ENCYCLOPEDIC BALLOON MODELING COURSE #1 & #2 -- by George Sands

 The great George Sands (of Sands-sational Rope routine fame) also published two excellent booklets on Balloon Modeling.in the early 1970’s called the Encyclopedic Balloon Modeling Course.  This volume combines both #1 and #2 of the Encyclopedic Course into a single book of 92 pages.  Volume #1 is on one side of the booklet, and you flip it over and upside down, and there’s volume #2. 

Although 92 pages may not seem “encyclopedic”, this book does cover a lot of ground and is crammed full of good information about working balloons.  Chapters include:

Tying balloons, tricky Inflating methods, Sever a balloon, Bubble balloons, fruit, Varied modeling methods, forming appendages, animals, evolution, Chapeaugraphy, Acts Galore, Sight gags, Nonclementure, Twists, more animals, vegetables, minerals.

The “Acts galore” section has 16 different ideas for ways to theme or structure a balloon act.  The Sight gag section has about 50 gags.  The “Evolution” section is particularly interesting, as he details balloon animals which transform into another animal, then another animal with a few extra twists or balloons.  (Very topical with the new Transformers movie coming out!)

Book is 92 pages (68 pgs for volume 1 and 24 pgs for volume 2).  Book is in excellent condition, with tight stapled binding and pages with no bends or tears.  There are a few yellow highlights on some of the sight gags that someone particularly liked.  Previous owner’s library stamp is embossed in the title page.

Original booklets published 1971 and 1972.  No date on this one, but I am guessing mid-1970’s.