Pogo Stick
1990s (manufactured)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
There are two versions of the history of the pogo stick. One is that it was invented in Germany by Hans Meimban. The name is said to derive from the company Pohlmann & Goppel. Another altogether more romantic story is that of the American, George Hansburg. On his travels in Burma he is reputed to have come across a farmer's daughter who was very devout. She wanted to go to the temple every day but had no shoes and the journey was long, rocky and muddy. The farmer made her a jumping stick so she could bounce her way to pray. The girl's name was Pogo. When Hansburg returned home he made his own version of this jumping stick and added a spring. This was the Pogo Stick that he patented in 1919 and it was taken up by one of the major American department stores of the time, Gimbel Brothers.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Extruded and painted metal, steel spring, with moulded plastic and rubber |
| Brief description | Metal and rubber pogo stick made in England by TP Activity Toys in the 1990s |
| Physical description | A long metal pole the shaft of which is painted blue. There is a stepping platform of metal with rubber coverings where the feet are placed. This is riveted to the shaft. Beneath this the shaft has an outer spring covering. The base is metal with a rubber end. The metal parts are silver coloured and the rubber is black. At the top of the shaft is a black plastic covering. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Mass produced |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'MADE IN ENGLAND / CE / EN71 / tp / Tel 0299827728 / T P ACTIVITY TOYS' (Printed on a circular sticker on the shaft) |
| Credit line | Given by Rebecca Howell |
| Summary | There are two versions of the history of the pogo stick. One is that it was invented in Germany by Hans Meimban. The name is said to derive from the company Pohlmann & Goppel. Another altogether more romantic story is that of the American, George Hansburg. On his travels in Burma he is reputed to have come across a farmer's daughter who was very devout. She wanted to go to the temple every day but had no shoes and the journey was long, rocky and muddy. The farmer made her a jumping stick so she could bounce her way to pray. The girl's name was Pogo. When Hansburg returned home he made his own version of this jumping stick and added a spring. This was the Pogo Stick that he patented in 1919 and it was taken up by one of the major American department stores of the time, Gimbel Brothers. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | B.24-2004 |
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| Record created | April 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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