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Vintage Portal Main >> Articles >> Toys
Walking the Dog - and the Pocketbook- with the Yo-Yo
Yo-yo's have been around for hundreds of years. In fact, it is actually the
second oldest toy on record. Greeks created yo-yo's out of terra cotta, and
there are depictions of yo-yo's on the walls of Egyptian pyramids.
The yo-yo has been held as a valuable tool for many individuals throughout
history. Historical figures such as Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington
all owned a yo-yo at some point in their life. It was not until hundreds of
years later that a Filipino man had created the yo-yo that we know today.
Filipino native Pedro Flores came to America in the 1920's. He was smart
enough to bring his beloved wooden yo-yo with him. Pedro worked as a
bellhop at a hotel. During his breaks, Pedro would take his yo-yo outside
with him, and would entertain the passer-bys with his creative yo-you
techniques. Pedro Flores knew that he was on to something good.
Pedro started a yo-yo company called the Flores Yo-Yo Company. In 1929,
entrepreneur Donald Duncan bought Pedro's yo-yo company, and renamed it to
the Duncan yo-yo that it is known as today. Since the purchase and creation
of the yo-yo in the United States, the Duncan company has sold more than 600
million yo-yo's to date. With its ever changing styles, Duncan continues to
be the most popular yo-yo distributor.
Collectors and yo-yo connoisseurs adore the different varieties and styles
that the yo-yo has turned into. Yo-yo enthusiasts love the tricks that can
be created with the string of the yo-yo. Yo-yo's that are from the original
creation in the US can bring in thousands of dollars. The age and condition
of the yo-yo will dictate how much the yo-yo will be worth. For collectors,
though, it is usually not the price of the yo-yo that counts. It is the
memories that are made and passed down that means the most to many yo-yo
lovers.
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