Tobar Large 60cm Retro Space Hopper Ball

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After it launched at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, it became more successful than I ever imagined. Over the years, we replaced the rigid plastic handle with a soft one that's the same material as the ball – and renamed it the Hop. We never licensed the design, so different kinds cropped up all over the world. In 1968 Ledragomma, my company, patented just the handle, so other companies could make their own versions with different handles and their own names, to get round the patent. We weren't worried: the market was big enough for all of us. A British company called Wembley made some changes to the design and called it the Space Hopper. The Americans called theirs the Hoppity Hop. Roger Brown, Wembley marketing director A space hopper, also known as a moon hopper, skippyball, kangaroo ball, bouncer, hoppity hop, or hop ball, is a rubberball (similar to an exercise ball) with handles which allow one to sit on it without falling off. The goal is to hop around with it, using the elasticproperties of the ball to move forward. A lovely, deeply moving story of loss and love and memory made real. The sort of book that makes you feel the tenderness of joy restored, and the tearing pain of a choice between the two halves of your heart’ At its peak, when it was a national craze, we must have been selling 200,000 a year. Later, we did a Womble hopper and a four-legged animal hopper for preschool children, who held on to its ears. But none of them were anything like as successful.

The British animated sketch show Monkey Dust features the recurring character Ivan 'The Meat-Safe Murderer" Dobsky, a man imprisoned in 1974 for a crime he didn't commit, being finally released in every episode with no possessions other than a variety of 1970s clothing and a space hopper called Mr. Hoppy. Mr. Hoppy is eventually revealed to be both sentient and responsible for the Meat-Safe Murders himself. Filled with nostalgic references, this heartfelt book is a lesson on living in the here and now’ My Weekly Space hoppers were introduced to the UK in 1969 — the Cambridge Evening Newsnewspaper, England, contained an advertisement for the hopper in November of that year [1]and described it as a "trend". Although in practical terms they served absolutely no useful purpose whatsoever (in that they didn’t allow the user to go faster, bounce higher, or run further than they could on foot), nevertheless they became a major craze during the late 1960s/early 1970s. The space hopper also lent its name and face to the Birmingham Psychedelic trance parties that ran from the mid-nineties to 2000, and also appeared at the Glastonbury festival. The Hop! 66 is still primarily child-sized. Demand for truly adult-proportioned hopping balls was met with two notable items: The first was Kitt 2000 Velp, of the Netherlands Mega Skippyballs, a large hopping ball that, by virtue of its size, was intended only for adult use. It came in three sizes: 120 centimetres (47in), 100 centimetres (39in), and 80 centimetres (31in). A child can sit on top, holding the two handles, and bounce up and down until the ball leaves the ground. By leaning, the driver can make the ball bounce in a particular direction. In practical terms, this is a very inefficient form of locomotion, but its simplicity, ease of use, low cost, and cheerful appearance appeal to children.A magical story of love, loss and the ways that grief changes us forever . . . This is a brave and powerful novel that asks big questions about time, memory and whether those we love ever truly leave us’ In the British crime drama Endeavour, episode "Apollo" (2019), a child is shown bouncing on a Space Hopper in a scene contemporaneous with the 1969 Apollo mission, consistent with the toy's 1968/1969 release in the UK. The European "Hop!" balls appeared in the beginning of the 1990s and are still available. Made by Italy's Ledragomma/Ledraplastic, these are essentially an exercise ball with a handle attached. The sizes of these balls range from the "Hop! 45" to the "Hop! 66" (66cm, about 26in).

Each hopper featured two handles on the top so you could keep your balance - but still many kids ended up flying right over these very handles after things got out of control! It really wasn't the safest toy around - its saving grace was its apparent inability to burst, although we had a good try at it. But it was great fun, especially when your mates lines up on theirs and you raced each other to the end of the playing field. Space hoppers were introduced to the United Kingdom in 1969. The Cambridge Evening News contained an advertisement for the hopper in November of that year [1] and described it as a trend. The space hopper became a major craze for several years and remained widely popular through the 1980s. The toy is sometimes considered a symbol of the 1970s. Tender, mesmerising and original, Space Hopper is a beautifully observed debut told with warmth and luminosity. I devoured it in two sittings’ This is a magical, moving story about past and present, grief and healing, choices and yearning. A heart-warming, touching novel’ This story will bounce joyfully through your heart, leaving you with a fresh belief in second chances’

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In the United States, the first mass-marketed hopping ball was a version of an earlier European toy—the Hoppity Hop, released by the Sun company after it introduced the ball in 1968 at the American International Toy Fair in New York. The space hopper was said to have been invented by Aquilino Cosani of Ledragomma, an Italian company that manufactured toy rubberballs. He patented the idea in Italy in 1968, and in the United States in 1971. Cosani called the toy PON-PON. Space Hopper is an original and poignant story about mothers, memories and moments that shape life. This is a magical, moving story about past and present, grief and healing, choices and yearning. A heart-warming, touching novel’ Platinum The Hoppity Hop sold steadily for decades, but by the 1990s, sales began to slip due to increased competition from foreign hoppers.

They say those we love never truly leave us, and I’ve found that to be true. But not in the way you might expect. In fact, none of this is what you’d expect. A space hopper (also known as a moon hopper, skippyball, kangaroo ball, bouncer, hippity hop, hoppity hop, sit and bounce, or hop ball) is a rubber ball (similar to an exercise ball) with handles that allow one to sit on it without falling off. The user can attempt to hop around on the toy, using its elastic properties to move forward.Today, numerous (usually Chinese) versions can be found in most stores, ranging anywhere from 16" to 24". In the United States, the first mass-marketed hopping ball (a version of an earlier European toy [ citation needed]) was the Hoppity Hop, released by the Sun company around 1968. Because of the market and media saturation by this toy, any such ball — regardless of origin — is now generally known in the U.S. by that name (or sometimes "hippity hop"). The original space hopper in the United Kingdom was manufactured by Mettoy ( Mettoy-Corgi). Wembley made a similar model, which had smooth handles rather than the ribbed original. The orange kangaroo design is now available in adult-sized versions in the UK. [2]

Incredibly moving, bittersweet and perceptive . . . a profound book that makes you think, makes you feel and makes you grateful for the family and friends you have around you’ The term "space hopper" is more common in the United Kingdom. The toy is less familiar in the United States and may be known as a "hoppity hop", "hippity hop", or a "sit and bounce". A similar toy, popular in the United States in the 1980s, was the pogo ball, which has a hard plastic ring encircling the ball instead of a handle.Within the first three months, more than 300,000 units were sold across the country. Because of market and media saturation of this toy, any such ball, regardless of origin, is now generally known in the US by that name. It is interesting to note that the Hoppity Hop's original targets (according to advertising materials) were adults as well as kids. Since the balls only inflated to around 20", however, it's doubtful any but the shortest hop-minded adults could have gotten much use out of one. The Mega Skippyballs are made of extra-strong vinyl, and in the Netherlands, there are various Skippyball races and championships.