Spinning top
B.R. Gebr Muster
Category
Toys
Date
Unknown
Materials
Metal, wood, card, paper and string
Measurements
Each top - 75 mm (height); 50 mm (diameter), Curtain ring and eye - 95 mm (diameter)
Place of origin
Germany
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 668321
Summary
A homemade round box with a lid, containing spinning tops. The box is made of card and is covered with heavily soiled cream wallpaper with an orange, brown and yellow floral pattern. The lower half is divided into quarters with card strips. Three of these hold a spherical spinning top, each with a metallic red coloured lower half. The square finger and thumb holding carries a spindle to which the drive string was attached. Two square holes just above the diameter probably generate noise on spinning. The fourth compartment holds a wooden curtain ring, with a metal curtain eyelet. The inside of the box lid has a printed paper picture of a cock Blackbird pasted on it. The top outer surface of the lid has a square pattern label inside of which is the inscription, partially cut out, in black hand written Indian Ink reading 'Games of Tops. for 1, 2 or 3 Players'. Above the script there are two cut out printed paper pictures of Bullfinches in flight. Total number of items is 6.
Marks and inscriptions
On the lid: 'Games of Tops/ for 1, 2 or 3 Players' 'B.R. GEBR/ MUSTER/ ENG PATENT/ PATS UNIT ST. OF AMER' 'GERMANY/ LOGO/ MADE IN'
Makers and roles
B.R. Gebr Muster, maker