What Toys Were Popular In The 1950s?

July 8th, 2008 ToyGuy Posted in Toys, Traditional toys, Vintage Toys No Comments »

This year classic toy designs are enjoying quite a renaissance. Parents are turning away from toys that they perceive as unsafe, or risqué, as well as expensive electronic toys, like Nintendo’s Wii game console. Especially popular right now are toys from the fifties. But it would be a stretch to call this a revival for these toys—many of them never went out style at all! Here are some of the most popular and beloved, both then and now.

Mr. Potato Head—Did you know that the Mr. Potato Head toy originally only came with the face pieces? Children were actually supposed to use a real potato! Even so, the toy enjoyed incredible success. Released in 1952, Mr. Potato Head was the first toy ever advertised on television, which lead to profits topping $4 million—that’s $30 billion by today’s standards!

The Hula Hoop—Though it’s one of the defining objects of the 1950’s, the exact origins of the Hula Hoop are unknown. They were used in various forms in ancient Greece, Egypt, and Australia, but were reinvented by the toy company Wham-o in 1957. The design was switched to plastic, and the company sold over 100 million within a year.

Frisbee—The very next year, Wham-O Toys hit it big again with the Frisbee, although this toy’s history is better documented. The Frisbee flying disc started in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where the Frisbie Pie Company delivered pies to several college campuses nearby. The students started tossing the empty pie tins around, and the Frisbee was born! Wham-O made the Frisbee plastic and more aerodynamic, coined the name, and made a fortune marketing the discs, which are still a staple at colleges everywhere.

Silly Putty—Like a lot of great toys, Silly Putty was invented entirely by accident. The fortuitous mistake happened during WWII, as scientists did research into synthetic rubbers. One inventor developed a bouncing substance that would go on to become Silly Putty. Since then, this gooey putty has been used in stress-reduction and physical therapy, was used by Apollo astronauts to secure their tools in zero-gravity, and has found a number of unique household uses. Some got into the hands of toy store owner Ruth Fallgater, who marketed it in plastic eggs. The inexpensive toy became enormously popular worldwide and remains a toy classic.

Play-Doh—This squishy toy was actually invented as a wallpaper cleaner. The inventor’s sister, however, started letting her kindergarten students use it in crafts as an alternative to harder and messier clay. Play-Doh, now owned by Hasbro, has sold over 900 million pounds, and the exact formula remains a secret to this day.

Scrabble—Board games were also quite popular in the fifties. Scrabble was designed by architect Alfred Butts, who worked on several versions of the game before selling the idea, which was refined into the Scrabble we know and love. The game’s big break happened when the president of Macy’s, Jack Strauss, played the game on vacation. When he returned and found that the game was not sold in his stores, he placed a large order, and Scrabble quickly received national attention.

Barbie Dolls—Of course, at the end of the fifties, the Barbie Doll cam out, revolutionizing girls’ play time forever. Barbies became the highest selling fashion dolls in history within a year, and the dolls now sell more than two per second across the world.

Also check out our post about the world’s most popular toys.

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What Is The Most Popular Toy In The World?

July 7th, 2008 ToyGuy Posted in Melissa and Doug, Schylling Toys, Toy News, Toys, Traditional toys, Vintage Toys No Comments »

With all the thousands of hot new toys coming out every year, a lot of people have been wondering what the most popular toy in the world is. Is it dolls and action figures based on TV shows and movies? Maybe Dora the Explorer dolls or remote-control Wall-e robots? Surely the Nintendo Wii must be the most popular—right?

Actually, many parents would be surprised to learn that some of the most popular toys today have been around since they were kids. From Tonka Trucks to Play-Doh, the toys that were popular then remain so today, topping holiday wish-lists and generating millions of dollars in revenue.

No toy demonstrates this than the ever-popular Barbie doll, which was rated girls’ #1 most asked for toy last holiday season. Yet these dolls have been around since 1959, when a woman named Ruth Handler decided her daughter would have more fun with three-dimensional dolls than the paper dolls she was used to. Within a year, Barbie dolls became the highest-selling fashion doll in history.

And Barbie has really grown up over the years. She’s changed jobs hundreds of times, going from simply being a fashion model to a soccer player, dentist, paleontologist, firefighter, presidential candidate, and even fighter pilot. Today, Barbie dolls are sold in 140 countries and about two dolls are sold every second. Barbie dolls are so pervasive in American culture that 90% of American girls have owned at least one.

After seeing the enormous success that Barbie dolls enjoyed, toy creator Stan Weston came up with an idea for a similar toy marketed to boys. In 1963, GI Joe was born—the world’s first and still most popular action figure. Quickly becoming extremely popular both in the United States and elsewhere, GI Joes expanded into comic books, an animated TV series, video games, and more.

And who could forget lovable crazes like Cabbage Patch Kids? They became the must have toy of the mid-80’s, and sales peaked in 1985 at $600 million. But that figure pales in comparison to the mind-boggling sales of Ty Warner’s Beanie Babies. In the 90’s these adorable little animals managed to become both the hottest toy in America and a valuable collectors items, with single dolls selling for tens of thousands of dollars. All of this helped build a toy empire worth over $6 billion.

But the reigning champion of toys is one that has lasted much longer, delighting both kids and parents for over half a century. The British Association of Toy Retailers determined a “Toy of the Century,” and the winner was…drum roll please…LEGOs! Since the famous interlocking blocks were first manufactured in 1949, over 20,000,000,000 have been made per year—that’s more than 600 per second!

In addition to classic themes like the Wild West, space, and the arctic, LEGO has offered specialty sets based on Star Wars, Batman, Spongebob, and much more. Even today, Indiana Jones LEGOs are being offered in coordination with the release of the new movie.

In addition to strict standards of manufacturing and design, LEGOs have done plenty to stay ahead of the curve. In 2001, LEGO released its Bionicle line, marketed to a slightly older crowd, and many LEGO sets now come with complex parts such as motors, gears, lights, sensors, and cameras. Most impressively, the new LEGO Mindstorms sets are designed to be integrated with a personal computer and carry out complex tasks—sets like these are often used in advanced robotics competitions.

So although many toys today may enjoy brief bouts of popularity, it takes a lot to stand up to toy behemoths such as these.

Also take a look at our article on toys popular in the 50s.

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Check Out Schylling’s Retro Vehicles

June 28th, 2008 ToyGuy Posted in Schylling Toys, Toys, Vintage Toys No Comments »

Vintage toys, especially tin toys, are all the rage nowadays, and Schylling, offering everything from keepsakes to collectible toys and more, has the market cornered. One of their specialties, however, is their retro collection of vehicles.

Boys love to imagine that they’re flying high with toy planes. The Schylling “Overseas Airplane” lets kids do just this. With its real spinning propellers and painted details, kids love to pull the plane back and let it shoot forward. Perfect for your little pilot!

For adventures of the aquatic sort, what child wouldn’t love the vintage Bluebird Speedboat? Capturing the timeless appeal of classic wooden speedboats of the 1920s, this toy is beautifully crafted with exacting attention to detail. It has a real, working wind-up motor that’s made of tin and removable.

An even more classic tin toy from Schylling is their T-35 Ducati Racecar. Kids love nothing more than to wind this car up and watch it roll. And its timeless design and details are sure to inspire nostalgia.

For more classic toy ideas, check out what toys were popular in the 1950s.

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Parents And Kids Love Schylling Vintage Toys

June 24th, 2008 ToyGuy Posted in Schylling Toys, Vintage Toys No Comments »

Tin toys are coming back in a big way. Parents love their nostalgia-inducing designs and children love their timeless fun. And the toy company on the leading edge of this phenomenon is Schylling, who offers a fantastic collection of vintage tin toys that are sure to bring you back to your childhood.

From a tin man on a motorcycle to a locking cashbox, these toys are well-crafted classics. The designs range from timeless treasures like tea sets and popguns, to chic collectibles like Curious George alarms clocks and lunchboxes.

Some of the more eccentric, imagination-inducing items include their Chrome Planet Robot, 10 3/4” tall and sure to provide hours of play. Schylling also offers a great selection of vehicles, from their T-35 Ducati Race Car to their Blue Bird Speed Boat—perfect for boys with a need for speed.

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