A selection of humorous postcards with cartoons inspired by the then popular Diabolo craze. Apart from the cards below, the prolific postcard artist Tom Browne produced a number of cards on the same theme.
The diabolo initially spread from China to Europe in the early years of the 19th century. The toy's popularity waxed and waned throughout the 19th century. The fad was revived in America in the latter years of the 19th century and spread again to Europe in the 1900s. In 1906, a Frenchman, Gustave Philippart, invented a diabolo made of metal and rubber cut out from old tires. Its enormous popularity invaded France and Great Britain, but during WW1 its popularity declined.
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