This is the Gallery of Giovanni Celeste

[Giovanni Celeste]

The Blues Brothers Whip
Hello everyone,
A customer asked me a replica of the whip used by John Belushi in the movie The Blues Brothers when he sings Rawhide.
What has always caught my attention - every time I saw that particular scene - is an "apparent" oval shape at the end of the thong.
Unfortunately there isn't any detailed pics on this whip and even in slow motion it is impossible to replicate all the details (plaiting pattern, number of overlay shape of the end of the thong etc ...)
So what you'll see is my personal interpretation.
What I could notice is the shape of the heel knot converging to the butt fundation and the presence of some knots in the body of the whip.
Here some specs:
Lenth: 4ft
Handle 22cm long
Overlay 12 strands dark brown with slap end part plaited in back braid style
Thanks in advance, I wish a great weekend
Gio

[Jesse Bessette]

Definitely cool, Giovanni. I love that movie, so this is great.

[Rachel McCollough]

Gio this is definitely a piece of unconventional art! Wow! That's very unusual and cool the way it is put together, fantastic work!

[Giovanni Celeste]

Many thanks Rachel and Jesse :-)

[Ron May]

It's amazing what sound effects can do for a movie.
It looks like this one would not crack but for impacting on something creating the "slap".
Interesting though.

Ron

[Giovanni Celeste]

Thanks Ron, it would be nice using for wrapping or to hit targets

[Sir Roger Tuson]

Never seen anything like it! Brilliant. I wonder how that knot down thong would effect the loop?

[Matt Henderson]

Blues Brothers? Now we're talking... . Great whip Gio, as many times as I've seen both of the films I forget Belushi uses a whip in Rawhide.

[Giovanni Celeste]

Thank you Sir Roger and Matt.

[Giovanni Celeste]

..here below some pics of a 10'Raiders style recently done.
Waiting for the shellac

...after shellac

[Sven van Leeuwen]

I love both BB and IJ, and those are some seriously beautiful whips. Very nice work.

I really like the fact you did the BB whip, it's such a known part of movie history and yet it nowhere near as iconic as the IJ whip. So there really isn't much info on the web about it, just the fact that Jake handles the whip.
It's really nice to see a replica in a certain sense, more like a interpretation.

Very beautiful, Giovanni

[Rachel McCollough]

Gio, this whip is clear solid strength and beauty. Thank you very much for the photos of both before shellac and after shellac!

And the heel knot-! You already know I love the heel knot. Always they look so comfortable!

When you make a whip just for yourself, do you prefer to shellac it or no shellac? I'm curious as to your personal preference on your own whip.

[Roy Partin]

Rachel that is an excellent question. The shellac sure does make it stand out in the photos, but I think I prefer the plain no shellac look.
Gio, you sure know how to make an old Indy style bull look perfect. Well done sir!

[Rachel McCollough]

Roy I thought so too, I sure like the natural look!

[Giovanni Celeste]

Hi Guys, thank you for your kind feedback.
About the questions schellac or not schellac it sounds like a shakespearean question shellac or not shellac, that is the question :-)
I prefer both of them.
The shellac highlights the three-dimensionality of the pattern of overlay.
Time and use of a whip give a vintage look that tells a story.

[Rachel McCollough]

Ha! Shakespearean whip talk!

Thank you for your response, Gio!

[Jesse Bessette]

Beautiful Gio, absolutely beautiful! You make Indy whips look so unique.

[Robert Gage]

Great work, Gio! I don't know the Blues Brothers films, but will have to investigate....

[Giovanni Celeste]

Apparently, at a first glance, this whip may seem like one of the many Raiders whip made by every skilled whipmaker.
Same diamond pattern on the handle, same harringbone pattern on the thong, same heel knot and ring knot and same wrist loop.
But it doesn’t !
With a closer inspection you will surely perceive something different;

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce the RAIDERS WHIP 2.0
A new project whip, where every strands has been reduced by half and doubled at the same time.
24 plait overlay and 12 plait wrist loop.
I want to thank the first owner Mr. Flamming Flemming Bo Christiansen who gave me the opportunity to realize it

Best
Giovanni Celeste

[Jessie Edwards]

Very, very cool Gio! Thank you for showing us