Why Every Magician Should Consider Joining the IBM – And Discover Nearly 100 Years of Magic

5 days ago

10 min read

What if I told you that one of the best investments you could make in magic this year isn't another trick, gimmick or download?

What if, for the price of a relatively modest annual subscription, you could access decades of magical knowledge, discover forgotten routines, learn from other magicians and become part of a community that's been sharing its passion for almost a century?

Well, that's exactly why I want to talk about the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM) and, particularly, British Ring No. 25.

Today I want to talk about something I genuinely believe is important to the future of magic.

And that's supporting the organisations that have helped keep our wonderful art alive for generations.

How Many Magic Tricks Are Sitting in Your Drawer?

Come on. Be honest.

How many magic tricks have you bought over the years that are now sitting in a drawer somewhere?

We've all done it.

You watch a trailer.

It looks incredible.

You think:

“WOW! How on earth does that work?”

You immediately order it.

It arrives.

You open it.

You perform it once or twice.

And then…

Into the drawer it goes.

That mysterious drawer where magic tricks disappear, never to be seen again!

Actually, I've got more than one of those drawers.

I've got boxes in the garage, boxes in the attic and goodness knows how many other tricks I've accumulated over the years.

And I'm supposed to be somebody who creates and sells magic!

But here's my question.

What if you spent the cost of just a couple of those tricks on something that could improve your magic for years?

That's where the IBM comes in.

What Is the International Brotherhood of Magicians?

The International Brotherhood of Magicians, usually known as the IBM, is an international organisation bringing together people who share a passion for magic.

In the UK, we have British Ring No. 25.

Founded in 1928, the British Ring has been supporting magicians for almost a century.

Think about that.

Nearly 100 years of magicians meeting, learning, performing, exchanging ideas and developing the art of magic.

And the wonderful thing is that you don't need to be a famous professional magician to become involved.

The organisation brings together professionals, hobbyists, creators, collectors, historians and people who simply love magic.

I'm a member myself.

And I think more magicians should seriously consider joining.

The IBM Magazine Archive Is an Absolute Treasure Trove

Now, here's the bit that really excites me.

The historical magazine archive.

British Ring members can access past publications through the members' area.

And I'm not talking about a few newsletters from last year.

I'm talking about a collection that reaches back through generations of British magic.

The current magazine is called The Key Ring.

Before that, the magazine was known as The Budget.

These publications contain an extraordinary collection of magical material.

Tricks.

Routines.

Ideas.

Articles.

Reviews.

Convention reports.

Historical information.

And, perhaps most importantly, insights into how magicians thought about their craft decades ago.

For me, that's an absolute goldmine.

Imagine Reading Magic Magazines From the 1930s

Imagine sitting down with a cup of coffee and opening a magic magazine from the 1930s.

You read about a trick somebody was developing.

You discover an unusual principle.

You come across a handling you've never seen.

Or you read an article discussing a problem magicians were trying to solve nearly a century ago.

And suddenly you think:

“Hang on… I wonder if I could do something with that?”

That's what I love about these archives.

As a magic creator, I'm constantly looking for interesting principles.

And sometimes the best ideas don't come from looking at what's new.

They come from looking at what's old.

Old Magic Can Inspire Completely New Ideas

I've created hundreds of magic tricks over the years.

And many of them have their foundations in principles that have existed for decades.

Sometimes I'll discover something in an old book and think:

“That's brilliant. Why don't more people use that?”

Then I start wondering whether I can adapt it.

Simplify it.

Change the presentation.

Combine it with another idea.

Or use the underlying principle to create something completely different.

That's how creativity works for me.

You don't necessarily have to invent an entirely new principle.

Sometimes you can discover something wonderful that's been sitting quietly in an old publication for 70 years.

And the IBM archive provides a fantastic opportunity to do exactly that.

The People Preserving Magic History Deserve Our Thanks

I also want to recognise the people who've spent enormous amounts of time helping preserve these historical publications.

Scanning old magazines, organising them and making them accessible isn't a five-minute job.

It's painstaking work.

And once those magazines are digitised, generations of magicians can benefit from them.

I think that's something we sometimes take for granted.

Without people making that effort, some of this material could eventually disappear.

And what a terrible loss that would be.

Magic history deserves to be preserved, not forgotten.

Remembering Tam Shepherds and Roy Walton in Glasgow

Talking about old magic magazines takes me straight back to my childhood in Glasgow.

I used to love getting the bus into Glasgow city centre and visiting Tam Shepherds Trick Shop, associated with the legendary magician and creator Roy Walton.

What a wonderful place.

I can still remember buying copies of Abracadabra, the weekly magic magazine.

I'd get my little purchase in a paper bag and start reading it on the bus home.

There was something magical about that whole experience.

Walking into a magic shop.

Seeing the tricks.

Talking about magic.

Buying a magazine.

And then spending ages reading through it.

Today, we can download almost anything in seconds.

And that's fantastic in many ways.

But I do think we've lost a little of the anticipation and enjoyment of discovering magic through physical books and magazines.

That's another reason I appreciate the British Ring.

The Key Ring Magazine – Something to Look Forward To

As a British Ring member, you receive access to The Key Ring, the organisation's regular magazine.

It's available digitally, with a printed option too.

And I really like that.

There's something satisfying about sitting down with an actual magazine rather than endlessly scrolling through a screen.

The Key Ring contains magical articles, routines, reviews, news and information about what's happening within the community.

I'm also delighted to have been featured in it myself.

But even without that, I'd still be encouraging people to read it.

Because sometimes one interesting article can be worth far more than another trick sitting unopened in a drawer.

Why an IBM Membership Could Be Better Value Than Another Magic Trick

Let's put this into perspective.

Imagine buying two magic tricks at £35 each.

That's £70.

Martin Gardner Changed the Way I Think About Magic

A perfect example from my own experience is Martin Gardner.

His book Mathematics, Magic and Mystery had a huge influence on me.

It helped develop my fascination with mathematical magic.

And that fascination eventually became an important part of my creative identity.

It's influenced many of the effects I've created and the books I've written.

Including Mind the Maths Magic and My Head Hurts.

And all of that started, in part, because I was interested in understanding the principles behind the magic.

That's why I think studying old material is so important.

You never know which idea might change the direction of your magic.

The IBM Is About More Than Magazines

Now, I don't want to make it sound as though the IBM is simply a magazine subscription service.

Because it isn't.

One of the biggest benefits is the community.

Magic can be a surprisingly solitary hobby.

You might spend hours practising.

Working on routines.

Reading books.

Trying out new ideas.

And sometimes there's nobody around who really understands why you're so excited about a particular card move.

My wife has certainly had to put up with enough magic demonstrations over the years!

But when you're part of a magic organisation, you're surrounded by people who understand that enthusiasm.

People who love magic just as much as you do.

Some of the Best Magic Lessons Come From Conversations

I've always enjoyed attending magic conventions and lectures.

And something I've increasingly realised is that the best part isn't always the trick you learn.

Sometimes it's the conversation you have afterwards.

Somebody mentions an old book.

Another magician suggests a different presentation.

Someone shows you a tiny handling change.

Or you meet somebody who approaches magic completely differently from you.

And suddenly you've learned something new.

You can't always get that experience from watching another magic trailer online.

Sometimes you need to talk to people.

And that's where organisations like the British Ring are so valuable.

What Other Benefits Do IBM British Ring Members Receive?

Alongside the magazine and archive, British Ring membership offers other opportunities.

Members can benefit from reduced registration fees for the annual British Ring Convention.

There are competitions, events, lectures, social gatherings and opportunities to meet other magicians.

There's also a members' area containing additional resources, including videos and historical material.

And something I particularly like is that the organisation has a welfare and benevolent element too.

That reminds us that the IBM isn't simply about learning tricks.

It's also about looking after people.

About friendship.

About supporting members of a community.

And I think that's incredibly important.

You Don't Have to Be a Professional Magician to Join

This is something I really want to emphasise.

You don't need to be a professional magician to consider joining the IBM British Ring.

You don't need to perform at weddings.

You don't need to do corporate shows.

You don't need to appear on television.

And you certainly don't need to know a thousand card tricks.

Perhaps you're a hobbyist who enjoys performing for friends and family.

Perhaps you collect magic books.

Perhaps you love magic history.

Perhaps you're learning your first tricks.

Or perhaps you've been involved in magic for 40 years.

The British Ring brings together people with all sorts of magical interests.

And that diversity is one of its strengths.

Why We Need to Support Magic Clubs and Societies

One of the reasons I'm recording this episode is that I'm concerned about the future of some of our magical organisations.

My understanding is that membership numbers have been under pressure.

And I think that's a real shame.

Because once an organisation disappears, you can't simply assume it'll come back.

Think about the history.

The relationships.

The archives.

The conventions.

The competitions.

The knowledge.

All those years of people volunteering their time to help keep magic alive.

We need to value those things.

And we need to encourage new generations of magicians to become involved.

What About the Magic Circle?

Of course, there are other fantastic magical organisations too.

The Magic Circle is probably one of the most recognisable names in British magic.

And I absolutely encourage people to support organisations that suit their interests.

But I don't think we should forget the British Ring or our smaller local magic clubs.

They all contribute something.

They all help preserve and develop the art.

And they all need people who are prepared to get involved.

Magic is stronger when we have a thriving network of organisations, clubs, dealers, creators and enthusiasts.

We Need More Young Magicians Getting Involved

I'd particularly love to see more younger magicians joining organisations like the British Ring.

Not simply because they need new members.

But because younger magicians bring fresh ideas.

Different approaches.

New technologies.

Different styles of performance.

And different ways of thinking about magic.

At the same time, experienced members have decades of knowledge they can share.

Imagine bringing those two groups together.

The experience of the past.

The creativity of the future.

That's a wonderful combination.

And it's exactly the sort of thing a magic organisation should encourage.

YouTube and Social Media Aren't Replacements for Everything

We live in an extraordinary time for learning magic.

YouTube.

Online lectures.

Digital downloads.

Social media.

Podcasts.

Magic forums.

Online shops.

There's more material available than ever before.

And that's fantastic.

But I don't think these things should replace magic clubs and organisations.

They should complement them.

We can embrace new technology while still preserving the history and community that helped build our art.

And I think that balance is important.

Why I'm Personally Encouraging Magicians to Join

I want to make something clear.

I'm not being paid to promote the British Ring.

This isn't a sponsored episode.

I'm simply a member who thinks the organisation deserves more recognition.

And I genuinely believe that more magicians would join if they understood what was available.

Particularly the historical magazine archive.

For me, that's worth investigating on its own.

But when you add the community, the publications, the events and the opportunity to contribute to something bigger than yourself, I think membership becomes a really attractive proposition.

How to Join the IBM British Ring

If you're based in the UK, I'd encourage you to visit the IBM British Ring website:

https://britishring.org.uk/

Have a look around.

Explore the membership information.

Find out about the magazine.

See what events are coming up.

And consider becoming a member.

If you're outside the UK, you can also explore the wider International Brotherhood of Magicians and its various Rings.

And if you're already a British Ring member, perhaps encourage somebody else to take a look.

Tell somebody at your local magic club.

Share this article.

Mention the magazine archive.

Sometimes people simply don't know what they're missing.

The Future of Magic Depends on More Than Buying Tricks

As magicians, we spend an enormous amount of time looking for secrets.

The secret method.

The clever move.

The hidden gimmick.

The latest impossible effect.

But perhaps one of the biggest secrets to becoming a better magician isn't really a secret at all.

It's learning from other people.

Studying the past.

Sharing ideas.

Developing your creativity.

And being part of a community that loves magic just as much as you do.

That's why I think organisations like the IBM British Ring are worth supporting.

Sometimes the Best Magic Is Already Waiting to Be Discovered

So here's my final thought.

The next time you're about to spend £35 or £40 on another magic trick, perhaps ask yourself:

“Could I invest some of that money in learning something instead?”

You might discover a principle that changes the way you perform.

You might make a lifelong friend.

You might come across a forgotten routine that inspires your next creation.

Or you might simply enjoy sitting down with a cup of coffee and reading about magic from another generation.

And that's worth something.

Because sometimes the best magic isn't the trick you're going to buy tomorrow.

It's the idea that's been waiting for you to discover it for the last 90 years.

If you've enjoyed this blog, please subscribe, share it with another magician and help spread the word about the British Ring.

And if you decide to join, I'd genuinely love to hear from you.

Until next time…

Keep creating. Keep learning. And keep the magic community alive.

Vinny