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Unraveling
the history of the Surprise Ball
Our Bami
Balls or Surprize Balls are
created from 100 ft of colorfully changing paper ribbon with lots
of fun treasures. As the crepe ball unravels, surprises and gifts spill
out of each layer.
Early history of Surprise Balls:
The earliest evidence of surprise balls were found in the Native
American culture. Traditionally, it was a common practice to tell the
history of one’s life with this unique ball. The first layer
represented birth and for each event in life, another layer and memento
was added. The Surprise Ball
of the Native American’s culture represents a person’s entire life.
In
the 1950’s, surprise balls became vogue in Mid America.
A gent named Charles Gregor began creating surprise balls in
New Orleans
. He named his version-The
Surprise Ball “The Toy You Destroy to Enjoy”
The
surprise ball soon made its appearance in prestigious toy stores such as
Fao Swartz and the gift store at the famed Mayo Clinic. We
hear that the auxiliary of The Children’s Hospital in
Minnesota
made the balls for their gift store.
The balls were also sold at Ben Franklin Crafts throughout the
50s. A coastal store near
San Francisco
was also notorious for its wonderful balls throughout the 50s.
And then there were no more. (It is hard work to wind a perfect
ball.) There were a few
copies of the balls made in
Japan
. These had a hard plastic
ball in the center filled with trivial toys. They lacked the colorful
fun layers filled with the wonderful original surprises.
TOPS Brings back the original:
Our balls are likened to the originals with lots of layers and
mementos
In the
1980’s Judy Walker, president of TOPS
Malibu
remembered surprise balls from her youth. She had been highly successful
with her invention of the Good Fortune Candle (a capsule and charms
hidden in a candle) and wanted to make another product filled with
surprise.
The Name Bami Ball:
In 1967,
while traveling thru
Holland
, Judy stopped at an outdoor vending machine which sold Indonesian
noodle balls known as Bami ballen. Inside the middle of the noodle ball
was a delicious surprise of meat or vegetables. It was from this fun
experience that Judy translated this concept into the present day Bami
Ball surprise ball.
Bami Balls continues
to be one of TOPS
Malibu
’s top products. Handmade, following the classic design from the
1950’s and using many of the original trinkets and surprises like the
fortune fish and old fashioned toys loved by all ages.
Bami Balls are
available for all different occasions and holidays.
It is a great gift, for party place settings or hung as an
ornament. Make every event memorable with unraveling the surprises -TOPS
Malibu
’s Bami Balls.
Please let us know any facts you learn about Surprise Balls! Tell
us about your memories. Thank you.
J
Customer quote
"I recently bought one of your surprize balls
for my niece who was turning 7. Not only was
she growing more excited with each untwist of paper but so were 20 other
little ones. Who for the first time during the whole party sat quietly
waiting for the next surprise to fall, and then would all squeal with
delight."
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