33 replies to this topic

[Rip Rap]

I remember those things, though not in a DATT. They started cracking in the air, but the ones I saw hit the ground and hopped around there for a few seconds too.

Interesting - if not in a DATT - what was it they were ejected from - a mine or similar? (Can you remember the name?)

[Firefiend]

I vaguely remember these. I think is was the normal Jack in the Box type fireworks.

[Mortartube]

I think the Jack in the box mine with jumping crackers was called the Shrapnel Mine.

[pyrotrev]

Interesting - if not in a DATT - what was it they were ejected from - a mine or similar? (Can you remember the name?)

I think it was one of the larger Jack In The Box Mines - there was a small one that was just stars if I remember correctly; however the names might have changed later on. However I was very young then, so I might be wrong! I'd love to be able to look through the manufacturing information for Standard items from the 60's, 70's and 80's to tie up the effects with what I know now. PS tailor is spelt with an "o"

Edited by pyrotrev, 04 August 2008 - 12:15 PM.

[Rip Rap]

This got me searching through some old 1930's Wells labels - look what I found -
Wells Jack-In-A-box label

"Commencing with a splendid fountain of fire and concluding with a grand display of Fantastic Rip-Raps."

Also - DATT label

"This commences with a rush of Devil fire, finishing with a burst of mine crackers"

So looks like both the larger Devil Among The Tailors & Jack In The Box's contained crackers, while the smaller versions only contained stars/serpents.

Edited by Rip Rap, 04 August 2008 - 09:06 PM.

[Arthur Brown]

COPAE Davis gives:

Mines are often made up with a single Roman candle, lacking
the plug of clay at the bottom, mounted in the center of the
mine case. The fuse leading from the charge in the paper bag
is thrust into the bottom of the Roman candle. A mine with a
large and short ca.«o, carrying a charge of tailed stars, serpents,
and English crackers, and having one Roman candle in its center
and four others, matched to burn simultaneously, attached to the
outside of the case, is known as a devil among the tailors.

So in his experience there are five candles and the mine must eject the centre candle with it's payload.

Possible the retail DATT dies with the demise of the retail jumping cracker. Fireworks of random movement CRACKERS, helicopters etc are all prohibited from retail sale. SO you cannot put crackers in the mine payload if the may likely reach the ground and move erratically.

[phildunford]

phildunford made one of these for the first "icarus meet" its here at about 1.40 secs in the video devil maybe he has some photo,s of the build, and it was beautifully built may i say.

Thanks for the kind comment Chris!

Here is a photo that Dean was kind enough to send me of the 'devil' set up at the March Icarus meet.



Not sure if I have any other pics of the finished item, but I certainly have some of the building process. I will put a new page up on the Green Man, hopefully in the next few days...

The commercial items generally had a fountain or roman candle down the middle of the mine as well. This one had 4 3/4" by 9" fountains and the mine was about 4" diamter by about 8" high I think.

The smaller commercial products had the candles or fountains strapped to the mine body. The bigger ones had a baseboard with the component parts given a bit more space.

There is a great picture in Lancaster's book of one made by Brocks, about 5 feet(!) high. Don't know if this was real or just a dummy.

[pyrotrev]

Not sure if I have any other pics of the finished item, but I certainly have some of the building process. I will put a new page up on the Green Man, hopefully in the next few days...

The commercial items generally had a fountain or roman candle down the middle of the mine as well. This one had 4 3/4" by 9" fountains and the mine was about 4" diamter by about 8" high I think.

There is a great picture in Lancaster's book of one made by Brocks, about 5 feet(!) high. Don't know if this was real or just a dummy.

I'll second the beautifully built sentiment - love those stripey fountains, makes a welcome change from the uniform brown of cat.4 gear. The Brocks thing was a monster - now THAT would be fun to replicate for a meet - I've never seen a mine bigger than 6" calibre fire and that was stonking. If you could get a tube to stand the lift, I guess you'd fill it with 2.5 or 3" shells, comets and crackers.

Edited by pyrotrev, 04 August 2008 - 10:51 PM.

[phildunford]

Thanks Trev,

I they are 'garden' type fireworks, I always try and pretty them up a bit if I have time. I think the old (pre '70's) labels were works of art!

Here is Mr Brocks attempt! (sorry about the grotty scan)



Hmmmm!

[Firefiend]

A picture of the Jack-in-a-Box which Rip Rap's label comes from.

Wells' Firework - Jack-in-a-Box

[Rip Rap]

A picture of the Jack-in-a-Box which Rip Rap's label comes from.

Wells' Firework - Jack-in-a-Box

Nice one Firefiend - that is so good to see the actual firework to which that label belongs! Do you own that beauty??

Nick Sampford gave me hundreds of Wells labels from the 1920's & 30's - they are fantasticly simplistic but they describe the intended effect - to see the article that label was attached to is brilliant!

[Firefiend]

Hi Rip Rap. No Sadly I've not got the Jack-in-a-Box in my collection. It sold in 2004 on eBay or £43.05. It would be a fantastic bargain by today's prices!

[phildunford]

Better late than never, I have put a page up about these devices on my website...

Devil

Enjoy!

[Mortartube]

I notice on your site that you say that the central mine is surrounded by fountains. The ones I saw being made at Standards (and the later demo) had Roman Candles and not fountains around the mine, also a candle in the centre of the mine where the fountain would be in a jack in the box.

[phildunford]

Hi Mortartube.

Yes, there were many variations on this theme. I think I mention the possibility of a candle in the centre in my article, but i've never seen them around the outside.

I'm sure this would have looked good, although I quite like the fountains, as there seems to be more contrast between the Tailors and the Devil this way!

You pays your money and you takes your choice!