International Brotherhood of Magicians

For other uses of the acronym, see IBM (disambiguation).
International Brotherhood of Magicians
Formation 1922
Type Non-profit
Headquarters St. Charles, Missouri
President
 Shawn Farquhar (BC, Canada)
Website www.magician.org

International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.) is an organization for both professional and amateur stage magicians, with approximately 15,000 members worldwide. The headquarters is in St. Charles, Missouri, and there are over 300 local groups, called Rings, in more than 30 countries, largely concentrated in cities of the United States and Canada, though there are members of the international organization from at least 80 different countries. The organization publishes a monthly periodical entitled The Linking Ring, which features tricks, coverage of shows and events in the magic community, and interviews with magicians.

History

The organization was founded February 10, 1922[1] in Winnipeg, Manitoba by Len Vintus (stage name of Melvin Justus Given McMullen) of Transcona, Manitoba, which would later amalgamate with Winnipeg.[2][3] Gene Gordon (aka Gordon Avery) of Buffalo, New York, and Don Rogers (aka Ernest Schieldge). Unlike earlier magic clubs, such as the Society of American Magicians (SAM) in the USA and The Magic Circle in England, the I.B.M. was begun by magicians living outside the major cities, who were unable to attend magic club meetings, and who kept in contact by post.[4]

Gene Gordon established the first local group, Ring 1, in Rochester, New York. The original Ring 1 eventually disbanded,[5] and St. Louis, Missouri later assumed the vacated title of Ring 1, which it continues to hold today. Since then, a new club, Ring 4, formed in Rochester.

The IBM holds an annual convention, usually in June or July. Although the SAM and the Magic Circle held banquets as early as 1905, the I.B.M. was the first to hold a magic convention, in Kenton, Ohio on June 9–10, 1926.[4] The 66th annual convention was held in Orlando, Florida.[6]

Organization

Each international territory has a Territorial Vice President who coordinates with the Rings in that country and other Territorial Vice Presidents.

Rings

The International Brotherhood of Magicians has a number of local clubs, located throughout the world, known as Rings.[7] Each ring was originally numbered in sequence, based on when it received its charter from the I.B.M. Since then, some clubs have dissolved, and newer clubs have assumed some of the vacated ring numbers.

List of Rings:
Ring 1 - based in St. Louis, Missouri (originally based in Rochester, New York)
Ring 9 - based in Atlanta, Georgia - The Georgia Magic Club
Ring 92 - based in Vancouver, British Columbia [Canada]
Ring 112 - based in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Ring 115 - based in Singapore[8]
Ring 139 - based in Sri Lanka - Ring 139 on Facebook
Ring 151 - based in Ottawa, Canada - The Roy Cottee Ring
Ring 179 - based in Baltimore, Maryland - George Dency Ring
Ring 200 - based in Edison, New Jersey - Harry Blackstone Magic Society
Ring 266 - based in Tyler, Texas
Ring 364 - based in Boise, Idaho

Membership

Membership is open to amateur and professional magicians, as well as those who collect magic apparatus and effects. Active members must be at least 18 years old, and youth members must be 7–17 years of age. Active members must have had an interest in magic for at least two years, or one year for youth members. Membership requires the endorsement of two active members, and a pledge to uphold the code of ethics.


Leadership

Since 1937, a new International President is elected to the I.B.M. each year.[9]
Past presidents include:

Conventions

In July 2008 the I.B.M. and the Society of American Magicians hosted a combined convention. More than 1,900+ amateur and professional magicians from around the world attended the gathering in Louisville, Kentucky. [13]

Contest Awards

The International Brotherhood of Magicians held the world’s first magic convention in 1926. Contests are held and awards are given in several categories. Below is a listing of the First Place winners as noted in the I.B.M. Official publication "The Linking Ring". The Gold Cups and Gold Medal Awards are highly coveted and not awarded every year. Additional data for years not listed may be available.

Year 1st Place
Stage
Adult		 1st Place
Close-Up
Adult		 1st Place
Stage
Youth		 1st Place
Close-Up
Youth		 People's Choice
Stage		 People's Choice
Close-Up		 Gold Cups
Award		 Gold Medal
Award
2013[14] Ming Ya Liu Alberto Lorenzo Eli Portala Drake Stanton Ming Ya Liu Alberto Lorenzo Not Awarded Not Awarded
2012[15] Jean Paul Olhaberry Michael Dardant Sebastian Zara Guarano Not Awarded Jean Paul Olhaberry Michael Dardant Not Awarded Not Awarded
2011[16] Won Kuen Ha Shin Lim Reuben Moreland Reuben Moreland Won Keun Ha Shin Lim Not Awarded Not Awarded
2010[17] Jason Andrews Ben Jackson Yang Yang John Accardo Jason Andrews Johan Stahl Not Awarded Not Awarded
2009[18] Richard Forget David Pietras David Mlakar Micah Johnson Jei Min and Hanna Info Not Available Not Awarded Not Awarded

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The I.B.M.". Retrieved 2006-04-11.
  2. ↑ Posgate, Bruce. "Magic". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Foundation of Canada. Retrieved 2006-04-11.
  3. ↑ "MagicTimes News Archives Volume 18, Issue 538". 1999. Retrieved 2006-04-11.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Maven, Max. "A History of FISM". Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques. Archived from the original on 2005-11-19. Retrieved 2006-04-17.
  5. ↑ Burden, Mindy. "IBM--A History". Retrieved 2006-04-11.
  6. ↑ "66th Annual Convention--Evening Shows". The Linking Ring (The International Brotherhood of Magicians) 76 (7): 56–66. September 1994.
  7. ↑ "Ring Awards Contests". The Linking Ring: 55–56. January 1985.
  8. ↑ Loong, Tan Kwong (January 1977). "Competition - Ring 115". The Linking Ring 57 (1): 101–102.
  9. ↑ http://www.magician.org/portal/en/node/574
  10. ↑ Wiberg, Don (January 1985). "The President's Page". The Linking Ring: 35.
  11. ↑ Wiberg, Don (April 1985). "The President's Page". The Linking Ring 65 (4): 37.
  12. ↑ "Pictures from the past". The Linking Ring 93 (4): 20,95. April 2013.
  13. ↑ http://www.magician.org/portal/fr/node/490
  14. ↑ "The Linking Ring Magazine". (August 2013). p. 34
  15. ↑ "The Linking Ring Magazine". (August 2012). p. 2
  16. ↑ "The Linking Ring Magazine". (August 2011). p. 43
  17. ↑ "The Linking Ring Magazine". (August 2010). p. 35
  18. ↑ "The Linking Ring Magazine". (August 2009). p. 35

External links