The bola or boleadoras is a primitive hunting tool that was originally used by the Chinese, Eskimos and South American Indians. Bolas are a throwing device made out of weights that are attached to the ends of interconnected cords. Bolas are designed to capture animals by entangling their legs. They are most famously used by the South American gauchos to capture running cattle or game.

For detailed information about bolas from different cultures, please visit the flight-toys bola web page.

This is the first bola that I purchased for my personal collection. I purchased it from Steve Nelson of Mountain Trading for $375 in 1995. This dealer told me that the bola was an Eskimo bola. I found out later that the construction method is identical to bolas made by Argentinian Gauchos and not by Eskimos. Anyway, this is an older bola. There is attractive decorative stitching on each bola covering. The leather covering is old and discolored as expected. The cords have deteriorated somewhat so that they are not strong enough to use. I repaired the bola cord with thin black thread to make it suitable for display. This is a large bola with longer cords. It makes a wonderful display and it is a terrific collectable from South America. Cord length = 87 -> 91 cm ; Ball diameters = 5.0 -> 6.0 cm ; Weight = 683 gm