Summary

Simple wooden toy which forms part of the Australian Children's Folklore Collection (ACFC).

The ACFC is unique in Australia, documenting contemporary children's folklore across Australia and in other countries reaching back to the 1870s. The Collection has a strong component of research material relating to Victoria.
This object was part of a group of items, originally from the National Trust of Australia, which arrived at the Museum with the ACFC.

Diabolo was and is, a popular game among Chinese jugglers. It was introduced to English society in the late eighteenth century by Lord Macartney, the ambassador to China. The game was particularly popular in France in the early 1800s, where an improved version of the game was named 'diabolo'. It is related to yo-yo's and has similar cycles of popularity or 'crazes' among school children.

Physical Description

Wooden device resembling an hourglass; like two cones joined at their tips. Consists of two flat-bottomed round bases tapering towards a slim waist in the middle.

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