Period Toys??

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

I'm looking for museums, or preferably books that show examples of toys appropriate to the period (mid-19th century or before). I know examples range from dolls, rocking horses...etc.(observations based on previous discussion and some 19th c. prints) to a variety of other things...but I am really in want of a book/museum showing examples.

Thanks,

Paul B.

[Emily Burns]

Re: Period Toys??

Virginia and Michael Mescher have some lovely reproduction items on their Ragged Soldier Sutlery. Christmas engravings and stories from magazines like Godey's give a lot of description and detail about period toys.

[albrandon]

Re: Period Toys??

Paul,

I thought you might enjoy these. I found them by performing an in depth search on the internet.

The rocking horse picture dates to 1873, and the stereoscope set of the boy and girl playing together dates to 1872.

Amber L. Clark

[bizzilizzit]

Re: Period Toys??

http://books.google.com/books?id=icYtGRUZrZUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=games+we+played&ei=_3IPSZbTEoyuyATExbCSAQ#PPP1,M1

The NY Historical Society did a great exhibit on 19th century games - this was the book that went with the exhibit.

Elizabeth Topping

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: Period Toys??

Sounds like you may take a day trip to Williamsburg:

http://history.org/history/museums/dewitt_gallery_current.cfm

[KathyBradford]

Re: Period Toys??

Paul,

I'm planning to go to Winterthur tomorrow, and I'll take my camera. They have an exhibit entitled "K is for Kids," and it has all kinds of things for children. Each one is linked to a letter of the alphabet, and some of the items are pretty fascinating. Is there anything in particular you'd like? http://www.winterthur.org/winterthur...ueSummer07.pdf Scroll down to page 12. There's a beautiful 1836 quilt on page 40, too.

They also have a "Touch It" Room with many period appropriate toys and items for children to experience. http://www.winterthur.org/visiting/f...p?sub=touch_it

We researched about 40 historic games and toys that we take to different schools and museums for their children's programs. If that's something that would help you, please let me know.

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Period Toys??

Paul,

I'm planning to go to Winterthur tomorrow, and I'll take my camera. They have an exhibit entitled "K is for Kids," and it has all kinds of things for children. Each one is linked to a letter of the alphabet, and some of the items are pretty fascinating. Is there anything in particular you'd like? http://www.winterthur.org/winterthur...ueSummer07.pdf Scroll down to page 12. There's a beautiful 1836 quilt on page 40, too.

They also have a "Touch It" Room with many period appropriate toys and items for children to experience. http://www.winterthur.org/visiting/f...p?sub=touch_it

We researched about 40 historic games and toys that we take to different schools and museums for their children's programs. If that's something that would help you, please let me know.

Kathy,

Any pictures you can get would be of GREAT help!! Often in periodicals of the period we see sketches of toys, but these sometimes become almost comical, and may not represent actual toys of the period. I had seen on Colonial Williamsburg's Website a Noah's Arc of the period, unforuntately I was unable to save a clear detailed picture of this item (and it's cargo).

I'm admittedly new to this and would appreciate anything you would be willing to share.

Thanks,

Paul B.

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Period Toys??

This is Virginia's spouse posting.

We can provide considerable information about toys of the time period but, to help us knowing what to provide, we need to find out some information. Are you researching the topic to obtain general information to use in interpreting the time period for spectators or are you interested in purchasing/making period toys?

If you wish to research toys, we would suggest you start with our website (raggedsoldier.com) and read the brief writeup that accompanies each toy. Some of the toys have an additional page devoted to more detailed documentation of that particular toy. More documentation will be added as I have the time.

If you want to purchase toys, I'd suggest you check out our website for this as well (we are an approved vendor).

For toys beyond the ones we have on the website, let us know specifically what information you need. Some reproduction toys are available but so expensive we don't carry them because we doubt there would be adequate market. There are a lot of period toys that no one reproduces, especially the board games. Making wood toys takes a pattern and a lot of time so anything complicated may not get reproduced because it would be prohibitively expensive to purchase. There were many tin toys that are very expensive as originals and, if reproduced faithfully, would be a personal injury lawsuit waiting to happen because of the sharp edges.

For museums with toys from the mid-nineteenth century or earlier, there aren't that many with much in the way of toys for this time period. Many toys made up until the end of the civil war were wooden and, when broken, were thrown away. The mass producing of toys really got started in the years right after the civil war. Even the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, NY, (which used to be the doll and toy museum) has very little in their collection from before 1865.

In looking at museums and books, you have to be careful about the difference between "old time" toys and toys appropriate to the civil war time period or earlier. Just because a toy seems to be simple doesn't mean it is from 1865 or earlier. For the two museums mentioned, some of the toys on display are from past the mid-nineteenth century. The touching room at Winterthur has a basket of wooden toys but don't mention what they are. Not all wooden toys are appropriate to the mid-nineteenth century.

Secondary sources are sometimes not dependable. The best example of this is the topsy-turvy doll. I have heard from many secondary sources about how it is an ante-bellum doll but never have been able to find a primary reference. Even museums displaying the doll haven't been able to provide primary documentation. And the secondary sources have conflicting explanations for the dolls.

Anyhow, this is a topic I've been researching for some time. If you have some specific questions, please feel free to email me privately.

Michael Mescher

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Period Toys??

Are you researching the topic to obtain general information to use in interpreting the time period for spectators or are you interested in purchasing/making period toys?

Michael Mescher

Michael,

A friend and I are looking to obtain ANY information to be used in interpreting toys of the time period for spectators.

As part of this we fully realize that many toys may not be available today, or may be prohibitively expensive to buy. As part of this interpretation...we may need to produce some items which would otherwise be cost prohibitive.

Neither of us are new to authenticity aspect of the hobby, and realize fully, that just because something may be old-timey...this does not mean it is appropriate to the period.

Toys we may be looking for more information on: Rocking Horses (features seam to change on these every generation, so to follow-up on a previous statement...just because it may be old and made of wood, does not mean it is appropriate to the mid-19th century), Noah's Ark, Doll House, Blocks, stuffed animals, mechanical toys (looking for more information as to what these may have consisted of)...etc.

Thanks,

Paul B.

[Secesh]

Re: Period Toys??

Lead cast toy soldiers were definitely a favorite of among boys at the time, and marbles was played by both boys and girls. Both period toys can be found on Ebay for decent prices (just be sure of the seller)...thanks.

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Period Toys??

I'm curious about marbles being played by girls. In none of the girl's activities books that I've looked at do they mention girls playing marbles; but that activity is frequently mentioned in the boy's books. Also, it would seem that a dress would inhibit some of the positions used in shooting the marbles. Could you share any documentation you have about girl's playing marbles?

Thanks!

Michael Mescher

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Period Toys??

From an earlier post:

"Toys we may be looking for more information on: Rocking Horses (features seam to change on these every generation, so to follow-up on a previous statement...just because it may be old and made of wood, does not mean it is appropriate to the mid-19th century), Noah's Ark, Doll House, Blocks, stuffed animals, mechanical toys (looking for more information as to what these may have consisted of)...etc."

Toy horses have been a very popular item. In one of the museums in Petersburg they have a riding horse which has real horsehide with hair attached to the outside. Most horses were simpler but came in a variety of patterns.

The Noah's Arks are frequently shown in books about toys. I'll get you a title or two. The Old Salem site in Winston-Salem, NC, had some Noah's Arks in their collection along with a scattering of other toys from pre 1865.

I really haven't seen many of what we would have considered doll houses. They might have a single room, e.g., a kitchen, but not a complete house. But it seems like they should have had at least a few but maybe not so many that they were common. A problem with a doll house is having to have a place to keep it when it isn't being played with and, in general, their houses were smaller than ours.

Blocks ranged from chunks of scrap wood to alphabet blocks with pictures on paper glued to some of the sides. The Steamboat Bertrand had some of the latter although the paper had deteriorated.

I haven't seen any mention of stuffed animals and certainly not teddy bears. Animals were commonly made as wooden animals and either standing independently or on a 4 wheeled platform for a pull toy.

Mechanical toys could get very complex. They even had a walking doll.

I'll look through my book titles and recommend some books to get you started. By the way, where are you located so I have some idea of what libraries are near you?

Michael Mescher

[Secesh]

Re: Period Toys??

I am going by what my Grandmother told me as a child...she was born in 1894, and she remembered playing marbles as a child. This was just 30 years after the War, so times may or may not have changed where the game of marbles is concerned. Also, teddy bears did not come into vogue until 1906, and were named after Teddy Roosevelt...

[lukegilly13]

Re: Period Toys??

It's been a while since I have been there...but isn't the nursery in the Confederate White House stocked with original period toys? I believe I remember some dolls, a buggy, and rocking horses (chairs).

[KathyBradford]

Paul,

I'm not sure if this contains the pictures from Williamsburg you wanted, but just in case, here's a link to something from 2002.

http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/Autumn02/toys.cfm

And some general descriptions

http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/Christmas04/toys.cfm

If you want better pictures of any of the Winterthur ones I sent you, please just let me know.

Interesting topic. Thanks.