Dave's Memorabilia Funhouse
Part Two ... The Continuing Saga
Before returning to the Memorabilia Funhouse, I thought
I'd show you a picture of me playing with one of my
favorite old Duncan Yo-Yos from the 30's. Notice how
skillfully I'm performing "Monkey on a String". Okay ...
it's not me. But whenever my mother saw this photo, she
always asked me, "Who took your picture ???"
While viewing the collection, remember that I'm always
looking for more old and unusual Yo-Yos and all types
of Yo-Yo Memorabilia for my collection. If you have
anything for sale or trade, please E-mail
Dave, or if you
prefer to contact me in the more traditional way, my
address and phone number is at the bottom of the page.
Trick Books
Many of the major yo-yo companies also put out trick books. These booklets
gave instructions on how to perform yo-yo tricks. A yo-yo just isn't that
interesting if don't know what it can do, and trick books helped deal with
this problem. They also often included information on upcoming contests
and advertising for yo-yos. I'd especially like to find some of the Duncan
"comic book type" trick books from the early 60's, and any Cheerio and
Royal trick books that were printed.
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Duncan's "The Art of Yo-Yo Playing" Trick Book - It is
copyrighted 1950, is 48 pages long, and measures 5 1/4"
by 4 1/2". The back cover, shown at the top of the page,
pictures contest prizes. This booklet is very similar to an
earlier one, copyrighted 1947. The earlier version, called
"How to Master Championship Tricks ...", is slightly
different in color and design, and has the same picture
on the front and back cover.
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Duncan Yo-Yolympics Trick Book -
This 1979 booklet is over 40 pages
long and measures 5" by 7". I believe
this copy was part of the original
Duncan World Class Yo-Yo package.
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Duncan Yo-Yo and Spin Top Trick
Book - This is the current Duncan
Trick Book. It is about 40 pages long
and measures 5" by 7".
Award Plaques
Here are two examples of the Award Plaques given away by Duncan. These
plaques came in many different styles, shapes, and sizes. Some were wooden
and some were heavy cardboard. Sometimes yo-yos and statuettes of Mr. Yo-Yo
were mounted on them. Plaques and trophies (one trophy is shown on the
back of the trick book at the top of this page) were given away interchangibly
at higher levels in the yo-yo competitions. I'd like to find some of these
trophies and plaques for my collection.
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The first plaque was won by Daniel Volk, "The Yo-Yo
Master", in the Ohio State Yo-Yo Championships in the
late 50's. A very pretty gold plated plaque !!! If you look
carefully at the bottom right of the picture (You may have
to download it to see), you'll find the signatures of Jack
and Donald Duncan Jr.. I'd love to find one of these !!!
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This one's unusual because it isn't a contest plaque. It
was awarded to Duncan's 1970 Distributor of the Year.
Maybe there are similar ones that were used in contests
as well. This is a wooden plaque with an engraved brass
plate. I won't tell you what else is on the plate, because
the owner still hasn't decided to part with it, and I don't
want you to beat me to it !!! The statuette mounted on
the plaque is the same statue that was put on most of the
contest trophies. Maybe someday the owner will part
with it ... I'm keeping my fingers crossed !!!
Smothers Brother Stuff ... And My Story of Yo
You might be wondering how I became so interested in yo-yos. It started
in the late 80's, when I first saw the Smothers Brothers perform their
"Yo-Yo Man" act on their television show. It was hilarious and entertaining,
and above all, it intrigued me. I never missed the show... I had to see
The Yo-Yo Man every week. As a child, the yo-yo was always one of my favorite
toys, but until then I'd never seen what a yo-yo could do in the right
hands... I'd never seen a demonstration, a trick book, or even a TV commercial
advertising yo-yos. As an engineer, the scientific aspects peaked my curiosity
... after all, how could something so simple do so many complex things
???
So I bought a few yo-yos... and then a few more.
Which was the best performing model ??? I had
to try them all. Several friends told me that the
older wooden Duncans were best. So I started
looking in flea markets and antique stores for the
old models. Soon, not only was I performing the
most complicated tricks but had an impressive
collection. Playing with a yo-yo was relaxing and
stress relieving. Collecting them was exciting and
satisfying... the thrill of the hunt !!! I've never had
a hobby that was so fulfilling on so many levels.
Someday, I hope to meet the Smother's Brothers, and thank them for introducing
me to the yo-yo. The ultimate thrill would be to actually get to yo-yo
with the Yo-Yo Man himself, Tom Smothers. After all, the Yo-Yo Man started
all of this. The image above is an autographed picture I obtained through
the Smothers Brothers Fan Club. Click on it for a better look.
Along with several interesting Smothers Brothers yo-yos (which
I hope to post in a future edition), I came across this deck of
playing cards from their vinyard in California. Shown here is the
back of one of the cards. The interesting thing is that the two
jokers in the deck show cartoons of Tom and Dick, The Yo-Yo
Man and The Voice of Yo. Click on the back of the card to turn
it over and see these cards.
Hummingbird Yo-Yo Clock
This is one of my favorite items. It's here because I don't
know where else to put it. Hummingbird Toy Company
made these in 1991. They came in four colors, orange,
pink, green, and natural. Hummingbird also made a set of
five paddle ball clocks and three spin top shaped lamps.
These products must not have been very successful,
because they were discontinued after one year. Another
discontinued item was the Hummingbird Classic Toy
Collection Gift Box, which included a yo-yo. I'd like to
find all of these unusual items, but especially the orange,
green, and natural colored yo-yo clocks.
All American Counter Display
This is a very unusual item. And if any of you collectors
out there are interested, I know where I can find two
more of them. This display from All American Yo-Yos
was designed to sit on the counter, behind a box of their
yo-yos. The cool thing is it's motorized !!! Notice the
hand and the yo-yo. An electric motor in the box makes
the yo-yo half, hanging from the hand, to move up and
down the full height of the display !!! The chrome plated
yo-yo half is from one of All American's models, the
Golden Glider. All American also made three other
yo-yos, the Sleeper King, Trickster, and Returner.
These items date from the late 70's to the early 80's.
Yo-Yo Display Boxes
Here are some examples of the old style yo-yo display boxes. Usually they
held a dozen yo-yos, but there are some that held six, nine, or even two
dozen. When opened, the top lid would fold and provide a pop-up display
at the back of the box. I'd love to find more of these... especially if
they are still full of old, mint condition yo-yos !!!
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Duncan's Super Tournament Yo-Yo Tops - This is a beautiful old box from
the 50's... I just wish it was still full of yo-yos !!! Click on the picture
and you can see the outline of the "boy yo-yoing" pop-up.
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Official Cheerio Champion - This display box only holds six yo-yos. Notice
how these boxes look with the pop-up in place, and full of precious cargo.
I'd love to have one of these... especially full of Cheerio or Hiker yo-yos
!!!
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Sayco Tournament Yo-Yo Tops - Larry Sayleigh has been putting out these
excellent looping yo-yos since the early 60's. And they come in this gorgeous
old fashioned box. Look closely and you'll see where Larry autographed
this box of a dozen for me.
Yancy, the funky hippie dude from Humphrey
Yo-Yos, thinks it's groovy to E-mail
Dave if you
have any really cool Yo-Yos or Yo-Yo Stuff for
sale or trade. You'll also find Dave's address and
phone number at the bottom of the page. It would
be far out to contact Dave that way too !!!
Yo-Yo Advertising Postcards
These postcards usually pictured a company's current line
of yo-yos and displays. On the back, was a complete list
of products and prices, with a printed table to make ordering
easier. Some were wholesale ordering cards directed at
stores ordering in quantity. Others were for retail, and even
a single yo-yo or packet of strings could be ordered.
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Royal International Assortment Postcard - This wholesale
ordering card is from the late 50's and pictures another
interesting display box too !!! Click on the picture for a
better look at the yo-yos and the display.
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Tom Kuhn Custom Yo-Yos Christmas Card -
Guess you could call this one every Yo-Yo
Collector's Christmas wish !!! What a gorgeous
picture. This is a retail card from 1993. This
company makes incredible yo-yos... I plan to
feature some of their more unusual yo-yos in a
future edition.
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Royal Yo-Yo Tops Assortment Card - This
slightly damaged wholesale ordering card is
from the early 60's and features many of Royal's
pre-packaged yo-yos, including the Royal TV
yo-yo. An interesting counter display/shipping carton too !!!
Yo-Yo Posters
These posters were most often put out by the yo-yo companies to promote
upcoming contests, but some were also meant as simple advertising for their
products. As usual, most of the ones I've heard of were made by Duncan.
I'd like to find some of the older Duncan posters from the 30's and the
50's, as well as advertising posters from some of the other major yo-yo
companies.
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Duncan "Hey Kids" Mr. Yo-Yo Poster - This is a very large
poster, printed on both sides on a heavy cardboard. The poster
measures 44" High by 28" Wide. I also have a similar version
which is printed on paper and is smaller, measuring 36" High
by 25" Wide. They were used in the 60's to promote Duncan
Yo-Yo Contests. The blank boxes in the poster were used to
mount pictures of the demonstrators, tricksheets, and other
contest related information. I was lucky and found several of
these, still in the original shipping box. They had been sent to
one of Duncan's demonstrators on the east coast.
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Duncan 1980 Yo-Yolympics Poster - This poster measures
24" High by 18" Wide. The 1980 Duncan contests were
sponsored by Super Sugar Crisp, as the poster shows. From
what I've heard, these Yo-Yolympic contests were a major
flop and a big part of the reason Duncan's national contests
ended. I also have a Super Sugar Crisp Professional Yo-Yo
with matching design from this contest.
Store Signs
Many yo-yo companies included a simple store sign with each shipment of
yo-yos and supplies. These signs were meant to be put up in the store window
or near the product as an attention getter. I'm trying to find more of
these items, especially one from Cheerio.
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Duncan Mr. Yo-Yo Store Sign - This sign measures
9 1/2" High by 20" Wide and is an older sign from
the early 50's. Notice the yo-yo pictured has a decal
logo. Click on the image for a better look.
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Genuine Duncan "Yo-Yo" Store Sign - This sign from the 60's is round, measuring
13" in diameter. Notice it is made by Flambeau. Except for the logo, this
"Yo-Yo" shaped sign is very similar to several older ones I'd like to find.
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Genuine Duncan "Professional" Sign - Notice the yo-yo in the picture is
a Duncan Professional. This sign was shipped during the last ten years
and discontinued two years ago. It measures 11" High by 14" Wide.
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American Spinners Prototype Sign - Only a true yo-yo fanatic could tell
this sign is a prototype. Notice it is missing the stars in the logo. The
sign was made in 1990 and measures 15" High by 13" Wide. A very unusual
item !!!
Yo-Yo Buttons
The major yo-yo companies often gave away tin buttons as contest prizes
and as promotional items. These were usually advertising for events, products,
or for the company name itself. I'd especially like to find some of the
older Duncan buttons.
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Duncan Yo-Yo Tourney Expert - This is an older button. I wouldn't be surprised
if it was from the 30's, but am not sure. It was most likely a contest
prize. I'd love to find one of these, or any other button awards from Duncan.
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Canada Games 15 Trick Golden Award - This 2 1/2" button is from 1990 and
part of a three button set. It was awarded for sucessfully performing 15
tricks required in the contest. The other two in the set are smaller, and
are for 5 and 10 tricks.
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Bird In Hand 10 Trick Advanced Award - This small award button is 1 1/4"
in diameter and was awarded for completing 10 required tricks. I believe
it is also from around 1990. There are two other buttons in the set, a
Beginner award for 7 tricks and a Champion award for 12.
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1993 National Championship Division Button - This one is also from Bird
In Hand, which hosts the National Championships in Chico, CA. This one
is not an award, but shows which division a contestant was competing in.
The other two buttons in the set are for the Beginner and Advanced Divisions.
All three are 1 3/4" in diameter.
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Great Northern Yo-Yo Contest - This 2 1/4" button was made to promote one
of the first Bird In Hand contests in Chico. It even shows the date of
the event.
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Tom Kuhn Yo-Yos 15th Anniversary Celebration - This one promoted the 15th
anniversary of Tom Kuhn's Yo-Yo Company, as well as the celebration and
contests in San Francisco. This one is 2 1/4" in diameter and even lists
the sponsors.
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Hummingbird Yo-Yo Man Button - This one is advertising for both the Yo-Yo
Man, Tom Smothers, and the Yo-Yo Man Yo-Yos made by Hummingbird. The button
measures 2 1/4" in diameter.
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Bird In Hand Button - These 1 3/4" buttons came in several colors and were
included with each Bird in Hand Yo-Yo purchased several years ago. More
on Bird In Hand Yo-Yos in a future edition.
Yo-Yo Catalogs
Yo-Yo Catalogs are the original wholesale ordering
information sent to toy stores. Most were several pages
long and included pictures of a company's entire product
line for a given year. Catalogs can be a very important
reference to a collector like myself. They help to date
many of the collectibles and give a complete list of all the
items manufactured. I'm looking for more of these.
Shown here is the cover of the 1979 Festival Yo-Yo
catalog. I wanted to include an entire section on yo-yo
catalogs here, but it wasn't practical because of the size
and detail of these images.
That concludes Dave's Memorabilia Funhouse. And as
you've seen, there's a LOT more to Yo-Yo Collecting
than just Yo-Yos. There are so many other interesting
yo-yo related items to find as well.
Please contact me if you have anything for sale, either by E-Mail
, regular mail, or by phone. I'm always looking for more yo-yos and memorabilia
to add to my collection.
Click on this link if you'd like to return to the Memorabilia
Directory.
Dave's Memorabilia Funhouse, Part Two
Last Updated : February 16, 2002