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[ta0]

Casalino found a maker of a toy reproduction of the whip top from Tutankhamen's grave!: https://johnnyworldproducts.com/collections/ancient-toys



I also ordered one, for just $13 and free shipping, that I received today.
This is a children's toy, not a museum reproduction. Here is a photo of the real King Tut top, that we discussed before:



Not only the toy version has the inlaid simulated by painting, but the spacing is wrong. The ivory squares on the original are separated by black inlaid squares of the same size, while on the toy the white squares have much larger separations. And the grooves do not coincide. On the other hand, the shape is similar and works very well as a whip top. It may be bigger than the original: it's 6.1 cm tall while one reference says that Tut's top is 4.9 cm. The box comes with a string and has no mention that the top was a whip top.

EDIT: Just found it on Amazon for $10: link. The description there says that the original will soon be on exhibit for the first time at the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. I believe Casalino told me that he already saw it in person in Egypt.

[ta0]

A page announces the display of toys from King Tut at the Grand Museum of Giza (estimated opening November 2022): https://egyptfwd.org/Article/6/1847/Check-out-A-collection-of-toys-of-the-Golden-King

It has this photo, showing not just the top with the inlaid but a plain one with the same shape:



Another view from above with other toys:



I read somewhere that there were various tops in the tomb. I wonder if any whips were found. More research is needed.

[ta0]

As a collector I love to spin tops that probably haven't spun in decades, even in over a century. My dream would be to spin one of Tutankhamun's tops, that I assume haven't spun in over 3000 years!
There is no way that would happen with the one with inlaid, but perhaps it's possible with the plain one. I recently found that the Tutankhamun trumpets were in fact played, so that gives me hope  :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt9AyV3hnlc

[Pepe]

Go for it!!!

Cant wait to see you there as the expert testing if this is a real working top...

[ta0]

Another view of the two Tutankhamen tops:



From the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square in Cairo, a shelf of whip tops:



And from the same museum, a photo of two more whip tops (just taken by friends of Cuper):



(Although the toy on the left seems to be meant to spin and has a cord, I don't think it's a top.)

That's a large variety of whip tops and I would like to know if they are from different eras. The ones on the shelf look more primitive but, on the other hand, would be very effective whip tops. The pair on the last photo look closer to evolving into throw tops.