Jumping jack (toy)

Jumping jack (toy)

The jumping-jack is a toy whose origins date back thousands of years. The jointed jumping-jack figure is a cross between a puppet and a paper doll. The figures are generally made from wood. Their limbs are jointed and tied to a pull string. When the string is pulled and released, the arms and legs move up and down.

These popular toys still hold a fascination for children and collectors alike.

History

Although the jumping-jack is popularly thought of as a European toy, ivory dancer figures made to spin by pulling their strings, which were found at the archaeological site El Lisht and date back to ancient Egyptian times, are considered to be among the earliest forms of this family of mechanical toys. In the mid-1700 CE, jumping-jack figures know as “"pantins"” were popular among the French nobility. 1832 the "Hampelmann" was created by Carl Malss as a figure for the burlesque at Frankfurt. Later the jumping-jack toy became known as "Hampelmann" in German-speaking countries ["Dtv-lexikon", Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag Munich 1971, vol. 8, p.169] and were being made in the Erzgebirge mountain range in Germany.

References

* [http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/games.htm Ancient Egyptian games: Children's games, toys, board games]
* [http://www.opdag.com/History.html History of Paper Dolls; Copyright 1999 Judy M. Johnson]
* [http://www.saxongifts.com/Erzgebirge_History_s/19.htm Saxon Gifts]

Footnotes

External links


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Jumping jack (disambiguation) — Jumping jack may refer to: * Jumping Jack, a physical exercise * Jumping jack (toy), a toy with an attached string * Jumping Jack (game), a computer game * Jumping jack, a type of trench compactor * Jumping Jack fireworks, a firecracker which… …   Wikipedia

  • Jumping jack — Jump ing jack 1. A toy figure of a man, jointed and made to jump or dance by means of strings or sticks attached to it. [1913 Webster] 2. A calisthenic exercise in which a person starts in a standing position with both feet together and with the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • jumping jack — n. 1. a child s toy consisting of a little jointed figure made to jump or dance by pulling a string or pushing an attached stick 2. a form of exercise in which one jumps from a standing position, with the feet together and the arms at the sides,… …   English World dictionary

  • jumping Jack — toy consisting of a jointed figure that is made to move and jump by pulling a string …   English contemporary dictionary

  • jumping jack — noun Date: 1883 1. a toy figure of a man jointed and made to jump or dance by means of strings or a sliding stick 2. a conditioning exercise performed from a standing position by jumping to a position with legs spread and arms raised and then to… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • jumping jack — 1. a toy consisting of a jointed figure that is made to jump, move, or dance by pulling a string or stick attached to it. 2. a conditioning exercise performed by starting from a standing position with legs together and arms resting at the sides… …   Universalium

  • jumping-jack — noun A toy figure with jointed limbs that can be made to dance by pulling an attached string. In the beheaded frog the legs twitch as fatally when we touch the skin with acid as do a jumping jacks when we pull the string …   Wiktionary

  • jumping jack — /ˈdʒʌmpɪŋ dʒæk/ (say jumping jak) noun 1. a toy consisting of a jointed figure of a person which is made to jump, or go through various contortions, as by pulling a string attached to its limbs. 2. a small firework comprising a number of small… …  

  • jumping jack — n. 1 a small firework producing repeated explosions. 2 a toy figure of a man, with movable limbs. * * * noun, pl ⋯ jacks [count] US : an exercise in which a standing person jumps to a position with the legs and arms spread out and then jumps back …   Useful english dictionary

  • jumping jack — jump′ing jack n. 1) a toy consisting of a jointed figure that is made to jump, move, or dance by pulling a string or stick attached to it 2) spo an exercise in which one starts from a standing position with legs together and arms at the sides,… …   From formal English to slang

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