Before Plastic - The Toys

[TSCLowe]

Somewhere in my collection is a copy of a painting depicting Napoleons army crossing the channel, I 'll try to find it.

Here it one

 

[rebelatsea]

Here it one

Well done ,that's the one , mine is in colour and in a book about the history of airships, haven't had the chnace to dig it out yet.

 

[samuel orris]

The china tea set is fantastic. Looks like it could have actually been used for an afternoon tea. I'm glad the toys are mostly plastic now. Our grandsons would have something like that completely busted up within hours.

 

[EJ Zander]

JPK,
The Studebaker wagon is modeled after the full size wagons built by Studebaker here in Pennsylvania.

Studebaker had a shop off Old Route 15 in Huntington Township, Adams County (then York County), Pennsylvania, in 1798, 1799. It was located a short distance from York Springs (Petersburg) Pennsylvania.
Peter Studebaker, Sr., and Peter Studebaker, Jr., wagon-makers, which trade later became the foundation of the family fortune and the corporation which now bears the name. John Studebaker, father of the five brothers, born in Adams County, Pennsylvania, was the son of Peter Studebaker who founded the operation. Later the operation relocated to Ohio. Below right is a photo showing the famous Budweiser Clydesdale Team pulling a Studebaker wagon.

Expired Image Removed

Studebaker was also awarded a Government contract to build wagons for the Union Army. His company produced wagons that were sold across the country before the manufacture of the Studebaker automobile.

I was thinking the same thing when I saw the wagon, haha. In 1790 David moved to East Berlin and made wheel spokes. Its a big deal in town.

 

[Private Watkins]

All wonderful... thanks for sharing these JPK...

 

[nitrofd]

It just goes with the old saying that the Victorian had too much time on their hands to be able to make those toys with such detail.i really do not know how you could put a price on some of them.i would like to play with some of them.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Santa found more in the bottom of his cavernous Pinterest bag.

Some will be post-1860's, please excuse! This last for instance- too cute! A skipping rope toy? Incredible! It does make me wish very much electronics would all go away and these were the only toys on store shelves.

 

[Private Watkins]

Since this old thread got bumped (thank you!) and I missed it first time around... Those look like the hoops for a game I've heard called graces--don't know if that's the most common name. I don't see the sticks in the picture, but you need two players each with two sticks, maybe 18" or 2 feet long, the ends a little sharpened. The first player crosses her sticks in the middle, puts the hoop on, and quickly uncrosses the sticks to fling the hoop toward the other person, who catches it (hopefully) on her sticks, crosses them, and flings it back. It continues as a game of catch, or with informal challenges to catch difficult tosses. You can really get some distance and speed.

I had not ever heard of that type of hoop game... what I recall my grandfather saying he played as a little boy was the type of game where one used a stick to roll a hoop across the ground... either to see who could keep it going the the longest without the hoop falling over....

Or to race someone else...
Expired Image Removed

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Some of the best ever are here.

I would still love this under the tree.

Am not a monkey fan- can deal with spiders, kinda like black snakes, OH and garter snakes, will brake for milk snakes, also duck for a bat. Monkeys? Brrrrshuddergag. Monkeys are my kryptonite. Even a toy gives me the willies- this is way too good and it climbs. Towards you.

This looks home-made, not mass produced? Could be wrong- like someone maybe took one of Santa's reindeer, a doll, some wheels from another toy, etc. etc. Very cute!

This must have been a shop owner's sample, to have survived in this condition. SO dear!! Just started believing in Santa again because this is on a list.

 

[Private Watkins]

Nice thread, but it makes me wonder how many CW families could afford these types of toys. I always thought they'd be home-made and there aren't too many of those, with the exception of the dolls.

Even in the early 20th century when my grandfather was a little boy, based on what I remember him saying, most kids (at least in his small rural community in Texas) would not have had store bought toys, but made due with their imaginations and whatever things might have been available on the farm... like an old iron hoop and a stick.

The craftsmanship of these old hand-made toys is wonderful and what makes them so amazing today... and also so rare.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

I had not ever heard of that type of hoop game... what I recall my grandfather saying he played as a little boy was the type of game where one used a stick to roll a hoop across the ground... either to see who could keep it going the the longest without the hoop falling over....

Or to race someone else...
Expired Image Removed

Wish we knew more about this game! It shows up in different movies or on TV shows- you know, a child in the background rolling a hoop along. Also wish it had not gone away by the time we were kids. Looks like it was an awful lot of fun, right? Like JamesB's hoop game- there are a lot, lot of games requiring pretty simple materials you'd have thought would be a blast any generation. Dad always wondered why on earth marbles went away. He said that was a blast, too.

Heck, hate to sound like an old-timer, anything round, kids made a day-long game out of it. Days long game. We had a kind of permanent kick-ball game going up on the old playground behind our house. You'd show up., one side or the other would say ' Ours! '. play until the last second your mother expected you home. In our case that was the police whistle Mom bought. We could be anywhere as long as in range- heard that? Get home.

That play ground is still there. It's a raised playground, huge stone walls all-around, steps going up and in one side, rocks cemented upwards to keep intrepid children from walking 15 foot edges. We did anyway. Big monkey bars in one corner, a raised portion with trees, steps going in there, someone finally paved the whole thing back in the 60's. You walk up those old stairs almost expect to see a game of kickball in full swing, hear the peculiar ' twiong ' when a medicine ball gets a good, home-run boot. The whole neighborhood hung out there.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Even in the early 20th century when my grandfather was a little boy, based on what I remember him saying, most kids (at least in his small rural community in Texas) would not have had store bought toys, but made due with their imaginations and whatever things might have been available on the farm... like an old iron hoop and a stick.

The craftsmanship of these old hand-made toys is wonderful and what makes them so amazing today... and also so rare.

Somewhere there's a thread on the rag dolls- bet it was tough, affording the store dolls plus their clothing. Wish I knew more, am guessing those rag dolls were mostly home made? An awful lot of the photos we have today, little girls of the era clutching dolls, the dolls are rag. Maybe I'm wrong and they were a store-bought item, too?

 

[samuel orris]

Even in the early 20th century when my grandfather was a little boy, based on what I remember him saying, most kids (at least in his small rural community in Texas) would not have had store bought toys, but made due with their imaginations and whatever things might have been available on the farm... like an old iron hoop and a stick.

The craftsmanship of these old hand-made toys is wonderful and what makes them so amazing today... and also so rare.

Just like today. If you give a small child a boxed toy, they'll most likely find more entertainment with the box.

 

[James B White]

I had not ever heard of that type of hoop game... what I recall my grandfather saying he played as a little boy was the type of game where one used a stick to roll a hoop across the ground... either to see who could keep it going the the longest without the hoop falling over....

Or to race someone else...
Expired Image Removed

Note how big those hoops are, though. The ones for graces are smaller, and the ones in the porch photo looked more the graces size. Also, they had the ribbons which are typical for graces (don't know why), but aren't generally seen on the rolling hoops.

 

[Legion Para]

http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/civilwarantiques/1511webcat02.html

 

[Private Watkins]

http://www.angelfire.com/oh3/civilwarantiques/1511webcat02.html

View attachment 86157

Now that's a cool toy horse...!

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Just like today. If you give a small child a boxed toy, they'll most likely find more entertainment with the box.

Ha! Just made me remember, the local hardware store was 2 blocks away from our house. We'd go there scrounging appliance boxes- Dad would bring one home for us if any were to be had. sometimes several. OH my gosh, played with those things for days and days. Made forts ( never houses, always ' forts ' ), put the dogs in there with us, the rabbits, dragged them all over the yard, down hills, cut windows and doors, painted them, ate lunch in them, put pillows and blankets in them, read books in there- it was endless. Well, until it rained. Mom's rule, we had to dismantle soggy boxes for the trash after that.

 

[MRB1863]

Ha! Just made me remember, the local hardware store was 2 blocks away from our house. We'd go there scrounging appliance boxes- Dad would bring one home for us if any were to be had. sometimes several. OH my gosh, played with those things for days and days. Made forts ( never houses, always ' forts ' ), put the dogs in there with us, the rabbits, dragged them all over the yard, down hills, cut windows and doors, painted them, ate lunch in them, put pillows and blankets in them, read books in there- it was endless. Well, until it rained. Mom's rule, we had to dismantle soggy boxes for the trash after that.

What a coincidence! I have fond memories of making the box Mom's new appliance was delivered in into a fort. My sisters and I worked on it all day preparing for a big camp out. Planned on staying in it all night in our backyard...til the mosquitoes changed our minds! Off to bed in the safety of home!

 

[bonzillou]

Hi

nice sets of beautiful toys.

Are there evidences of toys related directly to the war? (toysoldiers for boys, may be nurse toys for girls!?)

Cheers

Pascal

 

[18thVirginia]

Note how big those hoops are, though. The ones for graces are smaller, and the ones in the porch photo looked more the graces size. Also, they had the ribbons which are typical for graces (don't know why), but aren't generally seen on the rolling hoops.

Would the graces hoops been embroidery hoops?

Like you, I missed this wonderful thread. Glad it got bumped.