ANTIQUE AND VINTAGE TOYS

 The last open house of the season on September 17^th featured the new exhibit set up for 2022.  Many of the Antique and Vintage Toys in the exhibit were from our own collection and members loaned us many others to fill out the exhibit.  If you missed seeing it, most of them will return to their place in the children’s room.  So, be sure to check out the children’s room next year.

One of our prized toys is the antique rocking horse donated by Muriel Weeks.

Another favorite is this antique doll one of several in the collection.

          We also showed a history of toys so visitors would have an idea of when certain toys were first invented and how old they are.  The following is a summary listing a few of the toys known from each period.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF TOYS

Early Toys

         Before the 20^th century children had a few handmade toys and those they did have were precious.  At that time children did not have much time to play.  Only a minority went to school but most children were expected to help their parents doing simple jobs around the house or in the fields.  Children had often been thought of as small adults, who were expected to work to produce the goods that the family needed to survive. 

         In Ancient Rome and Greece when boys were not at school and girls were not working they played ball games with inflated pig’s bladders.  They also played with knucklebones and toys like spinning tops, wooden or clay dolls, and model horses with wheels, hoops, rocking horses and board games.

         Toys remained about the same through the 16^th century.

Modern Toys

         The industrial revolution allowed toys to be mass produced and they gradually became cheaper.  The first jigsaw puzzle was made in 1767 – cutting maps into pieces to teach geography, but soon people began making jigsaw puzzles for entertainment.  The Kaleidoscope was invented in 1817.

         In the 19^th century middle class girls played with wooden or porcelain dolls, doll houses, miniature dishes and skipping ropes.  Boys played with  marbles and toy soldiers as well as toy trains and model boats.  However, poor children had few toys and often had to make their own.

         In the well-off Victorian family children played with rocking horses and clockwork toys like moving animals and clockwork trains and the jack in-the-box.  Simple toys like spinning tops were also popular.  So were hoops and games like pick up sticks in which you had to pick up colored sticks from a pile without disturbing the others.

         On Sunday's, children were allowed to play with toys with a religious theme like a Noah’s ark with wooden animals. There were also magic lantern (slide) shows and puppet shows.

         Many new toys were invented in the 20^th century such as tin cars, etc. and train sets became very popular.  Soft toys also became common in the early 20^th century including teddy bears.

         During World War II most toy factories were turned over to war production.  However, in the late 20^th century with the arrival of an affluent society, plastic and metal toys became much cheaper and much more common.  In the 1950’s Legos became popular.  Mr. Potato Head was invented in 1952.  The skateboard was invented in 1958.  Barbie dolls were invented in 1959 and Action Figures appeared in 1966. In the early 1970s space related toys became popular.  At the end of the 20^th century computer games made an appearance. 

         Today, technology has entered the toy business in a big way.  However, old fashioned toys still are enjoyed, such as jig saw puzzles, Legos, yoyos, dolls. Board and card games still exist, but many are now also available on computers.  The selection of toys is now endless and constantly evolving.

 

Source:  Tim Lambert and other internet resources.