Dave's Incredible Yo-Yo Gallery

Let's begin our tour with several very collectible yo-yos from Duncan. To a collector, there are actually two companies that owned the name "Duncan", the old Duncan and the new. The original company started in the early 30's, when Donald Duncan Sr. bought out the Flores Yo-Yo Company, along with the idea for the toy and the trademark for the word "Yo-Yo". All wooden and tin Duncan yo-yos were made by this company. But many plastic models were also produced just prior to the company going out of business. The old Duncan Yo-Yo Company went bankrupt in the mid 60's. The Flambeau Plastic Company bought the name "Duncan" and all of the company's trademarks and began producing their line of all plastic yo-yos soon after. Most collectors focus on collectibles from the old Duncan company. But Flambeau plastics also produced many interesting and collectible "Duncan" yo-yos.

Duncan Litening Yo-Yo

This yo-yo is highly sought after by collectors and is high
up on my want list. I'm looking for all the different colors.
This model was produced by the old Duncan company
about 1956 or 1957. It is a one piece wooden yo-yo with
a special paint job ... an undercoat of paint shows through
a top coat that dried leaving irregular "lightning" looking
lines throughout the finish. The logo is a simple paper
sticker. If the story I've heard is true, this model was
created to match the special paint job. Click on the image
to get a better look.
 

Duncan Tin Rainbo

This is one of the very early model made by the old
Duncan company. If you click on the picture and look
at the closeup, you can see the patent information ...
"Pat. June 12 - 34." This is an all tin yo-yo, with one
very unique feature. The windows you see on the sides
look in at a colored tin disk, which is free to spin in
each half, independent of the yo-yo. The result ...
the colored patterns spin freely in the windows as you
play with it !!! Later in Duncan's history, there were
both wooden and plastic Duncan "Rainbows"
(spelled with a "w" this time). I'm looking for all of the
Rainbo/Rainbow models from Duncan.
 

Duncan Space Needle Seattlite

Here I decided to show a side view because the shape
of this yo-yo is it's most unique feature. I believe this was
the only model made in this configuration. Each half is
shaped like the top of the Space Needle in Seattle, WA.
It is a one piece wooden yo-yo with a two-tone paint job
and an impressed golden logo. The yo-yo was made
especially for the Seattle World's Fair in 1962. It was
sold at the fair and at the Space Needle for several years
after. Click on the photo for a better look, and for a look
at each side of this very unusual model . I want one !!!
 

Duncan Tin Whistling Yo-Yos

The old Duncan company sold many different whistling
tin yo-yos. These varied in size and had many different
designs on them. Many patterns were very colorful like
the one pictured here, with very detailed logos. Others
were simple one color models with an ink stamped logo.
All of them had one thing in common ... a tin outer shell
with two to four quarter inch holes on the outside edge
of each half. As the yo-yo spins, air is drawn through
these holes, creating a whistling or humming sound.
Each half usually had a different number of holes. This
was clever because each half would make different
sounds at different speeds. I want more tin whistlers.
 

O-Boy Duncan Whistling Yo-Yo

Mr. Yo-Yo, the Duncan yo-yo man, says, "If you have
any of these yo-yos for sale or for trade, or any similar
ones, E-mail Dave right away !!! If you prefer to call or
write, you'll find Dave's address and phone number at the
bottom of this page, and on the main page."
 

Cheerio Big Chief Beginner Yo-Yo

Don't Miss the Cheerio Glitterspin in Part Two of the Yo-Yo Gallery !!!

Goody Filipino Twirlers

Don't Miss the Goody Rainbow in Part Two of the Yo-Yo Gallery !!!

Goody Joy-O-Toy

Flores Yo-Yo

This is the yo-yo that started it all. Pedro Flores started
this company in the mid 20's and trademarked the toy in
1929. This was the first model to use the word "Yo-Yo"
and to carry a logo. It is a small, painted wooden model
with a very narrow string groove. It's difficult to find one
with a good stamp like the one pictured. There were at
least two different logos as well. This model predates
Duncan. Donald Duncan Sr. bought out Flores Yo-Yos,
and began putting out his models in 1930. This brand
was resurrected in the late 50's by a Joe Radovan, the
owner of Royal and Chico Yo-Yos. These 50's versions
usually say "Original" on them and show a trademark by
the word "Yo-Yo". I'm looking for all of these models.
 

Royal Official Tournament Yo-Yo

The Royal Tops Manufacturing Company was started in
the early 40's by Joe Radovan, a former demonstrator
for Duncan. Royal continued to sell yo-yos through the
late 70's. Royal started with a basic wooden line similar
to Duncans and then branched out in all directions. Some
of the more interesting items include plastic yo-yos with
wooden axles and plastic whistling yo-yos. The one
shown here is probably from about 1960. It is a one
piece wooden yo-yo, with an impressed gold foil logo.
This is one of my favorite color combinations, red with
a black stripe ... Beautiful !!!
 

Royal Musical Yo-Yo Top

This is one of my favorite Royal yo-yos. It's mint on the
original card !!! This one is a plastic model with a metal
axle. In the opaque white plastic are swirls of blue,
making the surface look like marble. The label is a gold
metallic sticker that reads "Royal Musical Yo-Yo Tops."
On the rim of each outer shell, are two quarter inch holes.
Once again, these holes make the yo-yo hum or whistle
as air rushes through them as it spins. I wish I could get
it out of the package and throw it a few times !!! It was
made in 1955 and is the only plastic whistling yo-yo. I'm
always looking for more Royal Yo-Yos !!!
 

Chico Super Tournament Top

Chico Tops was another yo-yo company owned by
Joe Radovan. Royal was his most popular brand and
he focused his attention there. This is obvious given the
many diverse products put out under the Royal name.
Chicos are not as common. I only know of six different
Chico models. And of these, each is almost identical to
a Royal model. Usually, the only difference is the Chico
name. The one shown here is from around 1960. It is a
one piece wooden yo-yo with a decal for a logo.

Musical Ka-Yo

Here's another tin whistling yo-yo, but not from Duncan.
The Cayo Manufacturing Company produced this model.
I think it dates back to the 30's. My list of trademarks
doesn't show this one ... did they forget to register it ???
I've wondered if this was the original tin whistler and
Duncan got the idea (and the patent) from Cayo. It is a
typical tin whistler, but on the large side. I know of two
other models from Ka-Yo / Cayo ... they either say
"Musical" or "Whistling" Kayo. I'm looking for all three!!
 

Medalist Trickmaster Yo-Yo

The Medalist yo-yos were a short-lived but interesting
line. After the old Duncan company went bankrupt in
the mid 60's, Strombecker Toys bought the equipment
from Duncan but not the rights to the Duncan name.
The yo-yos were well made, but without the name, they
were not very successful. There were three models. The
Trickmaster, shown here, is a one piece wooden yo-yo
with a silver foil imprinted logo. Medalist also made a
beginners model, the Cadet, and a plastic model, the
Trophy. I'd like to find more Medalist Yo-Yos !!!
 

It's time to take a look at some more of the Yo-Yos from Duncan. Duncan has always been the major company when it comes to yo-yos. Look in any store that carries toys, and you'll probably find one. Look at any yo-yo collection, and Duncan will be well represented.

Duncan Mardi Gras Yo-Yo

These are gorgeous yo-yos, and it's almost impossible
to find two that are just alike. The Mardi Gras was made
in the early 60's by the old Duncan company. It is a solid
plastic yo-yo with a metal axle and imprinted logo, but
with a twist !!! Embedded in the clear plastic are chunks
of colored plastic, pieces of tinsel, and glitter. When
combined, they make the yo-yo look like marble. They
come in all colors. It's very difficult to find one with a
perfect logo like the one pictured. I'd like to find one
mint on the card with a perfect logo. Dream on, huh !?!
 

Duncan Disney's Wonderful World of Color Yo-Yo

The Wonderful World of Color Yo-Yo is one of my
favorite models from Duncan. These were made around
1962 and were very beautiful yo-yos. There were two
shapes, a standard model and a butterfly. Both had
concave sides with gold foil logos on both sides. One
side had a Disney logo, the other a Duncan logo. To see
the different shapes and logos, click on the picture. The
standard model, shown here, was made with multicolor
foil stars inside either red, green, or clear plastic. The
butterfly style had chunks of colored plastic, tinsel, and
glitter embedded in clear plastic. I'd like to find all the
different color combinations of this model.
 

Duncan Imperial Junior Yo-Yo

This model was one of the early plastic yo-yos made by
the old Duncan Company in the early 60's. The logo is a
printed card that was placed inside the yo-yo, between
the inner and outer clear plastic shells. It is also smaller
than most yo-yos from Duncan. The Imperial Junior
pattern shown in the picture was used in several other
models, including the Mickey Mouse Club yo-yos and
the Duncan Colorama. I'm looking for all of them.
 

Duncan Super Yo-Yo Tournament Tops

The Duncan Super is one of the more common models
from the 50's. It is a painted one piece wooden yo-yo
with an imprinted logo. These came in many different
color combinations and with two different logos. Many
of these were very beautiful yo-yos, like the one shown
here. And there is big news about this model.

Click here for the latest information and picture of the New 1996 Duncan Super. Select the Guide to Duncan Super Yo-Yos for information on how to tell the two older models from the new ones. Included are images of both older models, the new one, and a bonus 50's vintage jeweled version !!!

Duncan "Crossed Flag" Jeweled Tournament Yo-Yo

Duncan "Crossed Flag" Tournaments are one of the
more common wooden yo-yos from Duncan. These one
piece wooden models were made in the early 60's and
came in a wide variety of color combinations. The one
shown here is a little harder to find, because it is also
jeweled. Each side has 4 rhinestones inlaid across the
face. This is one of my favorite yo-yos ... the picture
doesn't do it justice. It's a gorgeous yo-yo in super mint
condition. And I love white yo-yos with colored stripes.
Actually, I think all of the striped ones are awesome.

Part Two of Dave's Incredible Yo-Yo Gallery !!!

Please contact me if you have anything for sale, either by E-mail , regular mail, or by phone. I'm always looking for more yo-yos and memorabilia to add to my collection.

This page was created by :
 
David W. Hall, "The Yo-Yo Collector"
E-mail : whistler42@swcp.com