The Jacob's Ladder is a folk toy that dates back to the ancient Egyptians. This simple toy was especially popular during the American Colonial times and still played with children to this day. Donald DeVeny of Woodcraft Arts has a nice tutorial on how to make this timeless toy. While a scroll saw isn't necessary to make the Jacob's Ladder, the flat panels do offer an opportunity to embellish the design with fretwork. The panels can be made with any size lumber, and the ribbon can be any width. So get creative and make a few of these Jacob's Ladders for the little ones in your life.
PS - They make great stocking stuffers!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Jacob's Ladder
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
This has really been a fun week in your posting's. I just love them all, as usual. Keep up the great work!!
Allison
I am researching this toy for a professional journal and so far have found no documenation for it earlier than 1889 (a Scientific American article). I have contacted Plimouth Plantation, Williamsburg, Monticello and others and no one has a reference or artifact for it. Nor is there any for ancient Egypt, as some claim. There is an ancient chinese box that works on similar principle but it can't be inferred that the toy was developed from that. If anyone has a real historical reference I'd love to have it.
Post a Comment