Kitchener Buttons | |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Cheerio |
Release date | (please complete) |
Shape | Imperial |
Color | Various |
Weight | 45.3g |
Dimensions | 58mm diameter, 30mm width |
Material | Wood |
Bearing size | Fixed wooden axle |
Response system | None |
According to Lucky's Collectors Guide to 20th Century Yo-Yos: History and Values, these yo-yos started production in 1931 and were made into the 1940s. They represent the earliest of the Cheerio line and are highly sought after. Above the Cheerio marque the label reads, "Kitchener Buttons Limited, Buttons and Radio Knobs."
Wilfred Schlee, Sr. took over the Kitchener Buttons Limited factory in Kitchener, Ontario, in 1907. According to Lucky, another local businessman suggested to Schlee that he should make yo-yos as they were big sellers in the United States. Schlee soon discovered that yo-yos needed active promotions in order to sell well. Initially Cheerio promotions were restricted to Canada and England.