More updates at The Museum of Yo-Yo History, yoyomuseum.com. Lot’s of great historical stuff there.
While going thru boxes and boxes, taking and posting endless pictures, the question came to me … Why Collect Yo-Yos ? I know why I started, and why I keep wasting time posting them online. Most of you don’t go there, don’t care about anything older than 2006. I’ll share my answer after some of your responses. See if anyone agrees with me.
David Hall
Master Curator, The Museum of Yo-Yo History
Owner of Dave’s Skill Toys ( 1994 to 2008) yoyodave.com ( since 1990 )
Obsessive Collector since 1984
i regularly visit the site, and have. i love the history, i like trying new things. i love how something that is traditionally so simple, can be so vastly different between generations, years, brands and models.
i enjoy that it brings generations, people of all different walks of life and cultures, together, over something that is again - traditionally and fundamentally so simple - just like music. like a simple drum beat, the simple up and down metronome of the yo.
Cuz I want to try them all, but have no place from which to borrow them. Consequently, I have to buy them instead. Many of them end up staying in my collection only because I am too lazy to put the ones I don’t want anymore up on a BST.
First of all, I love to throw. I’m not expert, but I know enough to get a lot of personal enjoyment and I always enjoy picking up new tricks and elements.
I get meditative benefit from throwing, so it actually adds to my spiritual journey.
The yoyo itself is such an attractive item to me - a very simple little machine that I feel comfortable maintaining every part. So I love that aspect of them.
Finally, the modern yoyo is absolutely an art object. Beautiful cuts and curves, colors and finishes. I love to collect and display them much like others may enjoy collecting and displaying spoons or figurines or more classic works of art. They add beauty to my home. Of course, this requires they be out and on display! I love to look at my yoyos and yoyo related art.
I started collecting with one single purpose in mind: get at least one yo-yo from every company ever made, if possible the most popular model. That goal quickly changed as soon as my collection started to become a little bit larger. I began collecting titaniums because I found the properties of that particular metal fascinating. I started going after specific colorways that seemed more pleasing to the eye. At the same time, I felt the need to try different shapes, sizes, and materials to see how each would affect play. I’ve bought wood yo-yos, steel yo-yos, delrin yo-yos, ultra wide, slim, new, old, and everything else I could find.
I’ve done all this and will continue to do so, because I’ve realized that I love every single thing about them–the way they look, that nostalgic feeling they bring every time I throw one down, a feeling which takes me several years back (years more simple and pure), the joy I feel after learning something new, all of it.
There are many things that people choose to collect. Most of those things sit in a case and rarely see the light of day. I’ve found yo-yos to be the most fun out of them all. You can always carry one with you, and it will always bring a smile to your face.
I think collecting is just something that humans (and other animals like dogs and some birds) just do, pretty much for the sake of it. I can definitely give justifications/rationalizations like owning a piece of yoyo history or being a fan of such-and-such’s design/ano work, but ultimately it’s something I do because it makes me feel good.
It is. But I’ve realized that it will probably never happen. Several companies were created in the past that most people don’t even know existed. I keep discovering new ones as I look for older stuff, and there seems to be no end to them. The yo-yos these companies made are now forgotten. The people who own them have, in many cases, stopped collecting or throwing. It’s nearly impossible to find them. I’ll admit, however, that I truly enjoy the hunt.
I collect yoyos because that makes me happy. I’ve always been more comfortable owning more of an object than I can use in a reasonable amount of time. I had a legendary CD and DVD collection growing up and, when I have an over abundance of a certain thing, it puts me in a position where I can share the experience of that thing with friends and anyone who’s curious enough.
I also have a background in photography. With the yoyo collection that I have, I can rest assured that I’ll never run out of subjects to photograph.
Great question and it makes me very pleased just how unique and personal all the responses are. And that, to me, is the essence of the hobby! It is whatever you want it to be! There are unlimited reasons why the Yo-Yo and the hobby itself are so powerful IMO. It is personal to me because of the all encompassing nature of the hobby. It can help relax you, energize you, focus you, and even confuse you, but I love the ever increasing evolution of the throws. I have always been into Art and Science, and I feel Yo-Yo’s are the perfect medium to express that. They truly are kinetic art. Physics, metallurgy, tribology, plus the other sciences and technology that goes into actually manufacturing the throws from scratch are truly impressive when you step back and think of how far it has come. The “Toy” itself looks so simple and dated until you know what we know and how intricate these “Toys” are. Furthermore, the design aspect allows for manufactures to have fun with paint, finishes, and designs to express their brand or personality, which is always a fun branch of the hobby IMO. It is a hobby that is timeless but forever evolving with the science and technology around it. It is fueled by great manufacturers and hobbyists. It is as simple or as intricate as you want it to be. You can compete in tourneys or just throw one by yourself in a room somewhere. Make it yours and personal to you. It is for anyone!
I collect because yoyos to me are something fun to do and I love all the colors, designs, materials, and fiddly parts you can mess with on a yoyo. Plus, you have so many to choose from now that a person is not restricted to only one or two choices. It is also something that can be shared with others. One perk I’ve seen is that the hobby itself is still quite affordable to start out with and that it does not have to break the bank for something nicer thanks to all the technological advances in yoyo design and manufacturing.
