Almost every child that has grown up in Japan has seen a kendama, a wooden traditional Japanese toy consisting of a ken (sword) and tama (ball) connected by a length of string.

The balls are released at the start of the game by tipping over a big bowl. This is half the fun, and is achieved by tugging a string which upends the vessel and scatters the balls.

The great big $8,250 ball of Haussner’s string has become the instant cornerstone of the Antique Man’s collection of weird and wonderful oddities — “because it is, in fact, … ...