SHOPPING

100 years of toys: Classics like Raggedy Ann and Lincoln Logs are still beloved

Before Game Boys and Barbie there were erector sets and a raggedy lass named Ann.

Bill Ervolino
NorthJersey
A century of fun and games.

Toys date back to prehistoric times, when children fashioned sticks, rocks and clay into playthings. More sophisticated toys appeared in Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt. But it wasn’t until the beginning of the 20th Century that toys were mass produced, promoted through advertising campaigns and became part of the popular culture. The 1910s were marked by a world war, the sinking of the Titanic and the rise of the automobile. Major construction projects were taking place around the globe. And 40 years before Barbie arrived, a striking redhead captivated little girls. Card games were hugely popular, Tinkertoys made their debut and three other new toys, with real staying power, entered the American consciousness.

1910s

ERECTOR SET: A.C.Gilbert, founder of the Mysto Toy Co. (later the A.C. Gilbert Co.) reportedly got the idea for his now-legendary kits while watching a construction site in New York City. Geared to boys, the kits featured girders made of stamped sheet steel,

Bobby Meyers of Clifton, N. J. plays with an erector set, Feb. 20, 1961 -- one of the most popular inventions of Alfred Carlton Gilbert, head of the A. C. Gilbert Co. (AP Photo)

which could be bound together by nuts and bolts. Additional pieces made it possible to create realistic looking buildings and bridges. And, with the addition of small, battery-powered motors, users could even create operational cranes. The toy was an immediate bestseller and remained popular through the 1950s and early ‘60s.

 

RAGGEDY ANN: Dolls in the early days of the 20th century had already become incredibly lifelike when Raggedy Ann came along. The doll, based on a character that appeared in series of children’s books by Johnny Gruelle, was a throwback to the handmade dolls of the 1800s. Her button eyes and hair made from red yarn made her stand out and little girls loved her. The dolls were originally sold with the books in 1918, but her popularity soon made her the main attraction. She was so successful, she even found work for her brother Andy, who made his debut in 1920.

 

LINCOLN LOGS: One of the first great building toys, Lincoln Logs have an interesting pedigree: they were invented by John Lloyd Wright, son of the acclaimed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The notched logs linked together and enabled kids to build cabins just like the one Abraham Lincoln grew up in. (But whether the name was derived from the ex-President’s name, the fact that the logs linked together, or both of those things, is not known for sure.) The logs are still being manufactured and the original toy and its creator have been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.