Spinning tops are a category all their own, and many have been incorporated into games. Probably the earliest top games (not counting top-spinning competitions as a game, per se) were skittles.
King’s Guards, skittles, mini folding set, 14 x 9 x 4 inches, maker unknown
Skittles, ca. 1900
Front Porch skittles; 2000s, Front Porch Classics
Many variations of top games consisted of a convex bowl in which spinning tops would gravitate toward the center, knocking into other tops. The game of Battling Tops became a classic.
If you would like to have your story of tops or top games here, write us at games at the big game hunter dot com (turning that into a real email address).
Brownie Kick-in Top, 1920s, M.H. Miller, Jeannette, PA
String-directed top game, 2000s, Pin International
Put & Take game top
Don Olney and his spinning tops
The spinning tops in the seven pictures below are from the American Association of Woodturners 2002 exhibit in Rhode Island. (The first five and the one of Don above were taken by Bruce Whitehill.)
Spinning tops exhibition
Tops by Christopher Weiland; photo by Don Olney
Spinning-top-looking gas station outside 2002 convention hotel for AAW, Rhode Island; photo by Don Olney
For more photos of spinning tops from the collection of Don Olney, click on top photos.
Spinning Top and Yo-Yo Museum
533 Milwaukee Avenue, Burlington, WI
Tel. (262) 763-3946
www.topmuseum.org
Tops, singing tops, a top that spins for up to 7 days (!),
gyroscopes, diabolos,
plus
brainteasers, physics fun, gizzzmos, classic toys, science things,
collectibles, brain twisters, toys from the past, yo-yos,
puzzle books, illusion items, skill toys, Japanese folk toys,
and other creative things
Top Museum catalog #1
Top Museum catalog #2
