Wooden Monarch

Wooden Monarch was a Santa Barbara, California cottage craft operation founded by Tom Holmes in 1988, inspired by watching the Smothers Brothers perform yo-yo tricks on television. Holmes hand-turned yo-yos in small batches from dense exotic hardwoods — including African ebony, cocobolo rosewood, purpleheart, tulipwood, and teak — often inlaying vintage coins such as Indian head pennies and mercury dimes into the faces. He sold primarily at Santa Barbara art shows and selected galleries beginning in 1990. World yo-yo champion Bunny Martin used Wooden Monarch yo-yos in his one-handed string-trick routines, providing the brand its primary claim to competitive recognition.