Yo-Yo thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at Young V&A
Play Gallery, Sound it Out, case 17

Yo-Yo

1978 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Metal muppet show yo-yo with white string with a finger loop. One side of the yo-yo is yellow with a picture of the character Kermit the Frog in the middle of the 'O' of 'The Muppet Show Yoyo' title. The other side is blue with orange and red lines outlining the image the two characters, Statler and Waldorf.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pressed metal, printed, string
Brief description
Yo-yo depicting characters from the Muppet Show, metal, Henson Associates Inc., USA, 1978
Physical description
Metal muppet show yo-yo with white string with a finger loop. One side of the yo-yo is yellow with a picture of the character Kermit the Frog in the middle of the 'O' of 'The Muppet Show Yoyo' title. The other side is blue with orange and red lines outlining the image the two characters, Statler and Waldorf.
Dimensions
  • Whole object circumference: 190mm
  • Diameter: 60mm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'The / MUPPET / SHOW/ yoyo' (Printed in the centre of the yellow side)
  • 'Kermit the Frog © Henson Associates Inc 1956, 1978' (Printed on yellow side at the top)
  • 'Yo-Yo is a registered trade mark of Lumar Limited' (Printed on the yellow side, at the bottom)
  • 'STATLER & WALDORF' (Printed below the image of Statler and Waldorf)
  • '© Ha! 1976, 1978' (Printedon the blue side, at the bottom)
Gallery label
Group of yo-yos, 1950-1990 The yo-yo is said to have originated in ancient China and is shown on Greek pots around 500 BC. In England from 1700-1800. It is also called 'quiz' or 'bandalore'. (2006)
Credit line
Given by Mrs. J. Woledge
Object history
Given to the museum by Mrs. J. Woledge [88/1459]. On entry to the museum it was noted that the condition was 'good, although the string has a knot in it.'
Historical context
The yo-yo has been used as a toy, weapon and stress reliever. The toy yo-yo has been around for thousands years. Yo-yos were used a wepaons in the Philippines during the 1500s. Hunters would set in trees and attack animals using a rock on the end of a string. This weapon could be used over and over gain. The rock developed into a carved piece of wood and yo-yoing became the national pastime. In Europe in the 1700s, particularly in France and England, yo-yoing became popular among the aristocracy as a game, but also as a way of keeeping calm and relaxed.
Subjects depicted
Collection
Accession number
MISC.60-1991

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Record createdJuly 1, 2009
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