Put and Take: MAIN page

Terminology: Put & Take spinner, 2nd and 4th pictures, is one solid piece with put and take commands on the sides. Bi-level spinner, 3rd picture, has two moving levels.

Table of Contents -- links to the sections below and to other web pages
1. Introduction and history
2. Put & Takes -- English language vintage Put & Takes (***link to another page***)
3. Put & Takes -- Non-English language vintage Put & Takes (***link to another page***)
4. Bi-level spinners (Put & Takes and non-Put & Takes) -- all types, all languages
5. Gaffed put and takes
6. Modern and modern-looking put and takes
7. Large and small boxed Games, Cards, etc. -- put and take-related
8. Dice, faceted balls (vintage, not sterling) -- put and take-related
9. Punch Boards -- put and take-related
10. Records and Sheet Music -- put and take-related
11. Miscellaneous vintage spinners -- non-put and takes, and non-bi-level tops
12. Different finials (handles) .
** Sales list web page (put & takes and other spinning tops for sale)
** some dice pages on my web site: poker dice, jumbo dice, and other dice.

1. Introduction and history

What is a Put & Take? Basic Rules and Spinners

Players ante into a pot and take turns spinning the top. Any number of players may play. If the top lands with T1 showing (or "take one"), T2 or T3, the player who spun it would win (take) 1, 2 or 3 chips, respectively, from the pot. If it landed with the star or “Take All” showing, he would take all the chips from the pot. If it landed P1 (or "put one"), P2 or P3, he would lose (put) 1, 2 or 3 of his chips, respectively, into the pot. If it landed "0" or “Put All” or “All Put,” each player would contribute one chip to the pot. The top would pass to the next player after each spin. (There are many rule variations. For example, "Put All" could mean that the spinner matches the pot!) ..... ... Put & Takes were usually about 1-1/8" long and made of brass, like the three tops shown below.

6-sided tops, like the one at the left, are much more common than 8-sided ones. The commands on the six sides are usually in words. And to read the words, you hold the top sideways. The commands are usually: take all, all put, take two, put one, take one, and put two.

8-sided tops, like the two typical ones on the left, have smaller sides than the 6-sided ones so the commands are in single letters, numerals, and symbols such as stars (*) and zeros (0). To read them, you hold the top upright.

The one on the far left has these outcomes on the 8 sides: * (star means take all), T3, P1, T2, 0 (zero means all put), P3, T1, and P4.

The one on the near left has these sides: TA (take all), P3, T2, P1, AP (all put), T3, P2, T1.

Origins and brief history. Put and Take is one of many forms of Teetotums (any gaming spinning top). The Teetotums were known in ancient Greece, and the Dreidel (put and take instructions on the four-sided spinner) was developed in 16th century Germany. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica article on teetotums, "the hexagonal (six-sided) teetotum was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans." The earliest teetotums were used as a substitute for dice, especially useful in board games. Put & Take tops, like the standard brass one pictured just above, originated in America and were very popular from the early 20th century to about the 1940’s. They could be carried in ones pocket and used anytime in a bar, army barracks or other gathering place for an impromptu gambling session. Each player would contribute chips, coins or currency to a pot. (Origins timeline here.) One dictionary gives 1920-25 as the period for the origin of the term "put and take." An Australian gambling-related web site says, "the Western world’s game of put-and-take [is] rarely encountered since the 1930s. ... I suspect that the reason for the ... disappearance ... from the English and American gambling scene is that too many loaded tops were being used. In other words, there was a great deal too much putting by novices and taking by cheats." So the heyday of Put and Takes was the 1920s and 30s. There is the 1921 silent movie "Put and Take", a 1921 "Put and Take" Broadway show and song, at least five American patents regarding Put and Take taken out between 1920 and 1940, and even a 1929 "Put and Take" jazz swing composition. (Today, there is a casino game "Put and Take" that uses playing cards instead of a spinner!; here and here too. Today, there are also grifters hustling people with crooked Put & Take dice, as reported here. And of course, there are virtual Put & Take aps where you can design your own game; here too. Now-a-days there are too many manifestations of Put & Takes games and rules to mention on this page, which is dedicated to vintage items.)

Links to history of teetotums and Put & Takes. Here are some informative links on the subject of Put and Takes:
¶ Wikipedia Teetotum article . It gives the Latin abbreviations on the sides of teetotums.
¶ Waterloo Univ. ELLIOTT AVEDON VIRTUAL MUSEUM OF GAMES: Dreidel - Put & Take - Teetotum .
¶ Game: TEETOTUM -- (Detail from Brueghel's Painting) .
¶ The Chanukah Dreidel (Dreidle) . Here too for dreidel information. And here.

Links to other Put & Take collections:
¶ Marianne Jager .
¶ ARJAN VERWEIJ: click here, here, and here.
¶ Maxim . Also here.
¶ Justin Michell
¶ Kevin Cook

YouTube videos about Put & Takes and other spinning tops:
¶ fine 7.5 minute video showing wide variety of tops and spinners, even a few Put & Takes.
¶ cheating/hustling with Put & Take dice.
¶ app for iPhone/iPod to put your own sides/commands on a digital spinner, thus making your own game.
¶ 3-year-old boy playing with a spinning top.
¶ short video of a bi-level Crown & Anchor spinner in action.
¶ jazz-swing music: 1929 "Put and Take" composition performed by Joe Venuti's Blue Four.
¶ 15 second video -- Self-made teetotum for kids; neat toy spinner.
¶ showing hand machining of modern tops.

Rules of Play. Players ante into a pot and take turns spinning the top. If it landed T1, T2 or T3, the player who spun it would win (take) 1, 2 or 3 chips, respectively, from the pot. If it landed with the star or “Take All” showing, he would take all the chips from the pot.

If it landed P1, P2 or P3, he would lose (put) 1, 2 or 3 of his chips, respectively, into the pot. If it landed "0" or “Put All” or “All Put,” he would have to match the pot (the rule given in John Scarne's "Scarne on Dice.") or lose all his chips or each player would have to contribute to the pot, depending on the rules. I have one set of rules where a land on "0" would mean just that the top passes to the next person. By far, the most common rule is for all the players to add one chip to the pot if "O", "All Put," etc. lands face up.

Source of pictures of spinners for this page. In the pictures below are some of the over 100 Put and Takes in my collection, plus some horse racing and dice tops. Also included are many put and takes that I do not own, pictures taken from eBay listings.

Make your own Put & Take out of cardboard. Look here, here and here, from a site about Spanish language put and takes.

You can improve/restore the spinning ability of tops. Look here

1921 New York Times news story of Women's Christian Temperance Union denouncing Put and Takes by name.

1921 Illustrated London News article -- a full page picture and article entitled "PUT AND TAKE CRAZE : A SUBSITUTE FOR PITCH AND TOSS." It says there that "Put and Take ... is a new game from America"!

1921 "Ripley's Believe or Not" column on current Put & Take rage -- it had some wrong historical information, but said, "Of course you play that new game of the spinning top called Put and Take? It is the newest and latest craze to tempt our gambling instinct, and is all the rage all over the country. Well, you will be surprised to know that it is one of the very oldest games in the world." To see it, click here and here.

Pictured above are the most common type of Put and Takes. They were usually small, about an inch high, and made of brass. They can be distinguished from each other in a variety of ways, as is apparent on this page.

¶ 6-sided ones: groups (bags) "5" and "7," above, are 6-sided tops, and as such invariably have words on the sides and must be read with the top lying on its side -- the words are lined up with the stem of the put and take top (go in the same direction as/are parallel to the length of the stem) . These invariably have words (like "put two") on the sides, not short-hand "P2", "T1," etc.

¶ 8-sided ones: groups "2", "4" and "6" above are 8-sided tops, and as such invariably do not have full words on the sides, just a letter, star and/or number, and to view/read them, you must hold the top upright. I have never seen an 8-sided one with words on the sides, just T1, TA, P2, etc.... ... .... I find that the 6-sided ones are more common than the 8-sided ones.

¶ bi-level: in group "1" and "3" the tops are "bi-level." That is, there are two independently moving parts. In "1" the P's and T's are on the top level and the amounts (1, 2, 3, etc.) are on the lower level. Also in "1," some of the tops represent two dice. In group "3," generally the pay-off odds are indicated in the top level, and the name of a horse is on the bottom level; the horse-betting ones have the name of famous race horses and were copyrighted in the 1920's.

¶ serifs: in groups "4" and "5," the letters have no serifs (those short, fancy hanging lines at the ends of the letters, like the letter "T" here), while in groups "2" and "7" there are serifs.

¶ The tops in group "6" are made of sterling.

¶ The tops in "2", "4" and "6" are 8-sided. The others are 6-sided.

Things to look for in cataloging your Put & Takes:

1. material of the tops -- all metal (pewter, copper, brass, silver), all plastic, all wood, etc., or combination of materials.
2. number of sides -- 6 or 8, usually.
2a. words/letters read with the stem being upright (invariably, 8-sided put & takes) OR with the stem held horizontally (invariably, 6-sided put & takes).
3. words (eg., "take all") OR letters (eg., "TA") on the sides.
4. smooth handle/stem OR knurled/serrated handle/stem.
5. do the letters have serifs or not?
6. when you read words on the sides (almost always the six-sided ones) is the handle on the right or the left? (It is almost always on the right.)
7. solid put & takes, OR bi-level ones (very rare -- see tops #7 and #8 in the large table below).
8. are the words/letters printed, engraved, or embossed (rare)?
9. the particular words/letters on the sides and the order they are in.
10. any name on the spinner (advertising name or maker's name)?

These are other miscellaneous metal Put and Takes. A number of them are sterling. Note the different sizes. One near the upper left is a pin. The dark one near the upper right is a cube-shaped metal Put and Take. Just below it is a 4-sided top. The two at the lower right and lower left have internal spinning dials. The reddish one near the top has a needle and thread inside.

These Put and Takes are non-metal. About half are made of catalin; others bone, wood, celluloid and ordinary plastic. Some are bi-level. Three of them are mechanical lead pencils that are to be rolled for the Put and Take effect. Two of the tops are celluloid advertising pieces -- one touts Manbeck's Bread ("A winner everywhere"); the other says "You don't gamble when you buy Trenton Crackers." The white 4-sided one at the bottom is made of ivory. The one next to it is 4-sided wood. The red one next to it is plastic with a compartment for solid perfume.

Earliest 6-sided Put and Take I know of -- pictured above -- 18th-19th century, per auction house. I thank Marianne Jager, of the Netherlands, for the above picture of her ancient Put and Take spinner and the following informatrion. She says, "In the Netherlands 18th –19th century they made spinners from silver, like in the picture. The letters and text are old Dutch. Lengh 3.2 cm, weight 6.8 gram
"The letters on each of the 6 sides:
A - only take
B - to pay
N - nothing to take
T - take
D - double put
S – put."

She adds, "The letters on the sides are difficult to read, old fashioned Dutch," so she is giving an approximate translation. "Anyway, the letters stand for put and take, inclusive: nothing (spin again?) and double.... , like the spinners we all know. That much is for sure."

In a reference work, she found, "... about women in the beginning of the 18th century ... had little games ... . Spinning with the a-al-top was one of the games. The top has 6 letters: A (al = take all), B (bij = add?), S (set=put), T (trek= take), D (dubbel=double) and N (niet=not, nothing)."

None of this should be surprising, what with the Teetotum gambling top being known in ancient Greece and the Dreidel (put and take instructions on the four-sided spinner) being developed in 16th century Germany -- source here .

"The Put and Take Craze: A Substitute For "Pitch and Toss"
-- a page in the December 10, 1921 "Illustrated London News."

Click here to read an enlargement of the text at the bottom of that page. One of the most surprising (to me) things said there is: "'Put and Take' .... is a new game from America that has captured London."

The text there says:

"With a scout ready to cry “copper!” [policeman] – boys in a pavement, gamble with a “put and take”(or, “sanfarian”) top (shown here, actual size [on that Illustrated London News page]).

""Put and Take," otherwise known as “Sanfarian,” is a new game from America that has captured London. It is played with a tiny metal spinning top, having six or eight sides. The players take it in turns to spin, obeying the directions on the side uppermost when the top comes to rest.

"The hexagonal one bears the following inscriptions: “Put one,” “All put,” ”Put two,” ”Take one,” ”Take two,” and “Take all”. On the octagonal (“Sanfarian,” shown in the small photograph above), there are two others [i.e., two other inscriptions in the 8-sided top], and the wording is slightly different. The tops are being sold in great numbers by hawkers. “Put and Take” has become so popular that it has been adopted as the title of a revue [theatrical musical comedy]. Street boys play it on the pavement instead of the old “pitch-and-toss.” The game should, of course, be played with counters, but it is fatally easy to use coins, and then it comes under the ban of the law as "dice." Several boys have been fined."

So if the game was also known as Sanfarian (a word of French derivation) in the UK, and is of American origin, it likely migrated to the U.K. through British WW I troops.

This is the only movie lobby card I know of that shows a put and take, and two put & takes are shown on the lobby card! The lobby card is from the 1922 silent film, "Forsaking All Others." Below the lobby card I show an enlarged close-up of the spinners. Nothing can be read from the lower left (white) put and take, but the upper right one's two sides can be read. You can read them too if you look close -- "TAKE ALL" and "PUT 3."

These are combination games that include Put and Take (also called Plus and Minus on one). The bottom one is made of wood. It is, among other things, a roulette wheel. It is 14" in diameter, was copyrighted 1933 by the Cardinal Co., Dallas, Texas.

Some of the collection of Marianne Jager of the Netherlands, picture sent to me in June 2012.

Put and Take Collections and Collectors

	Click the picture on the left to see the enlarged picture of part of the put and take collection of Barrie M. of Wales, UK. -- 52 spinners!
	Click the picture on the left to see the enlarged picture of part of the put and take collection of Marianne Jager of the Netherlands. -- 78 spinners! .... . Click here to see more of her Put & Takes at her collection web page. .... Click here to see all of Marianne's metal spinning tops as of April 2013.
	Click the picture on the left to see the enlarged picture of the 350 put & take-spinners-perinolas collection, as of December 2012, of Enrique Orschanski, from Cordoba, Argentina.

2. Put and Takes -- English language, vintage
(click here to be directed to that separate page)

3. Put and Takes -- Non-English language, vintage
(click here to be directed to that separate page)

4. Bi-level Spnners: all types, all languages

Crown and Anchor put and take top. I now own one of these. The one pictured above was sold on eBay in June 2006 for $254. Seller was from United Kingdom. The description said in part,

"This is a vintage 6-sided brass spinner (or wobbler).It looks similar to a 'Put & Take' spinner, but is in two sections - the top section can be spun independently to the bottom part. The top part has numbers (1, 7, 2, 5, 3, 9). The bottom part has card suits (heart, spade, club and diamond) plus a crown and an anchor. On the top has 'Patent 33471.' It measures approx 1.25"

I later acquired one in 2006 for about $100 in a private sale. They are rather small -- about 1-1/4" high and about 1/2" wide. The top (odds) part moves rather freely. I learned that it takes a certain technique to get it to spin properly. At first I thought it would never spin. Then I got it to spin properly about 1 time in 15. Finally, I found the technique: you have to (1) press it down firmly against the surface, (2) make sure it is upright; and (3) then twist it. It spins for quite a long time.

Parts of a brass bi-level spinner, courtesy of Marianne Jager. Word is "REGd" for "registered."

More neat bi-level ones. Left: Looks like the bottom, at least, is made of a type of plastic. Right: seller says, "Celluloid Put & Take Teetotum Gambling Top - 1920's. This is a really nice old celluloid Put and Take teetotum featuring famous horses of the 1920's. The horses depicted are Man O’ War, Spark Plug, Zev, Colin, Greylag and Morvich. The top has six sides and a separately rotating top portion with the odds on it (1-1, 2-1, 3-1, 5-1, 4-1 and 10-1). The top measures approx 2-1/4" high including the brass handle. The celluloid part is approx 1-3/8" high. Condition is excellent showing very little wear or damage."

These are all bi-level spinning tops of mine. (One collector described them as : "Plated brass two-tiered, six sided spinning top dating back to the 1920's.") The idea was for the upper and bottom halves to spin independently. Some were aluminum, or chrome plated.... ... ... On the put and takes, the upper tier would tell you if you won or lost, and the bottom tier would tell you how much. ... ... ... On the race horse tops, the bottom tier would indicate which horse won, and the upper tier would give the payoff odds. The race horse tops originally sold for 50-cents each in the 1920's. The box they came in proclaimed "the pocket race course ... America's Great New Racing Game."

No.	Game	Top sides	Bottom sides	Comments
1	Crown & Anchor	1-9-3-5-2-7	Crown-Spade-Dia'd- Anchor-Heart-Club	"Patent 33471" engraved on top; a British game similar to Chuck-a-Luck, I got it from the UK.
2	Horse Racing	DISQ,10-1,2-1, 4-1,6-1,8-1	Yutoi-Envoy-Harrier- Scamp-Sicyon-Golden Corn (I have) I have also seen it in these orders: ¶ Yutoi-Golden Corn-Sicyon- Scamp-Harrier-Envoy ¶ Yutoi-Envoy-Golden Corn-Sicyon-Scamp-Harrier (I have) ¶ and so many other combinations of the same 5 horse that I have given up keeping track!	"Odds On, Pat. App'd. For" is engraved on the top of the spinner. Famous British race horses, c. 1920's. (Yutoi was born 1917 and Golden Corn 1919. In the U.S., anyway, horses raced about 2,3 4 years after birth. Please correct me if I am wrong about that.) I got the top from U.K. All these horse-racing tops have machined steel (magnetic) in the upper level, and nickel-chromium brass (non-magnetic) in the lower body.
3	Horse Racing	DISQ, 5-1,2-1, 8-1,6-1,4-1	Citation--Assault--Zev-- Whirlaway-- Man-O-War-- Stymie	no patent numbers, etc. Quite lightwight. Aluminum. Famous American horses. This top is not as old as the others. While Zev was born 1920, the others were born 1938 to 45. All the horse on this top, except Stymie (who won a record fortune in second class races), won the Belmont stakes.
4	Horse Racing	DISQ,5-1,4-1, 8-1,6-1,2-1	Grey Lag-Colin-- Man-O-War--Morvich- Zev-Spark Plug	very faint, almost unreadable, engraved patent numbers, dates, etc. on the top -- perhaps worn away. On one, I could make out "192" of the 1921 patent date. MAN O WAR DIED IN 1947 AT THE AGE OF 30, the greatest racehorse of all time. Man o' War made his debut on June 6, 1919. By the time he retired 16 months later, he was a national hero, joining Babe Ruth as the first shining stars of the Roaring Twenties. The charismatic horse's popularity had brought fans back to the track. Man o' War went to the post 21 times and won 20 races. He won one race by an incredible 100 lengths and triumphed in another carrying 138 pounds. He whipped a Triple Crown champion by seven lengths in a match race. ... ... SPARK PLUG WAS BARNEY GOOGLE'S (of the famous comic strip) CRTOON RACEHORSE, introduced in 1921. .. .... GREY LAG won the 1921 Belmont Stakes ... ... . COLIN-1905-1932, won the 1908 Belmont, .. ...... ZEV- became the greatest money-winning racehorse in history. His earnings are now $302084 (1920'S), won the kentucky Derby and Belmont ... ..... MORVICH RACED IN 1920'S DIED IN 1947, a Kentucky Derby winner."
5	Horse Racing	DISQ,5-1,2-1, 4-1,6-1,8-1	Lucky Hour-Bunting- Colin--Man-O-War- Morvich-Pillory	"Patented April 1921, No. 19(or 3)74243." Famous American Horses. Colin was born 1908; the others 1919-22. Go figure. One eBay listing of this top said: "Man O' War, The greatest thoroughbred racehorse of all time... ...Morvich, 1920 winner of the Kentucky Derby ....Pillory, 1922 winner of the Preakness and Belmont Stakes ... ..Lucky Hour, Lexington Stable winner at Bellmont and Aqueduct .. ....Bunting, Whitney Stables winner at Saratoga and Belmont. ...... Colin, Undefeated champion. 1907-08 Horse of the year. #15 in the top 100 of U.S. racehorses of the 20th century."
6	Dice	2-4-1-5-3-6	3-6-2-4-1-5	For craps or any other dice game. The white thing on the top is a label. I should have scanned another side, but didn't want to take another scan.
7	Put and Take	Tag (means grip, take, grab)-Pott (pot)-Satt (to deposit,-put)-Tag-Alla (all)-Satt	4-2-5-3-1-6	Swedish put and take.
8	Put and Take	P-T-P-T-P-T	3-1-A-2-4-0	""SPINIM," PAT'D APR 12- 21" Click here to see that patent and a drawing of the top, etc.
9	Dice	4-5-6-1-2-3	1-6-5-4-3-2	nothing engraved on top.
10	Dice	6-2-4-1-5-3	5-3-6-2-4-1	same as No. 8, above, on the top -- SPINIM, etc.
11	Dice	6-5-4-3-2-1	5-4-3-2-1-6	nothing engraved on the top. This top is unusual in that the numbers go in a natural sequence -- 6,5,4,3,2,1. Usually the numbers are mixed up as on a roulette wheel.
12	Horse Racing	1-1, 2-1, 6-1, 8-1, 5-1, 3-1	Red Fox, Fan Tan, My Pal, Jim Jo, Zev, Gay Pet (query: other than Zev, I can't find info on these horses. Are they actual race horses, what period?)	no mfgr info is engraved on the top. Both the top (much bigger and heavier than most: c. 1.5" x 1", 72 grams; the other common bi-level horse racing tops are generally 1-1/8" and 28 grams) and the canvas layout (30" x 5") are pictured below this table. April 2008 I paid $210 total for both in the George Cross Collection live, gambling items auction on eBay. Till then I had never seen either.

The tops were sold in boxes like these in stores.

left: a page from my F. & R. Co. catalog (circa 1900-1917) advertising one of these bi-level horse racing tops (what I call #5 top, above) and betting layout. When they spout, "a special top which is under control at all times," they mean the top is gaffed for cheating. Note that the cheating top is $5.00 and the "fair top" (i.e., honest) is only $0.50.

right: instructions (circa 1950s) from the K.C. Card Co., Chicago, which would accompany the item when ordered (for top #4). (The rounded bottom panels must have been shaved in a certain way {either lower right or lower left rounded more than with a fair top} to produce the desired results.)

From my 1929 H. C. Evans gambling supply catalog. Note: I never saw an 8-sided Horse Race top.
This layout is for #4 top in the big chart just above.

Another layout for the same Horse Race top -- #4 in the big chart above. Dealer said, "Maker unknown, ca. 1920. Bets were placed on your favorite pony (Spark Plug, Zev, Grey Lag, Man-O-War, Colin, or Morvich) and the put & take top was spun in the clear plastic circle at the top of the layout. Paper over cardboard with some edge damage. Man-o-War was three years old in 1920. 25 x 15."

Bi-level, and similar to the Horse Race tops. Here you don't spin the "wheel" -- you roll it. Circa 1943.

Tri-level -- one of the few tri-level tops I know of. United Kingdom. The Tip Top. The UK seller wanted $360 buy-it-now for this. In the picture to the left, the stem is not shown. Seller says, "A nice vintage tinplate gambling top. The Tip Top with three revolving central spinners, Length approx 4.5 cm, Width approx 2.5 cm, This piece is in all original pre-owned condition age related wear and marks to the tinplate, there are spots of rust it is not perfect - but it is unusual."
I show this top on my English language spinners page too.

This is a horse-racing top. It shows the which horses finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
Yutoi was a champion thoroughbred, born 1917.

	YouTube video of a Crown and Anchor bi-level spinner! Savvas Papasavva ( miscpro at http://www.miscpro.com ) made this YouTube video about the spinner on the left, and linked it to my web page.
	Horse-racing. British, saw on eBay August 2011. Measures 1.5" long. SORANUS - ORPHEUS - TISHY - ALAN BECK - LEIGHTON - YUTOI. All of these are champion English horses which raced from about 1918 to 1922.
	Race Horses, British. Names of Major U.K. Flat Winners on the sides of the top. "Also known as "The Sport of Kings," and often linked with gambling, flat racing has been a popular sport for hundreds of years. It has become a lucrative financial activity with horses wining millions of dollars in a race, and millions more as a stud." "The 8-sided ... race spinning top is 3.5 cm and has the names on it: SUNSTAR (1911), DIADEM (1917), SCEPTRE (1902), PANTHER (1919), MINORU (1909), JEST (1913), LADAS (1894), CINNA (1920). On the upper level: 2-1, 5-2, 3-1, 7-2, 7-1, 8-1, 9-2, 5-1 odds," per the owner, but I added the year of their most famous victory in parentheses, from this source.
	Horse-racing. Similar to above. For one thing, the order of the sides is different. From Gerrit V. This spinner and the one above are both "left-handed." spectre, jest, cina, diadem, panther, sunstar, ladas, minoru.
	Horse-racing per Argentine seller. He says, "ANTIQUE BRASS HORSE RACING 2 PARTS SPIN INDEPENDENTLY 6 SIDED PUT TAKE SPINNER. TOP READS 7, 9, EVENS, 2, 3 AND 5. BOTTOM READS GRIFF, LEGER, CAPON, ROBIN, BITER & DANTE. IT MEASURES 1.75 INCHES LONG AND 0.80 INCHES WIDEST. ORIGINAL PATINA, WEIGHT: 43 GRAMS."
	French language. Sans peur = "fearless." Seller says: "Rare spinner/dice. Made by van Laere in Brussels. Belgium (engraved on the top of the top near the handles, it says "VANLAERE.BRUXELLES.") Measures about 3,5 cm high." I measured mine as .30 grams, and 1-3/8." Click here for a picture of all six sides. The six sides are: Sans Peur, John, Flute, Golden Top, Boy, Queen. I have no idea what the six names represent -- thoroughbred horses, sports teams, pigeons, etc.?
	Football teams (British) bi-level top. First time I saw this, on eBay Feb. 2008. ASTON VILLA - CHELSEA - TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS - MANCESTER CITY - BURNLEY - NEWCASTLE UNITED These teams are English Football (Soccer) League Champions for a long stretch of time -- 19th century till recently. List of champions here.
	Game unknown. British seller old_devil says, "Teetotum type spinner, game unknown. ... .... ..... The white ring turns independently. "top, 6 sides: 2 to 1, 3 to 1, 4 to 1, 5 to 1, DISQ, EVENS. "bottom, 6 sides: THE FIELD, PANTHER, BLUE FLASH, WHITE LADY, GOLDEN EAGLE, RED KNIGHT. "Made of celluloid or similar early plastic. ... ... .... . Height 1,5/8" or 47mm, diameter 7/8" or 23mm. ... ... ..... Guaranteed old and original."
	Per seller: Vintage Bakelite Top ... ..... The white and red parts are bakelite - The spin seperately from each other so the final outcome is always random - The blue handle is wood with some wear to the paint - The markings on the white part are P and T and on the red you have 0 1 4 A 2 3 "It is marked "Spinim" on top with a patent number. The patent number is U.S. PATENT #1374243, and the patent can be seen by clicking here. Once on that web page, you will see links for a drawing of the devise, abstract, description, claims, etc. The patent was made to cover all tops that were bi-level -- two separate rotating parts. "1" wide x 2 1/4" tall." Went for $38. I own this top, by the way. It is also in about the 5th picture on this page, along with other bakelite tops.
	Bakelite. Beautiful picture, looks good enough to take a bite out of. Went for about $46 plus postage on eBay, Oct. 2012.
	Standard Put & Take bi-level top on right.
	Plastic, like the above, but dice theme. From this page.
	Bi-level poker top! I had never seen this before till February 2009 when it went for $225 on eBay. The seller described it as: "Bi-level poker top ... 1.5" tall by 3/4" wide ... ..The top level spins independently from the bottom. [Hooray! I finally got a nice one on eBay for only $113 in March 2011. Just goes to show that prices fluctuate, so you can wait for the right price (sometimes).] "The top level reads TEN, NINE, ACE, KING, QUEEN, and JACK. The bottom half reads STRAI'T, FOUR, FLUSH, TWO, FULL HOUSE, and THREE." The patent number and date are worn, but legible. It says "patent pending" and gives April 1921 as the date. ... I have finally deduced how the game was played. I don't think there was a layout, and I don't think one played against the "house." Rather, like with poker dice, each player would spin his own "hand," and the highest hand would win. For example, the one pictured here had a queen-high flush, almost a pair of Jacks.
	Baseball bi-level top. Dealer said, "Bottom die reads: "Ball, Hit, Ball, Strike, Foul, Strike" Top die reads: "H.R., 1.B., 2.B., OUT, 3.B., OUT"... ... Measures approx 1 1/4" L .. ... Marked: "PATENTED APRIL 1921 No. 1374243" I won it in Oct 2010 for $62 delivered.
	Horse racing -- misstrikes. Top of spinner says "ODDS ON, patent applied for."
	Another bi-level poker top, from France. "Top level in this order: SEQ, MP, POK, 1P, 2P, BR "Bottom level: ¶ 9 diamonds ¶ 1 diamond BTE (TE is underlined) followed by S.G.D.G -- 1= Ace - Ace ¶ A kings crown with an "R" under it -- R= Roi - King ¶ A queen's crown with a "D" under it - D= Dame - Queen ¶ Another type of hat with a "V" under it - V= Valet - Jack ¶ 10 diamonds" Note that it is over 1-1/2" tall. ""Bte S.G.D.G." is an abbreviation for a typical phrase concerning products from France. "Bte" is short for "breveté" (="patented")." Credit: from a post October 19, 2005 at this Flickr Yahoo site.
	Unusual bi-level top with 8 colored balls. Click here for full information and pictures on another page.
	Tri-level! French. On both sides is engraved : G.Jaquemet Paris Bte S.G.D.G. Top of Gerrit Veldhoen, Netherlands.
	Another tri-level of sorts. This picture was emailed to me January 2007. The sender said, " It's from 1982 and was made by a company called BOJO's. ... ..... ..... The top breaks down and you can move the tumblers off and on, depending on what you are playing."
	Tri-level Crown & Anchor. Dealer in UK says, "AN ORIGINAL CROWN AND ANCHOR GAME. HAS A GREEN CLOTH BOARD WITH MAKERS NAME ON BOTTOM. JUST OVER 11 INCHES BY 9 INCHES. J.GIBSON & SONS "INTERNATIONAL SERIES" MADE IN ENGLAND. THE DICE (top) IS OF A COMPOSITE MATERIAL (probably plastic). BLUE OLD CARDBOARD BOX IS ORIGINAL ALSO." It went for $183.50 plus postage, April 2012.
	Tri-level Dice. I found this image on page of Justin Michell here . You would roll the device, not spin it. Maxim has similar ones at the bottom of his web page.
	Tri-Level. UK dealer was asking $119 plus postage. Has patent information on it. Per dealer: "Length approx 4 cm .... This piece is in all original pre-owned condition age related wear and marks. ....there are chips to the paintwork in places." The top is 6-sided, each level has these 6 sides: X 1 2 3 4 5. Some numbers are in red, others in black.
	What game is this? Probably from Portugal: see here. Bottom level: X - 1 - 2 - X - 1 - 2, and on the top: X - 1 - 2 - X - 1 - 2 Top of Gerrit Veldhoen, Netherlands.
	Another bi-level top: the usual odds on top, but numbers 1 to 6 on the bottom instead of horse names or crown-anchor-spade-club-heart-duamond.
	Another bi-level top with numbers. Top of Gerrit Veldhoen, Netherlands. Bottom level: 1 - 2 - 4 - 5 - 6. Upper level: E, 2 -1, 4 - 1, - 5 - 1, 6 - 1, 8 - 1.
	Another one.
	Color added. Nice touch. Two other nice/unusual features: (1) the upper level has single numbers, not odds (like 5-1, 3-2,), and (2) lovely spiral design on the finial (handle) (ususally it is plain or has parallel lines or a diamond design).

From Barrie M's
Put and Take
collection --
Crown and
Anchor
bi-level tops.

Bi-level put and take top. No. 8 in the chart above. 1921.

5. Gaffed Put & Take

Spinner is differentially rounded on the bottom. The above three pictures show how a Put and Take can be rigged for cheating. The typed instructions came with the rigged tops when ordered from a gambling supply house. The scanned instructions and catalog page are from the K.C.. Card Co.-Mason & Co. "Blue Book" (copyright 1932), which at that time had offices in eight major cities across the U.S.

Notice how the middle ones are nice and symmetrical -- straight/fair/honest. In both pictures, notice how the tops on the right are shaved on the lower right side of the "T2" face, and the tops on the left are shaved on the lower left side of of the "T2" face. Knowing this would give a favorable percentage to the user; he wouldn't always win on every spin, but would come out a winner in the long run. These are 8-sided tops. The "takes" are opposite each other (for example, opposite the "T2" is a "T3"). Likewise with the "puts."

So it would work this way, using the top on the left as an example (the one where the left bottom of the "T2" face is shaved some): if you spun the top clockwise (as a right handed person ordinarily would), it would more often land on the "put" side because if the top slowed down near the "T2" side, it would continue past the extra rounded (shaved) edge and land on the adjoining Put side (or as the Instructions put it more simply: "When spun to the right, a Put will show....."). And as you would expect, on this top, all four of the Take sides are shaved on the bottom left, and on all four Put sides, all of the bottom rights are shaved.

Just the opposite would happen if you spin the same top counterclockwise or the top on the right clockwise.

Two other gaffed tops appear on this page: here and here. Cheating with Put & Take dice is mentioned here.

Switch tops in a game. In his book "Scarne's New Complete Guide to Gambling," John Scarne describes this safer (for the cheats) method: two cheats start playing the game with a fair top in a bar or restaurant. As people gather to watch, they join in the game. When the action really gets going, one cheat switches a crooked top ("put" favored or "take" favored) in and out of the game as required. As the game winds down, they swith the fair top back in, and can leave it to one of the suckers as a souvenir.

As noted elsewhere on this page, it is claimed that the prevalence of crooked Put & Take tops led to the end of the Put & Takes craze after the 1930's.

	Spinner sides alternately rounded and straight on both ends, and movable spindle. The principle described above applies to another form of Put & Take cheating: the gaffed top is rounded differently on both ends. The cheat pushes the central spindle up or down as he passes the top to a player. Thus, all the players could spin the top clockwise, but would get different results depending which way the spindle was pushed. (Source.) The Put & Take shown here is from my collection. It works just as described. The spindle can be pushed to work in either direction. In the picture to the left, note how the side with the star is rounded on the bottom and straight-flat on the top. The P1 side is just the opposite: straight-flat at the bottom, and rounded at the top. The pattern holds for all the take and put sides. 1-3/4" plastic. Sides: [red star], P1. T3, P4, T2, [zero], T1, P2.
	Spinner is NOT rounded, but is weighted. Here the body of the apinner is not rounded on both ends (as described in the row above), nor is it rounded on even one end (as with the red tops above). Rather, the "top is fixed so that a tap one way will make little weights enter the "Takes" [sides], while another tap will put the weights into the "Puts" [sides]. ... This top is illustrated in the explanatory drawings." (From "The Bunco Book," Walter B. Gibson, 1946.) Tapping away (or pushing and pulling the handle), the cheat can make other players feed the kitty as often as he chooses, and can win whenever he wants.
	Spinner sides alternately rounded and straight on both ends, and immovable spindle. . Here the sides are alternately round and flat on the tops and bottoms of the sides. The spindle can NOT be pushed. Maybe it is stuck. The cheat could spin the top clockwise or counter-clockwise as he wished (as done with the three red celluloid spinners above.). Or maybe the cheats would have three differenet spinners that they could palm into the game as they wished. This spinner is celluloid, 1-1/2," from my collection. Sides: 1, 5, 3, 8, 4, 7, 2, 6.

6. Modern and modern-looking Put and Takes

This is a modern Put and Take (maker calls it a "spinner" and "dreidel") that I first noticed appearing on eBay in October 2008. It is lightweight, made of aluminum, and has a hole in the stem to accommodate a key chain. The letters are "blacked in" for easy reading.

Top.

¶ Another modern put and take, sold in U.K.

¶ a similar modern Put & Take is the first item (PT1 -- only $15 plus postage) on my sales page.

10-sided top.

¶ Another modern one, sold in the U.K. This one has 10 sides!

¶ Seller says: "As usual it has the following markings: Put One, Take One, Put Two, Take Two, Take All, All Put. As this is ten sided it also has Put Three, Take Three, Put Five, and Spin Again."

Modern. About 1-7/16 inch, The right one is a mite longer due to the bigger point/nipple. The one on the left weighs a very high 56 grams (2 ounces!).

¶ left one: 10-sided: TAKE ONE, PUT TWO, TAKE THREE, ALL PUT, PUT FIVE, TAKE TWO, PUT ONE, TAKE ALL, PUT THREE, SPIN AGAIN.

¶ right one: 8-sided: TAKE ONE, PUT TWO, TAKE THREE, ALL PUT, TAKE TWO, PUT ONE, TAKE ALL, PUT THREE.

Top. ¶ same UK seller as second row above. 8-sided and 6-sided Put & Takes, and die.
¶ He states in eBay auction, "This listing is for the Classic six sided solid brass spinning top game Put and Take. Buy it now price is for ONE reproduction only (not original). Although if you keep it in your pocket for a few days it will tarnish and take its newness away. ... I have had a brass put and take for many years, and played the game since I was 10 years old, previously it belonged to my father. ... This Put & Take is ... new, with nice engraving. ... Also available as eight sided and ten sided Put & Take. ... See also Unusual hexagonal spinning dice (brass) .

Metal. Saw this on eBay Jan 2011. Seller, illinoisvalleycustoms1.

Seller says, "INCLUDED IN THIS SET ARE FOUR SETS OF DICE. EACH SET IS HANDCRAFTED RIGHT HERE IN THE ILLINOIS VALLEY BY OUR MASTER CRAFTSMAN AND OFFERED AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE IN THIS COMBINATION SET. THE DICE IN THIS SET REPRESENT THE FOUR MOST POPULAR STYLES OF DICE IVC HAS TO OFFER AND ALL MADE FROM SOLID BRASS. INDIVIDUALLY THESE SAME SETS SELL FOR OVER $50.00. THESE DICE ARE NOT BRASS PLATED OR PAINTED, THEY ARE 100% REAL CUSTOM MACHINED BRASS. YOU ARE PURCHASING A SET OF DICE THAT SCREAM “I’M SERIOUS ABOUT MY GAMING”. FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS.

THE DICE INCLUDED IN THIS COMBO DEAL ARE AS FOLLOWS:
*SET OF TWO ¾” SOLID BRASS SPINNING HEX TOP D6 PIP

*SET OF TWO 5/8” SOLID BRASS LONG LOG ROLLER D6 PIP

*SET OF TWO ¾” SOLID BRASS FLOATING D6 PIP

*SET OF TWO ¾” SOLID BRASS STANDARD D6 PIP

Another modern one I saw on eBay, August 2009. Seller, historyfanatic, from Charleston IN, said, "While this top is made to replicate an original IVORY top, ours is reproduced in a resin-based artificial ivory. " He called it a copy of a Revolutionary War one! .. .... The on on the right appeared on eBay, Jan 2013, and the seller emailed me that they are being made now by Rose & Pentagram Design,and soldthrough Noble Knight Games. Looks like the same as the left one.

Bone. These have been around for quite a while, usually labeled as "vintage" or "antique." I took these pictures from one honest eBay seller, who described the set as, "This is a contemporary made game of chance for "Put and Take". Includes the carrying case and (2) game pieces. Made from bone. Very well detailed. The case is replicated to look like a wicker basket. The basket measures 2 1/2" long x 1 3/4" wide x 1 1/4" tall. Hinged lid opens to reveal the 2 game pieces. Each are made of bone and feature black & red colored barrel shaped die & "Put & Take" spinning top piece. Each piece is approx. 1 3/4" long. Excellent condition."

Aluminum. The dealer describes these as: "Up for auction is a very high quality machined aluminum anodized Put and Take GAMENUT Dreidel dice/die.

This patent pending design is precision balanced and the smooth rounded patent pending spin-tip will not mar surfaces.

Lettering is Laser engraved and will not peel off.

Each piece weighs in at a heft .3 ounces and provides enough weight to keep the die spinning for over two minutes if you'd like. We've had 2:24 seconds as our best spin."

The large blue one (click here to see) is about 2" long and 1" wide. 40 grams.
Spins fairly well. Pleasure to pick up and read.
Sides: TA P2 AP T1 P1 T2.

Annodized. Saw this April 2012 on eBay. Per seller, "Put N Take Dreidel - Gambling Spinner - Made in Wisconsin USA, Made in Wisconsin USA, CNC Machined from Aircraft Grade Aluminum. Annodized - CNC Engraved."

Crisloid dice.

Dealer, in eBay August 2009 auction description, says: "... .... A box of 1 dozen 3/4" dice for the game Put & Take etched in black, red and blue.
Directions for P & T are included. ... .... Proudly made at the Crisloid factory in Providence, RI."

Crisloid Put & Take dice.

Modern Put and Take dice. Easy to read the large letters and numbers.

Dies read:
GGGTTP
P11222

Put & Take dice. Made by Koplow Games Inc., Massachusetts, made in China. I spotted this in April 2013.

Die 1: 1 2 3 4 5 All
Die 2: Put Take Put Take Put Take

Rules are on the back of the container. One unusual rule: "If a PUT and an ALL are rolled, then the player puts in an amount equal to the entire pot." While unusual, I have seen this rule mentioned many times.

Wood top. Dealer told me: "I am not sure, but it is not old. Probably form 90's.Thanks,E."

"Put & Take spinning top / Teetotum

Wooden handmade, eigth sides 4,5cm long and 2,2cm diameter

TA: take all T3: take three P1: Put one T2: Take two

AP: All put P3: Put three T1: Take one P4: Put four

Spin well, 40 seconds over glass surface"

"New spinning top for Parta Ola (Put and Take), the traditional spinning top game. Hand lathed of aluminum, well balanced for long spins. English lettering is CNC-engraved and hand painted. Great game for the whole family. This auction includes one aluminum top, instruction card, and small fabric gift bag. The perfect gift!," as described by eBay seller rembet33 in Oct 2009.

Die. per eBay seller, March 2010: "Well, I came up with a design and had it made and now am selling it to other Put and Take enthusiasts looking for an ultimate game experience that can be carried with you wherever you go. Okay, I'll even sell it to anyone else who might want it so don't feel left out. So, here it is, the ultimate put and take die!! It's an ivory colored 12 sided (D12 to the gamer community) 16mm die and the sides, in no particular order, are engraved as follows:

Put 1, Put 2, Put 3, All Put, Put All, Lose Turn
Take 1, Take 2, Take 3, All Take, Take All, Roll Again"

Modern.

Modern. Per seller: "High quality solid brass spin game, lettering is engraved and painted.

"AP = All Pay
TA = Take All
P1 = Pay One
T1 = Take One
P2 = Pay Two
T2 = Take Two"

Spins very well.

Steel. Seller says, "spinners made from the finest quality aircraft grade stainless steel which is machined using state of the art CNC turning centers and precision balanced for a piece that will spin perfectly and last forever, with a finish so bright and shiny you will need your sunglasses!"

Silver. Seller says they are "made from solid silver." Sells them for 65 GBP.

Mexican, made currently. Wood, metal tip.

Modern crooked (gaffed) Put & Take. "A gaffed gambling device increases your odds to 90% accuracy! The six sided spinner contains a P1, P2, P3, and a T1, T2, T3, The P's mean you put in 1, 2 or 3 dollars, the T's mean you TAKE," says the dealer of these tops. The "secret" is somewhat similar to the three red celluloid Put & Takes near the top of this page: if a player (the mark) twists the top to the right (clockwise) --as most players would-- it will almost always land with the "Put" sides showing, and if the hustler, who knows the secret, twists the top to the left (counter-clockwise), the top invariably lands with the "Take" sides showing. The red celluloid tops worked that way because the lower portion of the sides were rounded in such a way to force the desired outcome. The white plastic one here is weighted on the inside for each of the six sides so as to force the desired outcome depending on whether the operator twists the stem to the right or left.

"Gold Rush" Put and Take. Saw this April 2011 on Ebay. Dealer said, "The contents of the game are the metal dreidel, 10 authentic Gold nugget replicas, rulebook with a very short history of the California gold rush, and a canvas pouch to hold it all. A Fast paced & easy to learn game for 2 or more players, new unopened condition. From Channel Craft Company, Made in U.S.A., Original price tag from the Mel Fisher Museum of $10.95."

"Rocky Top." Unusual the way the two characters on each side are deliberately mis-aligned, never saw that before. Also, the bottom is rounded, no "nipple" or point to spin on. I first saw this February 2012.

"Top is NEW 1 and 1/4 inches tall

Hand Machined of solid Brass and Polished

Made in the U.S.A. By Me.," per seller.

One collector reported to me that this top spins very poorly. She was impressed, though, with its handsome appearance and heavy weight. She sharpened the point *(sanded it down), and that greatly improved its spinning ability. ... I just received mine in the mail; it spins very poorly. I love the hefty weight (36 grams).
By the way, not shown here, but the jagged line between the "T" and the "A" on the TA side is the signature "Rocky," the nickname of the creator of the top.
Click here to see that T-A-jagged line side.

Old Western -- New. Seller says, "Gambling 8 sided put-n-take top carried by all early 1800"s gamblers, a game could be started anywhere with someone putting money into a pool and spinning the top. Originals of these tops are hard to find today, these are made exactly as the originals and after they tarnish, will look exactly like an original does."

"Morgan's Revenge, A Pirate Game." Per seller: "This enjoyable and simple game of chance comes with a 6 sided brass top similar to a dreidel, a 16 page booklet including instructions, and replica gold doubloons and pieces of eight. It is packaged nicely in a canvas pouch. It is small enough to stick in your pocket or in a pouch while wearing your costume. A fun historic game for play at festivals and re-enactments.

"Sure this game is available elsewhere but, as a bonus, we actually throw in 4 extra coins, so you get a total of 16 coins instead of the standard 12. This allows for more players and bigger stakes! We offer even more coins that are great to add or add replica coins from your own collection.

"$12.00 plus shipping." There is also a deluxe edition in a tin box, for a little more money; click here to see it. I bought the thing from Amazon. Glad I did. Cute booklet and coins (13 coins only). But the top is difficult to spin properly and consistently. 16 grams. 25.75 mm. Sides: TA P1 P2 AP T1 T2. It is smaller than similar ones in my collection.

"PUT," "TAKE," and ""LOSE SPIN." The spinner has 8 sides, but only those three commands: take, lose spin, put, take, put, lose spin, take, put. I like it: shiny, heavy, 1-3/8" long, get valid spin each time though often a clumsy spin, fun piece, easy to handle.

Per the instruction sheet: "lose spin" means the spin goes to next player clockwise (to left); "put" means each player puts a chip (or amount) into pot; "take" means the spinner takes the pot; and "to decrease spinning time of the spinner, spin on a paper or cocktail napkin."

First use and trade mark registered in 1986 and 1987, respectively. Manufacturer: Dan Kroll Industries Corporation, Billings, Montana.

Box says: "your own casino: put n take ... solid brass gold plated ... the casino game with a message: 'what goes around comes around.'"

Comes with: put and take spinner, 4 colors of chips, purple sachel bag, instruction sheet and original box.

Four "sides" to spinner. More like a dreidel, with four sides:
T -- Take one.
A -- Take all.
P -- Put one.
N -- Nothing happens

New. Saw this on eBay June 2011. Per dealer, "Made from solid brass, this six-sided Put & Take measures 1.50" long by 7/8" wide. It features a knurled stem for easy spinning and its heavy 1.6 oz weight [46 grams] will aid in long spin time. Letters are engraved for longevity. Take a stylish game/casino anywhere you go!" I own one; it spins very well.

Side Engravings: TA P2 T1 AP T2 P1.

Card Game: Put and Take. Per dealer: "This card game is a variation from the simple dice or top games designed to risk pieces of candy, coins or a few bucks. 54 cards contain instructions to put or take playing pieces with the pot or other players. A few of the cards contain new instructions that can radically change the outcome. The game finishes when one player has all of the pieces. Entertaining for kids and adults. Great game to have when family comes over for the holidays."

Sold at this web site: playingcardsetc.com

"Topp - Silver with Black Print". "This product is a silver annodized aluminum with black printed letters."

"P1" - Put 1: The spinner puts (pays) 1 into the pot.
"P2" - Put 2: The spinner puts (pays) 2 into the pot.
"T1" - Take 1: The spinner takes (gets paid) 1 from the pot.
"T2" - Take 2: The spinner takes (gets paid) 2 from the pot.
"AP2" - All Pay 2: All players must put 2 into the pot.
"WTA" - Winner Take All: The spinner wins the whole pot!

Another WTA one.

"Finish: Polished Brass." Deltana Gambit. Very pretty, but spins rather poorly. In fact, most attempts to spin fail!

J. L. Lawson & Co. handmade. The company makes many small metal machinist products like belt buckles, bottle openers, spinning tops, etc.

They say, "Each of our gambling teetotums are hand turned from a solid brass .75″ hex bar making each one unique. The top is stamped, oxidized and then polished but will patina nicely in time." The price for each is $65.

They put out interesting videos showing how they made these tops: click here.

I saw these for the first time August 25, 2010, on eBay in two auctions with starting bids of about $65 each. Seller ID 1knifeguy1 (West Coast Trading Post) of Fairfield, CA, calls them "vintage" brass Put and Takes and lists them many times.

	Also called vintage and listed many times by the same seller. Called by the eBay seller: antique, brass, hollow in the inside, and no "top cover." June 2010. Dealer said in part: "Unusual Antique brass gambling device called a "Put and Take". This tiny device (only about 1 3/16" tall x 5/8" wide; weights only .2 oz.!) ... .... ... this piece has a brass rod that appears to be pressed into the inside of the base; and doesn't appear to have ever had, or needed, a top covering piece. This piece has light patina on the brass, and a greenish verdigris on the inside. Perfect for any gambling, gaming, or put & take collection / display."
	Same seller, also called vintage with many listings. Seller says: "UNUSUAL NICKEL PLATED ANTIQUE PUT&TAKE GAMBLING DEVICE . .. ... Antique gambling device called a "Put and Take". This small gaming device is unusual in that it is nickel plated, about 1 1/8" tall x 11/16" wide, and weights a mere .2 oz.."
	"NICE OLD [?] PUT AND TAKE SOLID BRASS SPINNER IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, ALL THE NUMBERS & LETTERS ARE ALL ALMOST PERFECT, NO MAJOR DENTS. IT MEASURES ABOUT 1 3/8" LONG X 3/4" AT IT'S WIDES POINT" per dealer LAMB 534, May 2011.
	This is the worst put and take I have ever seen. For one thing, it won't spin, ever. The letter/numbers are poorly stamped. Purported to be vintage. Sides read: TA, P2, T1, T2, AP, P1.
	advertised on eBay Feb. 2012 as "Vintage Put and Take dice game brass spinning piece. Six sided die. Nice!" Looks modern to me, looks similar to these "Rocky Top" spinners, which are admittedly modern. ... ... Unaligned letters are unusual. ... (The "Rocky Top" spinners have serifs to the "T" and "P," which the ones pictured here do not have.)

Seller calls it vintage. I wonder. "AP" on one side. 4/27/12. Looks like one edition of the "Rocky Top" spinner.

"English version" of "Put and Take (Toma Todo) Game." 4/27/12.

empty for now

emprty for now

7. Large and small boxed Games, Cards, etc. -- put and take-related.
See here too.

	Edgar Bergen's CHARLIE McCARTHY Put And Take Bingo by Whitman 1938 -- Saw this on eBay, August 2009. Opening bid was about $22.00 postpaid. I didn't bid. Dealer wasn't too helpful with details. I had no idea what it entailed. I was turned off by the big size of the item: "The size of the box is 9"x15"." The description said: ""A game of chance with dice and chips." Box top has staining, major corner and edgewear, one torn side and a small amount of graphic loss at one corner, otherwise solid. Contents are COMPLETE and in excellent condition."
	"Put and Take" coin-op trade stimulator by W. C. Steel Ball Table Co., 1931. Source. The top of the machine says "Test Your Skill For." That is just an attempt to call it a non-gambling game, which would be illegal in most places at that time. Uner that, in a circle, is the name of the game: "Put & Take." Below that is, "Insert penny. Push down on lever and release." There are 8 sections on the large dial. I can make out these sections: Take All (with star), P1, T3, P2, All Put, T2.... . It looks like there are beads on a wire, below -- to keep score? I see there is no auctomatic coin payout. Not sure how it would work.
	Argentina spinning top. Advertised on eBay (wants $100 plus $20 shipping) as a put and take, but I wonder. The box talks about spinning for points. Anyway, it looks neat. Apparently you put the finger of one hand through the loop and quickly push down that yellow piece with the other hand, and the blue piece is pushed out spinning. Dealer says: "Rare 1920s Trompolin Wooden Put & Take/Spinning Top/Teetotum w/Box&Instructions [in Spanish] ... This is the exceedingly rare "Trompolín" Put & Take Spinning Top with launcher. ... Besides of being used for playing different table games, it can also be used as a traditional spinning top with launcher. ...This six-sided put and take is made of painted solid wood with water-transfer decal numbers on sides, tinplate "neck" and twisted wire launcher. ...Made in Argentina by Trompolín M.R. circa 1920-1930s. ...Dimensions: Top: 3-1/8 inches (8 cm) height. Launcher: 12-¾ inches long." Dealer told me, "sides are just numbered from 1 to 6 with "Industria Argentina" over 4 and "Trompolin M.R." over the rest of numbers."
	3 Vintage POLITICAL PUT & TAKE 1960 Dice Games. I saw this on eBay, August 2009. I'm not sure how it is played and what the dice look like. The dealer wasn't very helpful in answering questions. His description: "3 vintage 1960 (dated) Put and Take political dice game. Consists of a 9" tall cardboard sheet with directions and two dice showing various anatomical feature of the donkey and the elephant. Even if you don't like the game, this deal is worth it for the dice." It was listed as buy-it-now for about $20.00 postpaid.
	Put and Take Advertising Card. Seen on eBay December 2009. Seller said, "Put and Take game, given away by Sanitary Valet System, NYC. With working spinner at right. Obsolete gambling article. Condition: minor soiling; some wear on printed circle. Minor edge, corner tip wear. Otherwise VG. 2 1/2" X 4 3/8"
	Put and Take advertising sign. It is 7.5 inches by 4.25 inches. Taped to the back of the sign is the profit chart per set of 1200 "tickets" on a spindle. The player would have to unwrap the ticket to see the results. Kind of bold for a store owner to put up a sign like that. Pull tabs, spindle tickets and punch boards would be illegal in most places. 1930s-40s? Note it says "Put or Take." The ones below say "Put 'n' Take and Put-n-Take. Often: Put & Take.
	Put & Take with Spinning Tray -- I bought this on eBay Sept. 2010. Never saw one before. Dealer described it as: "At auction today is a vintage Put and Take game of chance with a Birdseye Maple tray. The little brass spinning top has six sides marked Put One, Put Two, All Put, Take One, Take Two, and Take All. The Birdseye Maple tray is made of one piece of wood with nice graining and a raised edge that keeps the top from spinning off. Both pieces are in good used condition, the top spins nicely and has no breaks and only a few small dings to the brass, the tray has some expected minor scratching and scuffing. The top is just 1-3/16" long, the tray is 9" in diameter." It arrived, and I am very happy with it. If you spin the top and it gets close to the edge, it does NOT immediately tumble and stop -- rather, it just moves away from the edge and continues spinning, for the most part, and then it collapses and stops.
	Dealer said, "No information on the manufacturer or actual date made, perhaps 50s or 60s. Bar-Zim Manufacturing Co was out of Jersey city, NJ. Product is Made in the USA. ... ... .... The box is 12" x 10" x 2"."
	Electric Put and Take game. I own this, $30.00. It actually works, with a "D" battery (which I removed). You press down on the little red knob at the lower righrt to get the two "rotors" (wheels) to spin -- the "number rotor" (numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) and the "color rotor" (put, take and take all). There are instructions printed on the inside of the top of the box. Vintage / Antique Game ELECTRIC PUT-N-TAKE by Jim Prentice The Electric Game Co. Inc., Holyoke, Mass. followed by model number (54-P) and U S patent #.
	Transogram Put'n Take dart game. Per eBay seller in Nov. 2011: "Vintage Transogram Put'n Take dart game in old box. Box is bent out of shape and had some water damage in one corner. Darts have been colored black and the rubber heads are broke. The 22" board is in good shape and so is the hardware that holds it up. Comes with instructions." Click here and here to see the darts and the box for this game. It looks like the darts could be thrown while the target was spinning!
	Dicta-Put. Dealer says, "The box measures 4 3/4 inches square by 2 1/4 inches deep. some light wear on the box, everything else is like new condition. this game is dated 1936." Unusual, so I got it on eBay (only 1 bid, mine) for $50 plus poastage. It is made by Dictacard, Inc., Mishawaka, Ind., USA. (The same company also makes a very similar game called "Dicta-Race," which comes with a gambling gadget, like seen to the left, and a layout with the names of six horses on it. The "gambling gadget" has two balls and two circles of slots for the ball to land; one circle gives the name of the winning horse and the other gives the pay-off.)
	"5 Games In One." c. 1950. Many combination games like this one (bagatelle, pin ball-like, about 13" x 22") were sold years ago. They would have a glass covering. A spring-like device would shoot marbles inside. The marbles would hopefully land in one of the metal "catches" to score points. Note that in the second picture, there are catches for T2, P1, P2 and T1. The game shown here is entitled "Happi Time." The 5 games are ""twenty-one, put-n-take, baseball, bagatelle and pennants."

Both of the above games are by W. H. Schaper Mfg. Co. Inc., Minneapolis 11, Minn, copyright 1956. ... ... .. Upper one: the box is 8.5 x 11 x 1." From left to right, I show the outside box cover, the inside including chips and black plastic put and take top in the lower left, and the instructions on the inside of the top of the box. You can see the same Put & Take spinner in red here. .. ..... Lower one: about 9 x 11 x 3".

Put and Take Card, both sides shown. Interesting trade or premium card where one could cut out the body of a put and take top, but hardly worth the $300 buy-it-now price on eBay, May 2011. That's what you get when those silly grading companies go to work and seal products in plastic holders. It is also what happens when eBay has those no-fee special promotions.

8. Dice, Faceted Balls (not sterling) -- put and take-related

Above: Put and Take dice from my collection. None have a grain on them.

	"Everybody Ante." I own a pair of Put and Take dice like these. Mine are made of French ivory, a type of plastic like celluloid where an imitation ivory grain is printed on the dice. On the standard Put and Take tops there are different rules for "PA" or "AP" -- the spinner can put up one unit or match the pot, or all the players might have to put in chips. Here there is no doubt. One die has on its sides: P, P, T, T, Take All, and Every Body Ante. The other die says: 1 2 2 3 3 4.
	Grain on the dice. From the collection of Marianne Jager. Note the grain on the dice.
	More grain on ther dice. Per seller; "These are made of French ivory, a type of plastic like celluloid where an imitation ivory grain is printed on the dice. On the standard Put and Take tops there are different rules for "PA" or "AP" -- the spinner can put up one unit or match the pot, or all the players might have to put in chips. Here there is no doubt. One die has on its sides: P, P, T, T, Take All, and Every Body Ante. The other die says: 1 2 2 3 3 4."
	Brass Put & Take dice.
	You Tube: Put & Take gaffed dice played today! Click here to see the video. Interesting the way people are hustling today with crooked Put and Take dice. The video didn't convince me much. The way he slid the dice out of the dice cup (not tumbling the dice) seemed an obvious give-away to me. I also coudn't see how the dice were tampered with. Finally, anyone would run after he threw "take all" twice in a row!
	Hully Gully Put & Take Dice. I paid about $25 for this neat little thing that does not work too well, but is fun to have -- it was made for cheating!. As pictured here on the package (4 x 4 x 4") and instructions, it is basically two dice in a domed transparent container. The players are supposed to pick it up, shake it, and then place it down on the table to see the results. At the start of the game, the dome had been twisted counter-clockwise, locking the contraption secure in the honest position. When it becomes the cheater's turn to shake it, he would secretly twist the dome clockwise and press it down, activating the magnet which would insure "take" Put & Take results of the dice. He would turn the dome to the honest position when he passes it to the next player. This ploy relies a lot on slight of hand. The box and instructions say: Hully Gully, Pluck Mfg Inc, 3021 Commercial Ave, Northbrook IL 60062. The domed device has on it: Reliable Armature Service, Inc., 10115 South Torrence Avenue, Chicago IL 60617 and a 312 telephone area code number that is no good now. (Zip codes, like 60062, were first used in 1963. Telephone area codes started in the 1940s.)
	Put and Take dice with a star. I am always seeing something new. This one has on the numbered die: 1 2 3 4 5 * (star = "all"). Most other times I have seen these dice with no star -- for example: 1, 2, 3, 3, 4 and A (for All), or 1 2 2 3 3 4.
	Put and Take dice. Dealer says, "They look like they are made of plastic but I've seen other ads that list them as Bakelite. I think they are plastic. These were made by a company called Elk Brand."
	Put and Take Dice in Charm or Pendant -- I reveived a picture of this from the owner in Feb. 2010. He said, " I came across a set of Put and take dice in a pendant which I think is brass. I didn't know what they were for years until I found info on Put and Take tops and games on the internet. I have searched tirelessly but can not find any similar to the ones I have. They belonged to my Grandfather and were mixed in with war medals and other keepsakes. The dice are green stone of some sort with white lettering and the pendant is possibly brass that opens at the top and has a eye for a chain I believe. ... I think it might be too heavy for a bracelet. The case is 1 inch long by 1/2 inch wide and the dice are 7/16 wide with precision edges. I would like to try to identify the type of stone the dice are made of and also the type of medal the holder is made of. It belonged to a male so I don't think it was a charm. "
	Wonderful little boxed set: 2 put and take dice, and a typical brass put and take solid top. In August 2010, I got this for just $28 on eBay.
	Heads and Tails Bakelite Dice. Not a put and take, but I couldn't resist not showing it here! Neat. Never saw these before. Australian dealer describes it as, "ORIGINAL 1940s HEADS & TAILS DICE ... IN BOX PACK OF THREE ... GOOD CONDITION FOR AGE..70+ YEARS....FROM BYGONE STORE ... BOX MARKED W.O.I. No 256...RUSSELL CRAFT."
	The Energy Company Dubble Lucky Dice. Copyright 1937. Can be played as dice, ignoring the Ts and Ps. Can also be played as Put and Take. The item is found at Kevin Cook's dice site. The complicated rules can be found here.
	8-sided round-ish Put & Take. Dealer describes it as, "Not sure of the metal it is made of, maybe lead or zinc plated brass. It is not magnetic. It measures approx. 9/16th"." I could only see 6 sides, which read: ND, P3, P2, AP, T2, T3. (ND stands for Nihil Dabis -- "nothing happens" in latin.)
	Round Put & Take. Unusual metal (non-magnetic, possibly brass) Put & Take: 8 gr, c. 20 mm. The ball (or "cube") has 2 "ends" that say "Pat Pending" and 8 sides. Says "Pat Pending" on the two "ends." The other 8 sides say: take all, put two, put three, take one, all put, put one, take three, take two.

9. Punchboards -- put and take-related

	These are Put and Take punch boards and punch cards. Rules: most non-Put and Take punch boards were so many cents per play. For example, on a 5¢ board, the player would put up 5-cents, and the reault would be losing it, winning $.05 (thus breaking even), or winning $.10, $.25. $1.00. etc. But Put and Take punch boards were a little more complex/varied. A typical one would have the player risk not a single amount, but rather risk 1 to 5 pennies. Each punch would mimic a regular Put and Take game. The player would punch one of the unpunched spots and follow the instructions printed on the punched paper: put up (give to the house) 1 to 5 pennies, or win (take from the house to add to his stake) 1 to 5 pennies or more, sometimes up to $1.00!
	This neat little punchboard has a picture of the whole family enjoying a put and take game!. The seller describes the punchboard as " Unused 1935. Board is 6" by 4-3/8" by 5 /8" full color printed, boys and girls playing dreidel game, with spinner, 300 punches, green, red and white boarders. Back has game title Put & Take, Gradner Guarenteed Salesboard, serial numbered, operator number, guarenteed, Made by Gardner & Co 2209 Archer Ave Chicago. Has punch, paper cover, split , punch present. Has red, white, blue, NRA Eagle Member US, for national recovery act, 1935."
	Nice little Put & Take punchboard. It went for $17 on eBay, August 2010. To play with puchboards like this one, the customer would have to have at least 5 cents because if the punch resulted in a loss for him (a "put"), he could lose anywhere from 1-cent to 5-cents. If he won (a "take"), it would be from 5-cents to $1.00, as noted on the board. The eBay seller described the item as: " Antique Punch Board, unused. "Odd Pennies Put and Take". Board measures 6 1/2" X 6 3/4" and is just over 1/2" thick. Board has rounded corners with light wear along the edges and corners from storage. Metal punch is still factory sealed in the back and the model/serial # sticker is intact."
	Odd Penny Put & Take. Punchboard. Only 4" x 5.5." In the "Take" section of the punchboard, at the upper right, it says "TAKE" 1, 2, 5 or 10 bars if you win. The bars say "Elmer's, New Orleans, GOLD BRICK," the name of the candy bar.
	Another Put and Take trade stimulator punchboard I own. Per the dealer: "Very nice vintage circa 30's-40's 120 hole Put and Take Punchboard game.These were found in bars and general stores. Someone would punch a hole with the key and a slip of paper would push through. The person would either owe the house .10-.25 or win .25-1.00. The game would net the house a profit of $7.00. Everything fits inside the two peice red plastic case (about 2 x 3 inches)."
	Illegal Put & Take punchboard "trade stimulator" disguised as a common match box. Really great item. It would be left on the counter of a store near the cash register. When the customer is given change, he is given the opportunity to make a small wager with the change. He can push the punchboard through the matchbox and punch out a paper which tells him whether he lost 10, 15 or 25 cents, or whether he won 25, 50 or 100 cents! It is, of course, disguised as a harmless match box so the police and bluenoses will ignore it in plain sight, while those "in the know," or known to the owner, will spot it for gambling. Actually such disguised punchboards were probably well known, but kept "disguised" so as not to ostentatiously force the sight of them on children and others. The instruction sheet tells the store owner that the customer will win ("take") 12 times, lose ("put") 48 times, with a net profit to the owner of $3.50 from 60 punches. The dealer described it as, "UNPUNCHED PUT & TAKE 60 HOLE PUNCHBOARD IN A MATCH BOX -- Great little item is 2-1/4" x 1-3/8" x 5/8" and slides into a match box (Protecto wooden cover) - Unpunched and comes with a little instruction sheet"

10. Records and Sheet Music -- put and take-related

	Wow, click here to hear this YouTube jazz-gypsy swing sound composition by Joe Venuti's Blue Four's group: "Put and Take" (1929), Eddie Lang on the guitar. It is tune #4, side 2, on the record label pictured to the left. It is on Volume 7 of the Odeon Swing Music Series. You may buy "Put And Take" on Google Play, iTunes, eMusic, and AmazonMP3. Related to the two below. You can even have a "Put and Take" musical ringtone!
	"Put and Take" fox trot! -- Artist - Joe Venuti's Blue Four, Label - Parlophone - R 973, Side One - Put And Take, Side Two - Dallas BluesRecord Size: 10 Inch Sub-Genre: Big Band/Swing, Speed: 78rpm.
	"Put and Take," (1922; composer, Silberman; Conductor, G W Byng) delightful Music Hall-type ditty -- lyrics and instrumentals -- sung by Harry Fay. You can hear it on YouTube. "Put and take, put and take, put and take, what a funny little game is put and take. First you lose, then you win; that's the time when you GRIN, then you have another little spin... .. Yes, that is the game that keeps you wide awake. What a game, never fails, all the convicts in the jail, they all play put and take" -- words from the song. You can read all the words to the complete song here. Ubiquitous recording artist, Harry Fay made hundreds of records, mainly for Zonophone, Cinch, Parlophone and Imperial labels. Thanks to Marianne Jager for finding this song and production data.
	"Put and Take" blues! -- JOHNNY DUNN'S ORIGINAL JAZZ HOUNDS - PUT AND TAKE / MOANFUL BLUES, Columbia A3579...."This classic by Johnny Dunn was recorded in 1922. .. .... Speed: 78 RPM .. .....Record Size: 10., per eBay seller"
	Wonderful Put and Take theme on a sheet music cover, on eBay August 2009, bid up to $106.00. I don't own it, came in second. "Sheet music. PUT AND TAKE is a song about gambling away his money playing Put and Take. Copyright 1921. 1/2" tear through all pages top left (in the "U"). Light fold in the center. Six pages."
	"Stop--Rest a While"--song--(1921, Brymn/Gilbert, from show PUT AND TAKE). Notice the small put & take spinner right under the words "PUT AND TAKE."
	More old Put and Take sheet music. Sold on eBay, Oct 2009, by bixokeh, who described it as, "Scarce sheet music for "My June Love" from the stage production "Put and Take" Music by Spencer Williams, lyrics by Irvin Miller, published by Perry Bradford Music, 1921." I own one of these from the "Put and Take" stage production -- virtually same cover, though mine has the sheet music for "Nervous Blues," not "My June Love."
	"PUT'N TAKE BLUES" -- BARBER KEESEY RARE ANTIQUE 1920 SHEET MUSIC.

Postcard on left: mailed in 1922 in Birmingham, England. From collection of Barrie M.
Illustrated by Donald Mcgill. Inter Art Series No 3967. I also own the same postcard.
Postcard on right: owned by me, standard size, "W.B. 403, Printed in England."

Advertising cigar cutter: "Put & Take cigars, Brooklyn New York." 2 inches.
Looks like "Put & Take" was a brand of cigars!

Teach them while they are young. I bought this on eBay, August 2009. "Put In, Take Out." Seller said, "THIS SWEET LITTLE BOOK IS IN GOOD CONDITION. ... ILLUSTRATION ARE SO SWEET. .. . 12 PAGES 6" X 4." PICTURES BY JAN PLAMER. GOLDEN PRESS, NEW YORK 1983."

Inspirational booklet. Another silly thing I couldn't resist putting on this page. This is the cover of an inspirational 1951 small booklet published by the H. H. Horton Co, NYC. It describes Put and Take as the "biggest game in the country," and "when it rolls over and stops, you do what it says." It uses the game as a parable for life, and a jumping off point for its economic message.

I won the auction. It's a 16 page boooklet, including the covers. Ironically, it is very relevant for today. It notes how some call "profit" a dirty word and want confiscatory taxes. On the last page the booklet asks, "where is the money going to come from for the operation and expansion of business?" But it can't come from government because "Where do they get their money? From profits, of course. So who's kidding who?"

11. Miscellaneous vintage spinners: non-put & take tops, non-bi-level

Golf Tops. Per the dealer in the UK: "A nice vintage boxed set of Teetotum Spinning Tops . ... Faux shagreen style fitted box impressed Spingolf to the top left corner ... Containing five brightly coloured tops ... which represent 5 different golf clubs which are spun to obtain the result of each stroke ... Diameter of each approx 2 cm ... Length approx 4 cm ... Width of box approx 9 cm ... Length approx 10.5 cm ... Believe that originally there would have been a board game with the tops this has long gone." The five tops read (from above): masher, mid iron, driver brassie, mashie niblick, and putter. Listed for $202 buy-it-now price in May 2011.

Click here to see the same set made of metal (lead?), made by Arbeco, called the "Tip Top Golf Set." The seller said, "THERE ARE 5 GAME SPINNERS, A DRIVER THAT IS 8 SIDED, THE OTHER FOUR ARE 6 SIDED AND ARE MARKED, MID IRON, MASHIE, MASHIE NIBLIC AND PUTTER. ALL ARE MARKED PATENT PENDING AND HAVE THE RESULTS OF THE "SHOT". AS AN EXAMPLE THE DRIVER HAS YARDAGES AND OF COURSE "OUT OF BOUNDS" WHICH IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SHOTS. THE MID IRON HAS YARDAGES AND "IN TRAP" AND "FLUB". SEE, IT'S JUST LIKE REAL GOLF. THE PUTTER HAS A 1 PUTT, 2 2PUTTS, 2 3 PUTTS AND EVEN A 4 PUTT."

Miss Blanche. This put & take with "Miss Blanche" (a cigarette brand around 1950, same period of the spinner) on it is in the collection of a museum in The Netherlands There are so far around 6 different models known. Four (including this one) are shown in the row below. This spinner and the ones below are from the collectiion of Gerrit Veldhoen.

"Walter Johnson Baseball Game" spinner. Below is the "Walter Johnson Baseball Game" spinner and pieces -- items I see on eBay from time to time. The eBay seller said, "These hard-to-find [?] pieces come from an early baseball board game featuring Washington Senator Walter "Big Train" Johnson (Career: 1907-1927, [one of the most famous baseball pitchers of all time]. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.)

"Spinning top (operates like a dreidel): made of a heavy metal, perhaps lead. Measures 2-1/2" in length; 1-3/8" in width. Has baseball terminology listed around its sides, telling players where to go on the playing board. Top of lid is imprinted: "Walter Johnson Baseball Game ~ Washington, D. C. ~ Made in U.S.A. ~ Patented." Lid screws on and off easily so tokens can be stored inside of spinner. 10 Aluminum (?) tokens or coin game playing pieces: 5/8" in diameter; 2 cm. thick; blank on back sides."

There are 20 sides (each with a baseball action, some of which repeat themselves, like "ball,""strike," and "infield out.") on the spinner. Going clockwise: home run, double play, ball, single, infield out, foul, 2 base hit, fly out, infield out, ball, single, strike, fly out, error, infield out, strike, 3 base hit, ball, fly out sac, and stole base.

I have done research on the game. It was published in 1925. I believe there are at least two versions of the game. Both have tokens that are blank on the reverse side. One version has a head picture of Johnson on one side (see in row below); the other version has an image of a full figure batter (click here); I'd trade one of my tokens (with Johnson's head shown) for one with the full batter shown. To view the entire game, box and all, click here.

	Café Terminus. "( TERMINIS was a Roman God for protecting the border so far as I know.) Terminus was a very common name for Hotel - Restaurant - Pub/café in The Netherlands - Belgium and France," per Gerrit V, his spinner, c. 1950s.
	General Tire. General Tire began its car tire brand about 1920 in the US and began operating in AMSTERDAM about 1930. Circa 1950's. Top of Gerrit V.
	Hotel Noord Brabant. "Was after WW 2 with 2 locations in the Netherlands , both are mentioned on the top: s 'Hertogenbosch en Utrecht. Around 1970 both Hotels changed the name , because they are sold to another group, per Gerrit V, his top.
	Great looking dice top. On eBay auction March 2012. It went for about $50.00.
	Italian. June 2011, I saw this on British eBay. Dealer said, "This little brass game spinner which is Italian in origin is an example that I have not had or seen before and over the years I had several different brass game spinners but I have never had this example before . The game spinner is marked with the numbers 1, 2 , 3, 4, 5 and the word SARTI on the sides . On the top it is stamped MESSICANO. "Messicano Sarti" in Italian means "Mexican Tailors" Gerrit emailed me this info: "...Messicano Sarti is a Liquer brand - .... about the first advertising around 1922 Messicano L'apperitivo Sarti."

	Five tops. From Gerrit V.
	"SOCCER FOOTBALL. Rare 6-SIDED BRASS SPINNER. SIDES READ: L, V & E, TWO TIMES EACH -- L FOR HOME, V FOR AWAY, AND E FOR DRAW. IT MEASURES 1.25 INCHES LONG AND 0.75 INCHES WIDEST. ORIGINAL PATINA. Weight: 30 grams." May 2013, $100.
	Another Football Spinner. "Football spinner from Argentina .... The letters are upside down. It spins well, only, the handle is too short for an easy spin. L= Local, E= Empate (draw) and V= visitors." Owned by Marianne Jager.
	United Kingdom. Top of Gerrit Veldhoen, Netherlands. Marked with dots (like dice) and TIMMINS Co Ltd SLOUGH BUCK'S. "IS PROBABLY FROM THE COMPANY TIMMINS METALWORKING which started in 1881." per Gerrit.
	Football top. The spinner messures 2,9 x 1 cm. Top of Marianne J.
	Colors instead of numbers (the top on right)! Saw this on eBay April 2012. The one on the right has colors instead of the usual inscriptions. Neat! Sold at auction, April 2012, $69 plus postage.
	Numbers w/ coins. Saw on U.K. eBay June 2012. Per Dealer: "Trench art spinning top dice or teetotum made of solid brass. It is hexagon shaped with a ww1 half penny on the top with the date 1916 and one on the underside with the date 1918. It has the numbers 1 to 6 on the flats with opposites that add up to 7. It measures about 40mm from the point to the top and about 21mm across the flats. It weighs 30g."
	Numbers w/ coin. Dealer: "Vintage spinning top dice or teetotum made of solid brass and copper. It is hexagon shaped with inlaid copper on the top and a domed penny on the underside bearing the date 1916. This dice has the numbers 1 to 6 on the copper top with opposites that add up to 7. It measures just over 42mm from the point to the top and just under 35mm across the flats. It weighs about 45g. ."
	Fortune Telling. I had this on my Non-English Put and Take page, but an Andy in Vermont made this sensible suggestion: "I'd say this was used for fortune telling rather than gambling: "Questionable; Never; Maybe; No; Yes; You bet!" (The six sides read: QUST - NVR - MAYB - NO - YES - UBET)
	Netherlands advertising dice top. Oude Schie is a real estate firm established in 1926 in Rotterdam. The sides read: 1 to 5, and Oude Schie for 6. Top of Marianne G.
	Unsure. Probably an old Put & Take, but not certain. Australian seller says, June 2012, "A VERY FINE LITTLE TURNED BRASS SPINNING TOP DIE. FOUR LETTER INSTED OF NUMBERS. M , N , T AND P. MIGHT HAVE BELONGED TO A GAME. THE ITEM IS 22 MM LONG."
	Portuguese Game: "Rapa Game"-- X 1 2. Got this from a UK seller Don't know what game it is for. Lighting throws the color off. Actual color is golden-yellow brass. 1-1/8," 20 grams. Spins very poorly. Six sides: X 1 2 1 2 1. (Local (1) - Draw (X) - Guest (2).) Look here too.
	Lawson modern tops. P.T. Lawson Co. is currently making hand made, machined, one-of-a-kind spinning tops. You might want to look at some of them here.

bone, 8 sides, 3.25"	1-6, 45 mm, brass, UK sixpence	only 20 mm, made of bone	"Knox," per Maxim
Lovely.	Advertising dice spinner. Dice dots on all 6 sides, except HULSTKAMP is on what would be the 6th side. Seller: "Dutch liquor factory Hulstkamp."	1903 postcard	4 sides, 4 suits
Unusual: 8 sides, spots 1 thru 8! 1.35," 29 grams.	MARKED "SLOUGH BUCKS TIMMINS CO LTD." 1.25."	Roman numerals 1-6 on the flats	From Marianne Jager web page.
nice	1886 Queen Victoria penny, 38 mm high, 33 mm wide.	44 mm high, 37 mm wide	1 1/8" tall x 11/16" wide sides: 70, 80, 90, 100, 110 & 120
3.5cm.	Spinning dice, Marianne Jager collection. Includes the one on the left.	1917 farthing coin is part of top. It's 64mm high and 75mm in diameter. Flats numbered 1 to 6.	no image for now.....................

12. Different finials (handles)

TEXTURE OF GRIP

http://www.antiquegamblingchips.com/puttake/ptfin3.jpg



from Marianne Jager	no image for now	no image for now	no image for now

INDENTED FINIAL
no image for now.....................	no image for now.....................	no image for now.....................	no image for now.....................	no image for now.....................