hillcountrymagic
$8.99
Condition: Very Good
Rings Supreme (1978) is a classic 23-page instruction booklet written by Lewis Ganson and published by Edwin Hooper’s Supreme Magic Company. Released as part of the acclaimed Ganson Magic Teach-In Series, the monograph detail-documents Aldo Colombini’s celebrated 3-ring linking routine.
Ganson famously lauded it in the introduction, remarking that "The Colombini routine would be difficult to better."
Lineage & Routine Concept
The routine uses three separate 10-inch or 12-inch rings (a standard set of two solid rings and one key ring). Colombini synthesized techniques and visual displays from masters like Dai Vernon, Rink, Jay Marshall, and Duraty, merging them with his trademark direct, humorous performance style.
The goal of the routine was to create a fast-paced, highly visual parlor or stage act where links and unlinks happen without awkward pauses or heavy "cover" work.
Key Phases & Structure
The routine breaks down into several distinct movement sequences:
Display & False Count: Opens with a deceptive count showing three separate, solid rings and a "twisting move" to prove the continuous circumference of each ring without revealing the key.
Visual Links:
Snap Link: Linking two rings with a crisp snap of the fingers.
Crash Link: Smashing one ring down onto another to instantly lock them.
Slow-Motion Link: The third ring visibly melts downward between the suspended pair.
Dynamic Unlinks:
Throw & Unlink: Tossed into the air where a ring physically disconnects mid-flight.
Fly Up Unlink: A ring pops up off the chain, unlinking dynamically.
Spin Unlink: Spinning one ring around another until it flies off completely unlinked.
The Ring & Silk Motif: The centerpiece phase where a silk handkerchief is tied onto a ring. The ring penetrates through the silk to link onto the other rings while the knot remains intact—creating a multi-layered illusion of solids passing through solids.
