AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ARTICLES AND BOOKS PERTAINING TO JAPANESE SPINNING TOPS. Brian Lemin
Griffiths W.E. Games and Sports of Japanese Children. Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan. Vol. 2. 1874. Pp 140-158.
The article is virtually useless regarding information about tops. For general information relating to the title it is an interesting account. I think that there are three references to tops, which add every little to our knowledge.
Sonoki Kyoshi and Sakanoto Kazua. Japanese Toys. Rutland VI. Tuttle 1965.
Excellent pictures but sparse text. None-the-less a very useful book. Covers about 8 or 9 tops from various districts of Japan. Worth having despite the limited coverage. The rest of the book is most interesting.
Ayrton M. Chaplin. Childlife in Japan. NY. DC. Heath 1901.
Not been able to track down a copy of this book. Sorry.
Griffiths William Elliot. Mikado Empire. NH. Harper Press. 1900.
Not seen, but I venture to doubt its value as Gould links it to the 1874 article by the same author (see above)
Hall Katherine S. Children at Play in Marylands. NY. Missouri Education Movement of the Us and Canada. 1912.
Not seen. It seems strange that Gould should refer this publication to Japanese tops????
Jackson Emily. Toys of Other Days. Laden Country Life. 1908
Not seen
I have found that you can pick up bits and pieces from encyclopaedias and other reference books.
If all goes well (promises promises!) I will synthesise what I have got from the above references in an article for the web. My main problem at the moment is getting a few critical references translated.
I have found that the Australian Japan Foundation has been most helpful. If you are particularly interested in this topic you might try your national Japan Foundation library. I know that there are a few books published in Japanese on the topic, but it is of little use to me even if I had their ISBN as I do not read or speak Japanese.
AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRPHY OF BOOKS AND ARTICLES RELATING TO SOUTH PACIFIC SPINNING TOPS. (Probably best described as anthropological in their orientation)
Brian Lemin
Read C. H. Stone Spinning Tops from the Torres Straits. New Guinea. Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 17. 1887. Pp85-90. With one plate.
The plate comprises scale drawings of or from six tops. Very clear and a useful plate.
The article contains a detailed description of Tops and the Games and Ceremonies surround the tops. Very good article.
Ethridge R. Jnr. The Game of Teetotum as Practised by certain of the Queensland Aborigines. Journal of the Anthropological Society of GB and Ireland. Vol. 25. 1896. Pp259-262.
Useful plate comprising three tops made from seedpods and bored so that they hum. Useful illustration.
The article describes the tops in detail and the game that they played with them. From a modern point of view the term "teetotum:" would be a misnomer as applied to these games. What I got from th4 article was that they just "spun the tops" no "put or take" or related activities. Quite a good article tho8ugh.
Best Eldon. Mario Games. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute. Vol. 34. 1901. Pp55-58.A good article, which describes the various tops, used by the Maori people. No pictures.
Holmes J. H. Introductory notes on Toys and Games of Elema. Papuan Gulf. J of the Anth Inst of GB and Ireland. Vol. 38. 1908
A brief description of a seed top. Limited value.
Barton F.R. Childrens Games in British New Guinea. J of the Anth Inst of GB and Ireland. Vol. 38. 1908 p 278.
A paragraph on a buzzer. Very limited value.
Report on the work of the Horne Scientific Expedition to Central Australia. Pt. IV Anthropology. London. Dalau. 1896. (Sterling E.C.) p 86.
One small reference to tops. It does refer to another group of Aborigines who do spin tops. Very limited value.
MacFarlane Wm. H. The Stone Spinner of Murray Island. Cummins and Cambells Monthly Magazine. Jan. 1949. Pp 19 to 25.
This author wrote a very similar article in Walkabout" in 1937 (Jan 1st) This article is the best of the two and is really quite interesting and reasonable value.
Report of the University of Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to the Torres Strait. Vol. 4. Pp314-317 and Vol. 6. Pp12-15.
These are most interesting and detailed articles. They expand on the myths surrounding the decoration of the tops. A most valuable article. See my web page article that summarises this.
Read A.H. and A. W. An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Maori Life. Wellington NZ. AH and AW Read 1963. Good pictures but sparse text. Reasonably useful.
There are a few articles that I am still searching for. There is also quite a bit of work for me to summarise for the web page. But I hope I will get it done sometime.
Just one thing. It looks as thought some of the Islands on the Torres Straits are still spinning. But I have to confirm this.
A book to add to the general bibliography.
Grunfeld V. Frederic (Ed) Games of the World Ballantine Books. NY 1975.
A most interesting book over all. Re tops-it tells you how to make two Japanese tops.
