the magic hands

the magic hands manufacturing plant in Herrenberg, Germany (1978 - 1991)

     Manfred Thumm plunged into the magic business full time in 1978 when he left the world reknown electric company Philips after an 18 year sales career and built his manufacturing plant and magic studio in Herrenberg-Oberjesingen, Germany. The building was in bungalow style painted white with a black trim around the roof which proudly displayed the name of his business, “the magic hands”. The rooms consisted of a main office for himself, an office for his secretary, a computer room, a foyer for receiving guests, a sewing room, toilets and coffee kitchen for employees, a workshop, a large stock and packing room and a large studio with theater seating for 60 guests including a small stage with stage curtains and lighting.  

     Manfred opened his business in 1978. To celebrate this important event in his life he held a Champagne Reception  for a small circle of friends and associates and together they initiated the new rooms. Manfred and his wife, Em ran the business with their newly hired employees. A secretary, a seamstress and silk-cutter, hard-working men in the workshop to produce magical champagne bottles among other props, women to pack tricks and keep the stock bins full and an expeditor to package up the mail orders. It was a small business that kept them all very busy five days a week. However Manfred’s work schedule continued around the clock weekends and evenings. When the employees went home at quitting time, he took over and prepared things for the next work day. Manfred taught himself all the tasks including cutting and sewing silks so he could take over any job if someone was missing.

     It didn’t take long for Manfred to establish himself, already having quite a good name in the society of magic through his black light show act which he called “the magic hands”. Taking the name of this act for his new business just seemed appropriate. He was also known through his newly developed general magic act called “Gordon and Eve” where he and his wife appeared at magic conventions and other revues in their spare time. As time went on, they found that they had less and less time for the magic act and devoted most of their time to the business.  Eventually Gordon and Eve stopped performing but the props and silks used in the act were manufactured in quantities in the plant and sold to customers. Manfred started a card file with names of all his new customers. Eventually he was able to afford a computer system and was one of the pioneers in the business to use a professional computer system to print the mailing and COD labels, invoices and all mail order forms. He ran a very professional business and anyone receiving a package from the magic hands knew they were receiving quality merchandise.

     Manfred specialized in silks and soon made a name for himself worldwide with the brilliant colored silks of excellent quality with the famous black hem. Manfred’s silks were in demand and he sold them well at every magic convention he attended around the world. Being an innovative entrepeneur, he had himself a vest made of colorful silks to represent the rainbow of colors that he offered and became a walking advertisement for his own products at every convention. He was known as the dealer in black clothing with the multi-colored silk vest which became his convention image.  This vest was hand-made by a German fashion designer and was made of hand-painted silk. Manfred put a lot of value on quality and was an all round perfectionist.

     Manfred’s reputation grew as he attended magic conventions in so many countries that he enjoyed worldwide fame. He started printing all of his trick instructions in three languages; German, French and English. He placed a lot of value on customer service and offering instructions in the language of his customer was very important. He even hired a graphic artist to illustrate all of his articles. All of these illustrations were seen in his catalog and in each trick’s instructions showing a very professional illustration of the effect.

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