thimble Act.

Cannell, John Clucas: Hundred Best Tricks. 1930's, 250 pages, Hutchinson & Co., Ltd. Includes the Penetrating Thimble

Carney, John: The Book of Secrets. 2002, 369 pages, Carney Magic. Includes Thimble Collection, a routine with extensive explanation of the sleights

Carrington, Hereward: Magic For Everyone. 1942, 138 pages, World Publishing Co. Includes The Flying Thimble

Caveny, Mike: Magicomedy. Contains a thimble act, signed bill in cigar, and more

Christopher, Milbourne: Conjuring With Christopher. 1949, 72 pages, Holden's Magic Shops. Includes "A New Thimble Routine".

Christopher, Milbourne & Hen Festch. Magic at Your Fingertips. 1947, 46 pages, Maryland Magic Studio. Includes Thimble Catch and Four Thimble Vanish

Colombini, Aldo: React. 1994, 105 pages, Hades Publications. Includes Thimble On Your Finger.

Cros, Daniel: The Close-Up Magic of Daniel Cros. 1983, 16 pages. Includes a Thimble Routine.    

Darbyshire, Lydia (ed): The Magic Book. 1997, 224 pages, Quintet Publishing Ltd. Includes some simple productions & vanishes

Daryl: Convention Session #1. 1980, 26 pages. Includes Ten Seconds With Three Thimbles.

Devlin, Jack: Magic of the Masters. 1977, 240 pages, Hamlyn Publishing Group. Includes a chapter on Magic With Thimbles

Dobski, Chester: Thimble Trix. A Lustro-Magic Publication. 1955, 8.5x11" manuscript. Sleights, Flourishes, Manipulations, Routines, Ideas.

Dutt, A.K.: Silk and Flower Magic. 1995, 26 pages, Sam Dalal. Includes Fifth Dimension Thimbles (Werry Thimbles)

Elliott, Bruce: The Best in Magic (or Magic: 100 New Tricks). 1956, 235 pages, Harper & Bros. Includes Ghost Thimble (John A.M. Howie)

Enochs, Lloyd: Master Manipulation of Thimbles, Nice 37 page booklet

Fischer, Ottokar: Illustrated Magic. 1931, 206 pages, Macmillian Company. Under Chapter V Fakes & Gimmicks, includes a page on Thimble Tricks.

Forrest, Albert: The Eighth Wonder. 1940's, 41 pages. Includes A Sucker Thimble Effect

Fox, Karrell: For My Next Trick. 1986, 184 pages, Supreme Magic. Includes Popper Thimble Vanish, Triple Thimble Vanish

Frederick Guy: Magic Tricks. 1956, 128 pages, Sterling Publishers. Includes two thimble vanishes and a thimble through handkerchief.

Galloway, Andrew: The Ramsay Legend, the Magic of John Ramsay. 1969, 62 pages, Goodliffe. Includes two chapters on thimble magic.

Ganson, Lewis & Geissler-Werry: A Fantasy in Thimbles - Werry's Fantastic Thimbles. 1979, 33 pages. Part of the Ganson Teach-In series

Ganson, Lewis: Art of Close Up Magic Volume 1. 1967, 401 pages, L&L Publishing (1996 reprint); Includes Thimble Box by Bob Ostin.

Ganson, Lewis: Dai Vernon Book of Magic. 1957, 239 pages, Harry Stanley. Includes Chapter 22 Paul Rosini's Impromptu Thimble Routine.

Ganson, Lewis: Reelistic Magic. 1961, 66 pages, Harry Stanley. Includes Thimble Vanish ad Dropped Thimble

Ganson, Lewis: Routined Manipulation Parts I & II. 1950, 251 pages, Harry Stanley. Chapter on Thimble manipulation includes Wilfred Bader's Thimble Routine, and alternative presentations

Ganson, Lewis: Routined Manipulation Finale. 1954, 255 pages, Harry Stanley. Chapter 19 covers John Lewis' Colour Thimbles routine.

Ganson, Lewis: Unconventional Magic. 1956, 60 pages, Harry Stanley. Includes Frederica's Close Up Thimble Routine.

Gardner, Martin: Martin Gardner Presents. 1993, 424 pages, Kaufman & Greenberg. Includes Thimble Transposition

Garnet Specialty Sales: Nimble Thimble. 1947, 4 pages. No special thimbles used; includes 42 photographs.

Gaultier, Camille: Magic Without Apparatus. 1945, 527 pages, Fleming Book Company. Part Four includes two chapters on Thimble Magic.

Gibson, Walter: What's New in Magic. 1956, 222 pages, Doubleday and Co. Includes Thimble-Thimble (impromptu) and Jumping Thimble

Goldston, Will: Further Exclusive Magical Secrets. 1912, 362 pages. Includes The Magnetic Thimbles, The New Thimble Rigging

Goldston, Will: Young Conjuror Volume II. 1912, 96 pages, George Routledge and Sons, Ltd. Includes A Colour-changing Thimble (nested)

Grippo, Jimmy: The Magic of Jimmy Grippo. 1981, 218 pages, G-M Publications. Includes chapter 5 on Thimbles.

Gross, Henry: Pure Magic. 1978, 225 pages, Charles Scribener. Includes Chapter 13 on Thimble Magic.

Hahne, Nelson C. & Joe Berg: Here's Magic. 1930, 64 pages. Includes Berg's Color Changing Thimble. 

Hay, Henry: Amateur Magician's Handbook. 1950, 414 pages, Harper & Row. Chapter 11 is on "Hand Magic with Thimbles", including the Thumb Palm, Steal Pass, Thimble Changes, and the Multiplying Thimbles.

Hay, Henry: Cyclopedia of Magic. 1949, 498 pages, David McKay Co. Includes an article on Thimble Tricks, describing production, multiplying and passes

Hay, Henry: Learn Magic. 1947, 281 pages, Perma Giants. Includes Lesson 19 Thimble Magic.

Hilliard, John Northern: Greater Magic. 1938, 1004 pages (original edition). There are actually only a couple of thimble tricks here - The Tricky Thimble, A Novel Thimble Vanish, and Thimble Ball.

Hoffmann, Professor: Later Magic. 1904, 738 pages, Dutton & Co. The Flying Thimble, Patriotic Thimble, etc

Howard, Rupert: Rupert Howard Magic Course. 1931, 556 pages. Lesson 12 is Thimble Magic and Watch Tricks.

Hugard, Jean: Handkerchief Magic. 1974, 85 pages. Includes vanish by the Thimble Palm, & From a Thimble.

Hugard, Jean: Modern Magic Manual. 1939, 384 pages, Harper & Brothers. Includes Chapter 11, Thimble Thaumaturgy.

Hugard, Jean: Thimble Magic. 1955, 44 pages, Louis Tannen. Nine     chapters of thimble magic.

Hull, Burling: Bulletin of Latest Sleights and Tricks. 1914, 27 pages, American Magic Corporation. Includes A Unique Thimble Move, Burling Hull Thimble Production

Ireland, Laurie: Ireland Writes a Book. 1931, 36 pages, Laurie Ireland. Includes Four Thimble Vanish

Jahn, Vic: Vic Jahn's Thimble Routine. Routine with thimbles. Ad at gycklaren.com states, "Our thimbles were designed by Danish manipulator Vic Jahn (FISM Grand Prix winner in 1949). They are large and visible and easy to stack and palm." Thimbles are plastic with ridges. 

Johnson, George: A Few Jardine Ellis' Secrets. 1925, 32 pages, George     Johnson. Includes Thimble and Wine Glass

Jordan, Charles Thorton: Ten New Miscellaneous Tricks. 1920, 23 pages. Includes the "full-view" color-changing thimble

Leech; Al: Al Leech's Legacy. 1980, 125 pages, Magic Inc. Includes several thimble routines.

Leech, Al: Manipulating With Leech. 1981, 30 pages, Magic, Inc. Includes Stoplight Thimbles, Multiplying Thimbles, color changing knives, cards, and more.

Leeming, Joseph: A Real Book About Magic. 1951, 190 pages, Garden City Books. Reprinted by Dover Publications. Includes a chapter on Thimble Magic.

Leeming, Joseph: Tricks Any Boy Can Do. 1938, 237 pages, Appleton-Century. Includes the Thimble Palm, Multiplying Thimble, and more

London, Ron: Magic Lecture. 1995, 18 pages. Thimble Exercise.

London, Ron: Stuff You'll Use. 8 pages. Thimble Vanish.

Lorayne, Harry: Apocalypse Volumes 6-10. 2000, 719 pages, L&L Publications. Includes Thimble Opening by Peter Samelson, Cigarette from Thimble, and Routine Finale.

Lorayne, Harry: Apocalypse Volumes 11-15. 2001, 719 pages, L&L Publications. Includes Timblast by Hippie Torrales, a thimble routine.

Karr, Todd: The Adventures of Winston Freer. 2008, PDFs on CD (over 200 pages), Miracle Factory. Includes New Century Thimble Routine.

Koran, Al and Jack Lamonte: Mastered Amazement. 1947. Includes Koran Master Thimble Move, High Speed Visible Thimble Vanish, Koran's No Steal Thimble Routine

MacCarthy, E. Brian: Slow Sleights. 1934, 20 pages, George Johnson. Includes A "Steal" Thimble Vanish; The "In and Out" Thumb Vanish; and Vanish of Two Thimbles

Majax, Gerard: Magie Des Close Up. 1979. Thimble Magic. French & English text.

Mardo, Senor: Routined Magic. 1945, 29 pages, Max Holden. Includes a  thimble routine (1 to 4 with streamer climax), and a thimble acquitment, plus much more magic.

Miller, Gordon (editor): Tops Treasury of Thimble Magic (Abbott's). Reprint of Duke Stern's Latest Thimble Magic, John Goodrum's Lessons in Thimble Magic, and a collection of thimble magic from the pages of Tops and New Tops magazine. 197 pages.

Ouellet, Gary: Close Up Illusions. 1990, 350 pages, Camirand Academy of Magic. Includes the Impossible Thimble Vanish & The New Wave Thimble Vanish.

Ouellet, Gary: Classy Close Up Lecture Notes. 1980, 14 pages, Camirand Academy of Magic.  Includes impossible thimble vanish

Page, Patrick: Big Book of Magic. 1976, 304 pages, Doubleday. Includes chapter 8 Thimble Manipulation.

Page, Patrick: Patrick's Pages of Magic. 1976, 33 pages, Magic, Inc. Al Koran Thimble Routine - climax only for an 8 thimble routine.

Parrish, Robert: For Magician's Only. 1944, 121 pages. Includes Thimble Trickery and The Trouble With Thimbles.

Parrish, Robert & John Goodrum: You'd Be Surprised. 1963, 66 pages. Includes a chapter on Thimble Magic.

Rogers, Mike: Complete Mike Rogers. 1975, 250 pages, Magic, Inc. Includes Multi-thimble Vanish at the Table.

Sachs, Edwin T.: Sleight of Hand. 1877, 400 pages, Upcott Gill. Includes Devant's Thimble Palm.

Schwartz, Walter A.: CIGAM. 1931, 62 pages. Includes Penetrating Thimble and Passe Thimbles.

Science & Mechanics: Magic Handbook. 1961, 152 pages. Nimble Thimble (thru handkerchief)

Sellers, Tom: Magic Hits. 1937, 20 pages, George Johnson. Thimble Through Hat.

Sewell, Len J.: Magi Magic. 1940 Magic Wand Pub. Co. Includes Patriotic Thimbles and Twentieth Century Thimbles

Smith, Chuck: Nite Club Thimble Magic. 1950 Regow, 21 pages, softcover. Various Colored thimbles in a complete and amazing routine. Available as an eBook.

Stanyon, Ellis: Conjuring for Amateurs. 1897, 122 pages, L. Upcott Gill. Includes The Ubiquitous Thimble

Stern, Duke: Latest Thimble Magic: also reprinted in Tops Treasury of Thimble Magic, and included in the Nimble Thimble set.

Stiles, Kirk: Thimbles With a Light Touch. 1971,  33 pages, Micky Hades Enterprises. A good book of Thimble magic.

Tarbell, Harlan: Course In Magic Vol 4 1927, 416 pages, Tannen Magic. Lesson 47 is on Thimble Magic. Includes a thimble routine, palms, a Thimble Act Routine, Miser's Dream with Thimbles, and some vanishes

Tarbell, Harlan: Course In Magic Vol 5 1927, 417 pages, Tannen Magic. Includes Bob Ellis' Thimble Production.

Tarr, Bill: Now You See It Now You Don't 1976, 224 pages, Vintage Books. Includes thimble palming, gimmicks, vanish and the jumping thimble.   

Thurston, Howard: 200 Tricks You Can Do 1926, 200 pages, George Sully & Col. Includes chapter 16 on Thimble Tricks.

Thurston, Howard: 400 Tricks You Can Do. 1940, 240 pages, Blue Ribbon Books. Includes the Thimble Tricks from 200 Tricks book plus more.

Tuffs, Elsden, Teach Your Self Magic (Originally printed as Conjuring). 1956, 182 pages, Emerson Books. Includes chapter 9 on Thimble and Cigarette Tricks

Victor, Edward: Further Magic of the Hands. 1946, 113 pages. Includes an impromptu handkerchief and thimble routine, and a palming routine using a thimble.

Victor, Edward: Magic of the Hands. 1937, 112 pages. Includes Chapter Four Thimble Sleights.

Victor, Edward: More Magic of the Hands. 1938, 133 pages.Includes "Pop" thimble vanish, with an audible convincer.

Wiersbe, Warren: Tantalizing Thimbles. 1948, 40 pages. Vanishes, color changes, and tricks. 

Willane: Complete Methods for Miracles (edited by Rae Hammond). 1985, 246 pages, L. Davenport. This is a collection of the previously released Willane's Methods for Miracles, released in 14 volumes. Volume 13 Thimble Manipulation was originally released in 1954

Willmarth, Phillip: James P. Ryan Bar Magic. 1977, 17 pages. Includes Thimble Fun!, thimble routine with a hat

Yedid, Meir: Now-U-C-It Now-U-Don't. 1990, 47 pages, Meir Yedid Magic. Includes a Thimble Production.

Videos:

Buckingham, Geoffrey: The Magic and Manipulation of Geoffrey Buckingham DVD. L&L Publishing. Includes Single Thimble Silk Penetration; Multiple Thimble Silk Penetration; Thimble Thumb Palm; Multiple Thimble Palms; The Simple Thimble Holder;

Buckingham, Geoffrey: Videonics #01 Buckingham Vol 1. Coins, handkerchiefs, and thimbles.

Burt, Brad: Basics of Expert Billiard Ball and Thimble Manipulation.

Flip: Very Best of Flip Volume 5, Flip-pical Parlour Magic - Part One. DVD, L&L Publishing. Includes thimble routine

HotTrix: White & Rainbow Movie: Video to accompany Automatic Thimbles from Creative Enterprises.

Majax: Greater Magic Video #48, The Magic of France. Includes Majax Fantasy with Thimbles

McBride, Jeff: World Class Manipulation Volume 1 L&L Publishing. Includes a section on Thimbles: Finger & Thimble Magic; Types of Thimbles to Use; Basic Vanish & Reproduction; Thumb Palm; Downs Palm; Retention Vanish; Basic Acquitment; Repeat Thimble Production; Finger Switch Technique; Confidence & Practice; Pinky-Dinky-Doo Vanish; Over-the-Top Vanish; Thumb Vanish; Costume, Props & Backdrops; In The Mouth!; The Pop-2 Versions; Repeat to Pocket; Jumbo Finale; Simple Flash Four Production; Infinite Thimble Routine; Silk Vanish; Thimbalistic (Bobby Baxter)

McBride, Jeff: World Class Manipulation Volume 3 L&L Publishing. Thimbles section includes Thimble Rigger; Twinkle Vanish; Martineau's Thumb Transfer; Dexterity Exercises; Mogar's Explosion Move; An 8 Thimble Routine; Jumping Thimbles; Holders, Steals & Misdirection;

Ogawa, Shoot: Shoot In Hollywood DVD. Includes Performance Only of a manipulative routine with thimbles.

Ogawa, Shoot: Busters 3 Techniques of Magic DVD presented by Wizards' Inn. Dedicated to Magic Technique.  Includes Shoot's Thimble Routine (some overlap with the one performed on "Shoot in Hollywood")

Page, Patrick: London Stage Lecture video. Billiard Ball Vanishes, Thimble Vanishes & Manipulations, The Art of Topit, The Miser's Dream, The Bare Hand Flower Production, The Art of Misdirection

Page, Patrick: Secret Seminar of Magic with Pat Page, Volume 6. Includes Page’s Phallic Thimbles.

Page, Patrick: Super Tricks Video: Over 24 routines, effects, sleights & ideas including: The Auto Force Deck, Behind Your Back, The False Shuffle, The Riffle Shuffle (False), Gimmicks Old and Rare, Coins to Handkerchief, My Drink Trick (performance only), Prof. Missing Ball Production, Thumb Tips I Have Known, Bill, Silk & Thumb Tip, Snip Snip Coin Trick, Some Trick Decks (My Nudist Deck Routine, The Optica Deck, Svengali Two Way Forcing Deck), The Diminishing Handkerchief, More Rare Gimmicks, Page's Phallic Thimbles, Card Fans & Deck Vanish, Variation on a Theme, The Everlasting Cut & Restored Rope Trick, My First Coin Trick, Any Card Called For, Animated Handkerchief, The Rough and Smooth Deck (perf only), The Mene Tekel Deck (perf only), A Coin Vanish, Pat Talks About Magic Today, Impromptu Haunted Deck

Shereidan, Jeff: Genius at Work, Volume 4 DVD. Stand-Up Stunners. Thimbles manipulative interlude

Shimada: Greater Magic Library V3. Thimbles, card fans, card productions, billiard balls

Skinner, Michael: The Legendary Repertoire of Michael Skinner Volume 1. Performance only video in non-studio setting. Includes Rosini Thimbles

Products.

Funtime Magic: Nested Thimble Pairs (India): Two nested thimble pairs (4 thimbles total). Comes with routines. 

Fakini: Thimbles. Made of high quality silicone with unique fluted design for ease in palming and manipulation. Set of five thimbles, four of one color and one of a contrasting color. No routine included. Specify colors: Red, white, green, yellow, blue, or orange.

HotTrix: Automatic Thimbles. Plastic thimbles set in glow-in-the-dark white or rainbow. These are nesting thimbles. A video is also available.

Jahn, Vic: Vic Jahn's Thimble Routine. Routine with thimbles. Ad at gycklaren.com states, "Our thimbles were designed by Danish manipulator Vic Jahn (FISM Grand Prix winner in 1949). They are large and visible and easy to stack and palm." Thimbles are plastic with ridges.

Magic Effex: Maxi-Thimble. A normal sized thimble is displayed and visibily transforms it into a giant thimble. Maxi-Thimbles are 300% larger than the standard thimbles used and works with many different brands. Comes Complete With One Normal Size Thimble And The Maxi-Thimble Gimmick Made From Precision-Crafted Plastic. Available in Blue, White, Red, Yellow and Green. 

Mogar, Joe: Manipulative Thimbles. Sets of 15 (5 each three colors) Polystyrene. Thimbles are knurled for good grip. As featured in "Digital Effects"  (click for image: Mogar Thimbles)

Porper, Joe: Porper Thimble Set. Brass thimbles with perfectly machined matching shells. Come in a beautifully made wooden display case.

Radtke, Frank: Radtke Thimbles. Made of a latex type subtance that makes them very easy to use.

Royal Magic: Nimble Thimbles by Duke Stern and Ken Decourcy. Set of 7 nesting pairs of smooth plastic thimbles, known as "Werry" thimbles. Set comes with 4 pairs of white and three pairs of blue, yellow, and red thimbles. Includes an excellent 20pg booklet with a reprint of Duke Stern's Latest Thimble Magic and additional material specifically for nesting thimbles by Ken Decourcy.  (click for image: Nimble Thimbles)

Scanlan, Jeff: Universal Thimble Set. Painted wooden thimbles. 8 red, three colored, two holders, and a booklet of basic instructions. 

Vernet: Thimbles. Set of 8 pairs of smooth plastic nesting thimbles. Comes with 4 pairs of white, and 4 pairs in blue, yellow, red, and green thimbles. Similar to Nimble Thimbles. Nice routine booklet. Also available in 8 thimble silver set.         (click for image: Vernet Thimbles)