Does 🧙Gandalf have a workshop?

[Rivendell_librarian]

Thinking about Gandalf's fireworks I was wondering about how and where they are made. It could be that they were produced out of thin air by magic (creatio ex nihilo), but I prefer that he made them but infused them with power from his magic abilities, as bearer of the Ring of Fire. I suppose he could have made them in his waggon but a workshop somewhere would seem more practical.

And this raises another question. Sometimes Gandalf travels in a horse drawn waggon whereas at other times he goes on foot or rides Shadowfax (who wouldn't pull a wagon - that would be an insult). So what happens to Gandalf's horse(s) and waggon when he isn't using them? Maybe he lends or rents them out to a Shire farmer (too big?) or maybe in Bree? Also maybe the waggon is rented by Gandalf?

 

[Eljorahir]

workshop somewhere would seem more practical.

Travel alone to the Forsaken Inn.
Look around making sure you weren't followed.
Go inside and to the fireplace in the large common-room.
Above the fireplace you will see three wall-mounted wrought iron lamps.
Whatever you do, don't touch the center lamp! That one triggers the self-destruct sequence.
Spin the right lamp three revolutions counterclockwise.
Spin the left lamp three revolutions clockwise.
Speak in a loud clear voice the Sindarin word for "friend". (I think it's like "cantaloupe" or something like that. You better look it up to be sure.)
A trapdoor in the floor will pop open revealing the staircase down into Gandalf's underground fireworkshop.
After that...you're on your own.
Good luck.

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

Sounds a bit like Del Floria's tailors and laundry

 

[Olorgando]

Or maybe this (OK, that's new for me: created by Mel Brooks!) (btw I was flabbergasted that they'd done a reboot, movies ... 😵‍💫 )

 

[Eljorahir]

Sounds a bit like Del Floria's tailors and laundry

View attachment 26794

That show was a bit before my time. I don't think I've ever seen a single episode, but I just watched the intro. Napoleon Solo...cool name.
Get Smart, on the other hand: I may have seen all the episodes.

 

[Olorgando]

Sounds a bit like Del Floria's tailors and laundry

That show was a bit before my time. I don't think I've ever seen a single episode, but I just watched the intro. Napoleon Solo...cool name.
Get Smart, on the other hand: I may have seen all the episodes.

I don't have the faintest memory of that being (I'm assuming) the disguised entrance in the TV series "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."!
Its original run was 1964-68, "Get Smart" 1965-70, so overlapped for a couple of years. Maybe they had different time slots, so that I got to see more of Maxwell than of Napoleon and Illya.

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

I think it must have been the reverse for me in the UK, or that The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was more popular/better marketed than Get Smart. The former had Leo G Carroll who played a similar role in N by NW.

 

[herlig9]

My theory is he gets it from Tim the enchanter

 

[Ent]

The horse and cart are a sled and rhosgobel rabbit in disguise borrowed from Radagast. They return to their natural form at midnight.

The fireworks are made in the old abandoned tunnels the Orcs dug to get at the Hobbits by surprise during the 2nd age, when Adar was trying to take over.

Gandalf had also built stone steps and a mock Oliphaunt in one of the larger tunnel chambers, so Legolas could practice his tricks skiing on shields and off Oliphaunt trunks in odd situations, but then Gandalf decided not to reveal the tunnels to anyone, including Legolas.

Long forgotten, no one has ever uncovered the exact location of Gandalf's hidden secrets.

The only thing known is they were close enough to the Shire (wherever that was located) to pick up the wares, make the trip during the day, be unloaded, and out of the way before midnight the same day so when they changed back into sled and bunny nobody saw, and was the wiser.

 

[Rivendell_librarian]

 

[Ent]

Hum. The Rhosgobel rabbits once told me they didn't feel the least bit silly, being happy to help Gandalf out.
The sled had little to say other than as a cart it felt a bit more wooden than usual.
The old tunnels and stone props for the Elf's tricks said nothing, maintaining their usual stony face.

 

[Shadow]

I don’t think he has a workshop. I’d say he just makes fireworks and the like wherever he happens to be staying at the time.