Showing posts with label kids toys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids toys. Show all posts
Jul 17, 2012
Jun 7, 2012
I Collect: Stefanie
I love the Internet. I was doing a little googling the other day and came across this fabulous blog by fellow collector Stefanie. Having been inspired by Lisa Congdon's "Collection A Day," Stefanie decided to blog about collecting everyday for one year. Quite and ambitious feat.
I collect: Many, many things, but my
largest collection is vintage elementary school books from the
1930s-1960s. I also collect vintage toys.
Its
been going on for: I got my first school book in 1984, but I've really
been collecting them seriously for maybe 10-12 years. I have somewhere
around 500 school books. As far as my toys go, I've been a toy collector
for nearly 30 years. I am a toy designer by profession, so this sort of
goes with the territory.
I look for additions to my collections at:
Mostly antique malls/ flea markets. Although I've bought things on eBay
from time to time, it sort of feels like cheating to me. I prefer the
joy of the hunt!
The star of my collection is: My near-mint
set of Scott, Foresman Dick and Jane books from 1951 & 1956. (There
is actually one I don't have, but it's a 6th grade reader, which isn't
as desirable, so I haven't been in a huge hurry to finish the
collection)
The oddest piece in my
collection is: If you count all of my collections, I think I'd have to
either go with my 1867 wooden patent model of a steam valve, or perhaps
my diddley-bow... that's a little one-stringed musical instrument.
A way my collection has gotten me into a tight situation: I guess the
tightest situation my collections have gotten me into is my blog. A year
ago, I came across a fellow collector who posted one of her collections
every day for a year. Although it was a fun blog, and she had some cool
stuff, I thought my collections were more interesting, and I decided I
could do a similar blog. I decided to post one of my collections every
day, Monday through Friday, and then feature another collector each
weekend. I'll tell you, it's been a tough year. I've decided to suspend
my blog on June 30, when my blog reaches one year old. It's been really
stressful (but fun!) to document my various collections because I tend
to do it one day at a time instead of all at once. So, nearly every
morning, I'm setting up stuff, taking pictures, editing the photos, and
then putting together the blog entry. As the year
has progressed, I have created 'special days', like Toy Tuesday, and
School Book Friday, and I also added Orphan Wednesday, where I feature
my 'unique items' that don't fall into the 3 or more rule.
I'm really
glad I did it. It's given me a chance to document the extent of my
collections, photograph everything, share it with the world, and learn a
few things to boot. But doing a daily collector blog is not for the
faint of heart. I plan on putting everything into a book when I'm done. I
also am thinking seriously of thinning my collections out substantially
too. I'll definitely keep my books and musical instruments, but I'm
willing to part with many of my other collections.
Some other things that I like to collect are:
vintage toys and games, musical instruments (mostly stringed), ephemera,
books. You'll just have to look at my blog to see the different kinds
of things I collect!
My family and
friends think my collection is: My husband wishes I'd dust a bit more,
my kids roll their eyes (they are all grown, and none of them are
collectors), but my friends think it's awesome.
I've received a couple of honors for my collections: in 2000 I won
the Judges Trophy at the Ventura County Fair in California for the best
collection (school books). I was also featured in 2004 in Playthings
Magazine (a trade publication for the toy industry) as their collector
of the month, again, for my school books.
My collector blog: http://copycatcollector.
My creative blog: http://stefstyleblog.
My gallery on Collector's Weekly: http://www.
Thank you so much for sharing Stefanie!
Dec 2, 2011
Collecting Tonka Toys
I have a special place in my heart for Tonka toys. They were originally manufactured in my hometown. My grandfather, after taking a leave of absence from his position with the state of Minnesota, wanted to return to work, but there were no openings. In the mean time he took a job putting tires on toy trucks at the Mound Metalcraft factory. My mom tells me that he loved it. He worked mostly with women and enjoyed hearing them talk to each other all day. My grandmother regales me with tale of my dad and my uncles as little boys, driving their "Built To Last" Tonka Trucks off the docks into Lake Minnetonka. Needless to say, Tonka toys have were part of my life, even before I was alive!
Mound Metalcraft was founded in 1946. Their first products were metal tie racks and gardening equipment. Eventually they formed a union with Streater Industries, another local company, and they began producing metal toys. In 1947 they issued the #100 Tonka Steam Shovel and the #150 Crane and Clam. After that they were off! In 1955 they changed their name to "Tonka Toys," taking Tonka, a Souix word meaning "Big" and adding waves to their logo, some believe, to honor near by Lake Minnetonka.
Over time Tonka created new models and lines including Mighty Tonka, Tiny Tonka and Mini-Tonka. Millions of trucks were sold. They became a house hold name. In 1991 Hasbro acquired Tonka Toys and they are still manufactured today. (Though now in China). In 2001 Tonka Trucks were inducted into the "National Toy Hall Of Fame."
Tonka Toys were "Built Tough" and "Made To Last" which is a true statement. They are often found at yard sales, thrift stores and even hidden in the back of old barns. Pre 1970's pieces are the most desirable. If you are interested in collecting vintage Tonka Trucks the book "Collectors Guide To Tonka Trucks, 1947-1963" would be a helpful resource. As well as "How To Restore Classic Trucks, Tractors, and Airplanes." If you are looking for information on suppliers, manufactures and parts, here is a great list of links.
If you are looking to bare witness to the worlds largest Tonka collection, two locations claim the title. The Antique Toy and Firehouse Museum in Bay City, Michigan reports that viewing their Tonka truck collection is a "once in a lifetime experience." And the Tonka truck collection at Winifred Museum in Winifred, Montana is said to be a "delight to children of all ages."
All of the great (post 70's) Tonka Toys you see here are available for purchase at Etsy. Thank you Etsy sellers for the use of your stellar photographs!
Nov 8, 2011
The Difference Between A Collection And A Set
I can often be found cruising around Etsy looking at items labeled as "Instant Collection." Often times I come across things listed as a "Collection" that are clearly a "Set." I figured it was time to set (pun intended) the record strait; What defines a collection? The line is fine and sometimes even I can't tell the difference.
A Set, in this regard (the word set has a multitude of meanings) is defined as "A group of things of the same kind that belong together," or more specifically; "a number of objects belonging together, often forming a unit or having certain features or characteristics in common." Example: Marv has a nice set of tools.
A Collection is defined as "the act or process of collecting," "something that is collected; a group of objects or an amount of material accumulated in one location, especially for some purpose or as a result of some process." Examples being: a stamp collection, a collection of unclaimed hats in the checkroom, a collection of books on Churchill.
It still seems pretty vague, but what I gather from these dictionary definitions is that a set is usually made of items that befit each other, are born together or made compatible. The lable "collection" has more wiggle room. A collection is almost more meaningful than a set, as a collection was intentional.
It's almost like brothers and sisters....(try to follow me here) brothers and sisters did not ask to be part of one anothers universe, but by happenstance they are in fact a "set" of siblings. But friends are a collection...we set out to create through a process of elimination a core assemblage of mates. Please don't get me wrong here, brothers and sisters are just as meaningful as friends...and sometimes more so if your brothers and sisters are your friends. I might have taken this in the wrong direction, but it feels right.
I hope this cleared up some of the mystery. Feel free to share any comments or ideas. What does a collection mean to you?
Thank you to all the wonderful etsy sellers out there for the use of their stellar sets and collections which are all available for purchase.
Sep 27, 2011
Aug 29, 2011
Collecting in Childrens Literature
I was reading a book to my daughter the other night and came across this little poem about collecting:
The Stamp-Collecting Trollusk
I loved Mercer Mayer as a kid. I still have a lot of my old books. This one that I was reading to my daughter, my dad used to read to me.
Aug 6, 2011
Aug 3, 2011
Collecting: Wooden Toys
I love toys. I (of course) loved them as a child. I love them as an adult. And as a collector, I adore them. The world of collecting toys is quite vast. There are dollhouse miniatures, Barbies, View masters, paper dolls, comic books, Fisher Price, wind-up toys, music boxes, mechanical banks and Tonka Trucks to name a few. I'm sure I will end up talking about toys many more times, but I thought I'd start with a personal favorite, wooden toys.
I'm sure it's safe to say that wood was one of the first materials used in crafting toys. A hundred some years ago, hand carved, one of a kind toys were it..The first wooden toys sold in the United States were largely from Germany. They were made with water powered drills; water wheels moved by flowing rivers sent power to the drills. Each toy was slightly different than the next, not like today's assembly line toys.
During the 19th century wooden toys were the standard. Children were playing with wooden trains and tracks, toys soldiers, tea sets, wooden food, alphabet blocks, pull-behinds, dolls, and jigsaw puzzles. Many children were only allowed to play with toys on Sundays, making many wooden toys available, of a biblical nature e.g. Noah's Arc.
After World War II the manufacturing of wooden toys declined. The plastic business was booming. Though you could still find wooden toys or hybrid wooden/plastic toys. Wooden toys had fallen out of fashion. They seem to be making a comeback these days, with spiking interest in Waldorf education and a desire to return to simpler times.
There are a few good manufactures making quality wooden toys these days. Melissa & Doug are quite popular and can be found a number of places. I really love the German company Haba and have invested in some great Haba toys for my daughter. The site Mookla offers the largest selection of modern wooden toys I've ever seen. But I prefer antique and vintage wooden toys. My daughter loves the springy tail with the wooden tip on her Lil Snoopy Dog pull-behind (the same Lil Snoopy Dog I drooled all over.) Wooden toys last much longer than plastic and can be heirlooms, shared between generations.
If you are interested in learning more about collecting wooden toys there are many books available on toy collecting, which you may have to scan through to find wooden specialties. It is always helpful to ask your friendly librarian. The Wonder Of American Toys 1920-1950 is available for only $13.95 on amazon.com. Old Wood Toys.Com is a very helpful website, full of links and answers to questions. And Wooden Toy Museum has a good list of links available too.
Remeber to care for and clean your wooden toys to insure their lifespan. Fauxgrain.com gives us this helpful adivce:
NEVER SOAK A WOODEN TOY.
*Direct sun can also damage a toy over time, particularly those that are unfinished or oil preserved.
*Wood that is overly dry is prone to cracking and splitting.
*Rough or splintered edges should be smoothed with fine sandpaper.
*The character of your wood can change with humidity, therefore it is essential that you routinely inspect the toy for parts that may have loosened.
*DO NOT use furniture polish on wooden toys...it is toxic to children. It is helpful to know what type of finish is used on your toy; this will determine the maintenance required.
If you follow the link you will also find information regarding stains, finishes, glues and assembly.
Reminder: Not all wooden toys are safe for children, especially vintage wooden toys with their lead based paints and their small parts. Always use caution and supervision where necessary.
All of the wooden toys you see here are available for purchase on Etsy. Thank you Etsy sellers for the use of your spectacular photographs!
Jul 17, 2011
"1000 Ideas For Creative Reuse"
In my family, Tuesdays are library days. With lots of room, thanks to the stroller up-grade, I can now check out books for myself, along with the board books and Charlie & Lola dvds. This last Tuesday I selected a book called "1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse" by Garth Johnson.
What a wonderful discovery from the library. This thing is packed with page after page of inspiration. So many artists and craftsmen are featured. And the entire things is broken down into organized sections. Did I mention how lovely the photography is too?
I'm always on the look out for new ideas of things to collect, or ideas for my existing collections. "1000 Ideas For Creative Reuse" sparked the collector in me, introduced me to some artists I hadn't yet heard of and brought a big smile to my face. I'd like to share.
Elizabeth Morisette created a series of vessels using unusual objects. I love the zippers seen here. As a sculptor Morisette is challenging our idea of traditional sculptural materials and continues to make pieces with everyday items. She has a blog where she updates and informs about her upcoming shows.
Margaux Lange:
Margaux Lang is making one of a kind jewelery pieces using Barbie parts. I've seen her work before on the Etsy open page. It was great to see her again in "1000 Ideas For Creative Reuse." Her pieces are so well done. I love the humor/tongue-in-cheek aspect. Lange has a beautiful Website with many, many pieces available. Midge's Mind is her adorable blog. If you are interested in any of her pieces you can find them on her Etsy page.
Jarod Charzewski:
Jarod Charzewski's exhibition "Scarp" at the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art in South Carolina speaks mountains of our consumer based culture, our desire to acquire, and how these themes affect our global landscape. I find all of that fascinating, but what really drew me to this piece was the colors. And Charzewiski's ability to collect a vast amount of the same thing, in this case clothing, to re-arrange it into something different and beautiful. I can only imagine what went into gathering 5000 pieces of clothing, transporting, storing and setting up. I bet Scarp is amazing in person! On Charewski's website you can see what he has been up to lately.
....Kinda makes you want to do something with those collections, huh?
Jun 20, 2011
I Collect: Suzanna
What a gal! Suzanna is an artist, and a mom, a wife, a Kansan (I had to look that up) and a collector! She sells her beautiful assemblage and collages here. And she also has an Etsy where she sells Instant Collections, supplies and collectibles. Suzanna blogs here at Sushipot about her adventures in art, collecting, food, mothering, life etc.
I collect: aluminum coffeepots, clowns, old craft doll faces, antique books, religious kitsch, scissors, old buttons, tin tea sets, vintage children's books and ephemera. I'm sure I've forgotten something.
Its been going on for: a very long time!
I look for additions to my collections at: Everywhere: thrift shops, the roadside, flea markets, antique dives, the interwebs, garage sales, junk yards. You name it!
When I find one I feel: Elated and inspired.
The star of my collection is: My favorite's are the collection of clowns I inherited from my grandma when I was a teenager.
The oddest piece in my collection is: Hard to say…maybe the really big Humpty Dumpty doll face mask. It's a bit on the strange side.
A way my collection has gotten me into a tight situation: I've definitely put my bank account in a tight situation on occasion!
Some other things I like to collect are: little things, my daughters drawings and happy memories.
My family and friends think my collections are: a bit strange and hard to dust!
Thanks for sharing Suzanna!
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