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The History of Devil Sticks & Flower Sticks

devilstick-flowerstick-history-juggling-1 — The Flinstones must have played with something like this

Juggling and flow arts have been around for millennia, but few props carry as much mystery -and name confusion – as the devil stick. Many players, especially in the USA, find themselves asking: Where did this fascinating tool actually come from, and why on earth is it associated with the devil? > While some legends trace its roots back thousands of years to ancient China – where it might have ironically been called ‘hua kun’, meaning flower stick – the true history is a thrilling mix of ancient myths and solid historical facts. Let’s cut through the historical fog and uncover the real story behind the gear.

: 💡 Quick Tip Before You Read: If you want to understand the physical and mechanical differences between these props first, check out our deep dive on How does a juggling stick work? to get the perfect technical perspective!

Juggling and flow arts have been around for millennia, but few props carry as much mystery -and name confusion – as the devil stick. Many players, especially in the USA, find themselves asking: Where did this fascinating tool actually come from, and why on earth is it associated with the devil? > While some legends trace its roots back thousands of years to ancient China – where it might have ironically been called ‘hua kun’, meaning flower stick – the true history is a thrilling mix of ancient myths and solid historical facts. Let’s cut through the historical fog and uncover the real story behind the gear.

devilstick-flowerstick-history-juggling-1 — The Flinstones must have played with something like this

: 💡 Quick Tip Before You Read: If you want to understand the physical and mechanical differences between these props first, check out our deep dive on How does a juggling stick work? to get the perfect technical perspective!

Why Are They Called Devil Sticks? (The Flower Stick Confusion)

The tassel-ended juggling sticks (which you can find here) are officially called flower sticks, but in many places, they have become, and are likely to remain, known as devilsticks. So let’s get our heads straight: what is a devilstick and what is a flowerstick?

According to the official wording, a devilstick is a juggling stick that is thinner in the middle (tapered) and has no tassels on the ends. Flowersticks, on the other hand, have the same diameter over the entire length of the stick (not conical) and have tassels (flowers) on the ends. In addition, devilsticks are generally longer, always rigid and not always covered with a grippy layer. Flower sticks, on the other hand, are usually can be shorter or longer, always covered with a grippy surface, made of both rigid and flexible material, and always with tassels on the ends (for more information, see How does a flowerstick work?)

So the devilstick and the flower stick are both in the juggling stick family, but are on two different branches!

The most common view is that the name “devilstick” comes from the Greek word “dia ballo”. It means “to throw something” and then catch it. From ‘dia ballo’ we have a mistranslation of ‘dia ballo’ to ‘diabolo’, which is Latin for ‘devil’. From there it was just a small step to calling it “devilstick”. Another story has it that the name “devil” comes from the fact that the only way to perform the show was to sell one’s soul to the devil. Others say it was simply because it was “devilishly” difficult to play.

Some sources trace the name of the flowerstick back to ancient China, where the tassel-ended juggling stick is said to have been called “hua kun”, or “flowerstick”. But no concrete evidence of this can be found anywhere. If there was a flower stick in ancient China, it probably had ‘balls’ on the end, not tassels (where did the first person who wrote this get it?). These balls made the stick spin slower and balance easier. So it is most likely that this name was given to the stick in modern times, when tassels were attached to the end of the stick. These now look more like a flower (petals).

Legend - From Ancient China to European Jugglers

devilstick-flowerstick-history-juggling-2 — ancient (ball) juggler representations

According to the most popular theory, juggling, and thus devilsticking/ flowersticking, started in ancient Asia and Africa. It was probably in China, India and Egypt that juggling and perhaps playing with the devilstick first took place. In fact, the earliest depictions of jugglers playing with balls come from ancient Egypt.

Most evidence suggests that it was invented in ancient China. It could have been made from bamboo, covered with cloth and used to train soldiers in skills that were essential in battle: dexterity, coordination, reflexes, patience… . From Asia it could have reached India and Egypt via the Silk Road, although there are theories that it was the other way round.

In the Middle Ages, like so many other great ancient inventions, the devilstick was forgotten. We have little idea when, where and by whom it was made and used. Some link its appearance in Europe to Marco Polo’s travels in China, others to the Renaissance. But there is no evidence of either. Native American Indians are also suspected to have used their wooden and leather devilsticks in their rituals. They are suspected of being the first to set fire to the ends.

The last – still highly questionable – appearance of the devilstick was in Europe in the 1760s, when an English traveller – allegedly – brought it back from his travels in the East. We’ve scoured the subject quite a bit in this area, but no evidence of this can be found. We’re still working on it and will update as soon as we learn anything 🙂

Legend – From Ancient China to European Jugglers

According to the most popular theory, juggling, and thus devilsticking/ flowersticking, started in ancient Asia and Africa. It was probably in China, India and Egypt that juggling and perhaps playing with the devilstick first took place.

In fact, the earliest depictions of jugglers playing with balls come from ancient Egypt.

Most evidence suggests that it was invented in ancient China. It could have been made from bamboo, covered with cloth and used to train soldiers in skills that were essential in battle: dexterity, coordination, reflexes, patience… . From Asia it could have reached India and Egypt via the Silk Road, although there are theories that it was the other way round.

In the Middle Ages, like so many other great ancient inventions, the devilstick was forgotten. We have little idea when, where and by whom it was made and used. Some link its appearance in Europe to Marco Polo’s travels in China, others to the Renaissance. But there is no evidence of either. Native American Indians are also suspected to have used their wooden and leather devilsticks in their rituals. They are suspected of being the first to set fire to the ends.

The last – still highly questionable – appearance of the devilstick was in Europe in the 1760s, when an English traveller – allegedly – brought it back from his travels in the East. We’ve scoured the subject quite a bit in this area, but no evidence of this can be found. We’re still working on it and will update as soon as we learn anything.

The Modern Evolution: How Devil Sticks Became Flower Sticks

The first proven appearance of the devilstick dates from the early 19th century. It was the time when a pair of Indian brothers – the Samme brothers – arrived in Europe and toured the continent with their devilstick show. Medua and Mooty Samme presented their science as a ‘Chinese stick game’ (another reference to the game’s Far Eastern origins). Below is a poster of their show, which has survived from Berlin (or Prague, according to other sources). It dates from 1813-1823.

The most successful “disciple” of the Samme brothers was the Austrian Karl Rappo, who continued to promote the devilstick in many cities from London, Moscow to Istanbul until his death in 1854.

After that, the devil stick appeared more often – the more important ones:

1832 – The first woman known to have been devilsticking was Josephina Schultz

1855 – The first scientific work on the physics of devilstick is by Benjamin Peirce, who published “the Devil on Two Sticks”.

devilstick-flowerstick-history-juggling-5 — The first “flowerstick” depiction ≈ 1880

1859 – The first book (in German) describing the making of the devilstick: “Der Zauberstab oder das neueste der Taschenspielerkunst und natürlichen Magie” (The magic wand or the most recent of legerdemain and natural magic)

1880-1888 – An important (and questionable!) date: This is the date of the following French soap advertisement, which shows the first appearance of the flower stick as we know it today (the fact that an oriental-looking man is playing with it, is a clue to the Chinese origin of the toy). However, the authenticity of the source is highly questionable, as it is about 100 years before the next flowerstick is made.

The 1890s: this is when apparently the first devilstick – a fiery one – was lit.

1912 – The first professional devilstick manufacturer: in the USA, Edward van Wyck sold his own devilsticks for 1,5 USD (equivalent to around USD 40-50 today)

The Modern Evolution: How Devil Sticks Became Flower Sticks

The first proven appearance of the devilstick dates from the early 19th century. It was the time when a pair of Indian brothers – the Samme brothers – arrived in Europe and toured the continent with their devilstick show. Medua and Mooty Samme presented their science as a ‘Chinese stick game’ (another reference to the game’s Far Eastern origins). Below is a poster of their show, which has survived from Berlin (or Prague, according to other sources). It dates from 1813-1823.

The most successful “disciple” of the Samme brothers was the Austrian Karl Rappo, who continued to promote the devilstick in many cities from London, Moscow to Istanbul until his death in 1854.

After that, the devil stick appeared more often – the more important ones:

1832 – The first woman known to have been devilsticking was Josephina Schultz

1855 – The first scientific work on the physics of devilstick is by Benjamin Peirce, who published “the Devil on Two Sticks”.

1859 – The first book (in German) describing the making of the devilstick: “Der Zauberstab oder das neueste der Taschenspielerkunst und natürlichen Magie” (The magic wand or the most recent of legerdemain and natural magic).

1880-1888 – An important (and questionable!) date: This is the date of the following French soap advertisement, which shows the first appearance of the flower stick as we know it today (the fact that an oriental-looking man is playing with it, is a clue to the Chinese origin of the toy). However, the authenticity of the source is highly questionable, as it is about 100 years before the next flowerstick is made.

devilstick-flowerstick-history-juggling-5 — the first “flowerstick” illustration

1920 – the oldest video of a devil stick

1940s : playing devil stick with pool cues

devilstick-flowerstick-history-juggling-6

1947 – Max Holden devotes a chapter to juggling in his book “Manual of Juggling”. He is also the first to describe the various tricks.

1950s: the devilstick – and juggling in general – is becoming more and more accessible. In the first jugglers’ magazine (Jugglers Bulletin), an article appears entitled “Concerning Devilsticks”, in which Bert Hanley describes the devilstick as the easiest juggling tool to learn, in addition to describing the tricks (nothing tangible has been found).

1962 – George Demott gives a great account of the devilstick in his book “Want to be a juggler?”

1977 – Hoven Burgees’s “Circus Technique” is published, which devotes an entire chapter to the devilstick.

1970s – 80s: the appearance and spread of flowerstick, indirectly due to an American band, the Grateful Dead. It is not known exactly when and where, but it was at their concerts, in the ranks of the hippie crowd, that the tasseled flowerstick as we know it today (nowadays known in many places as the devilstick) appeared and spread.

1986: Dave Finnigan: Juggling VHS: The first time a devilstick instructional material is released on videotape.

1987: also Dave Finnigan’s “The complete juggler”: the most detailed description of devilstick tricks ever written.

1990: Todd Strong publishes his book “The Devil Stick Book”, which – although in many ways beyond our knowledge – still serves as a devil stick standard. It is by far the most comprehensive summary of the devilstick to date. It includes detailed trick descriptions, a historical overview, and a discussion of the game’s beneficial effects. Interestingly, Todd Strong also first encountered the devilstick at a Grateful Dead concert in Seattle in 1983. He later spent a long time trying to find out how the devilstick (and flowerstick) came to be associated with the Grateful Dead, but came up with only a few vague origin stories. If you are still reading this, it looks like you are very interested in the devilstick. Maybe you have one? Maybe you make them too? Maybe for others too? Cool stuff isn’t it? 🙂 I once wrote to another stick-maker who posted one of our pictures on his website and asked him nicely and politely to take it down plz… I (also) justified it by saying “it’s cool that we both like the same thing = flowerstick” and I’d like to be (also) friends with him. His response was “I don’t want to be friends with other stick guys”. And he didn’t take the picture downL . Well, we are not like that. Really not 🙂 I would also love to meet Todd Strong…

1991 – This is the beginning of the interesting story of Harvey Mcload, who, like Todd Strong, first encountered a flowerstick at a Grateful Dead concert, where he bought one. Since he was selling T-shirts, he took it with him to attract prospective T-shirt buyers. People did come, but not for the T-shirts. Everyone was interested in the flower sticks! So he teamed up with a friend – Christopher Freeman – to start making flowersticks, which they did so well that within a few years they had 120 employees and were selling hundreds of thousands of them across the US. In 1995, the “flowerstick” became the best-selling toy in the US and Canada. This was the Harvey Freeman Devil Stick, which was much easier to play with than the juggling sticks that had been available up to that time. It was made lighter and more flexible, so it could be used by younger people (children). While before their sticks were mostly only for jugglers, with their sticks it became manageable for almost anyone. (Interestingly, although the official wording was that they made flower sticks, they called it the Devil Stick, which is why to this day the flowerstick is still called the “devilstick” in places like the USA (and many other places). Below is an interesting video about their history:

1996 – The first flower stick commercial

It’s interesting how simple the “good tricks” were. And they must have put in a lot of effort!

Just search now for “devil stick” or “flowerstick” and you’ll be amazed at how far the game has come. With modern devil sticks, there are no limits 🙂

2004 – XtremestiX is founded

Our handmade flower sticks, which we have been perfecting since 2004, fit into this trend of making juggling easier for as many people as possible. You can read about the process on our product history and development page. And in the video below, you can get a feel of what it’s like to be a flowersticker.

XXI. century

The spread of flowersticks is accelerating. Whereas until the end of the 20th century they were used by trained jugglers, today’s flower sticks are nowadays recommended for children as one of the easiest juggling games to learn and develop skills. While the simpler tricks can be learned as a child, older children can learn tricks previously unimaginable. And thanks to the internet, knowledge and tricks are spreading at lightning speed (see our own tutorial videos).

Interesting fact: Despite the fact that the devilstick probably originated in China, it has been almost completely forgotten in China, while in neighbouring Japan it is much better known and more widespread.

In the video below you will find the story of the devilstick/ flowerstick neatly put together. You get an audiobook with pictures of practically all of the mentioned characters above. Many thanks to Lund!:

If you want to read more about juggling sticks, you can continue here:

Devil stick vs flower stick

What makes a good flower stick?

How to choose between our flower sticks?

FLOWER STICK TYPES