| This one looks European to me, good handstand and nice looking props but the trainer at right is unaware of the spy in his midst about to run to the office and report everything. |
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
From Donovan Glyn #6
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3 comments:
The bull is balancing on what are likely representations of or bonafide "Methuselah" size champagne bottles, about 24" tall. They held 6 liters, the equivalent of eight bottles. Larger sizes include the Salmanazar, Balthazar and Nebuchadnezzar, at 12, 16 and 20 bottles, respectively. Magnum and Jeroboam are just 2 and 4 bottles. Order a Methuselah at your next celebratory dinner out and you'll surely impress everyone, after you explain to the waiter what they have to convey to the table.
"Bottle walking" was an old trick in Europe, going back to the mid-19th century. Louis Auriol performed his famous "Flaschentanz" on empty wine bottles. The act was also adapted for horses, wherein an equine would walk atop a series of bottle-shaped turnings attached to a baseplate. It was a favorite on dog and pony operations.
Also note: Methuselah champagne is the beverage of choice at the Showfolks Club in Sarasota.
Buckles, Johhny Herriott, Paul Ingrassia and myself share a bottle often. If things are rolling along, Ingrassia springs for a second bottle.
A toast to the host!
It seems funny that here in America Milk Bottles were all the rage in props. I have a prop used by Terrell Jacobs that has a series of wooden "milk bottles" fastened to a 12 foot long 2x6 that one of his cats would walk placing one foot on each "Bottle". These are similar to the props used in many carny games as well. I only remember champagne bottles used in hand-balancing acts like that of Jose Cole & others in later years. Perhaps milk was considered more wholesome (and legal?) for Americans, especially during prohibition?
Neil Cockerline
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