American toys and games

Magazine Antiques, July, 2006 by Miriam Kramer

When European families first settled in the New World, among the things they brought with them were toys. These were a source of comfort and distraction for the children, and a commodity to present as gifts to the locals.

The toy industry as we would recognize it today began in Germany, and by 1900 Germany was still the world's leading manufacturer of toys, and the United States was one of the largest importers. American toymakers also flourished: the 1850 federal census lists 47 toymakers and by 1880 the number had risen to 173. Not surprisingly the field was dominated by those born in Germany. Among the toys and games that originated in the United States are Lincoln Logs, devised around 1916 by John Lloyd Wright (a son of Frank Lloyd Wright); kites, which some say came from Hawaii where they were used to claim ownership of land; and such twentieth-century icons as Monopoly, the Slinky, Tonka Trucks, and of course Barbie.

An exhibition entitled Playback: A Celebration of American Toys and Games is on view at the American Museum in Britain, outside Bath, until October 29. The curators are Laura Beresford and Kate Hebert. There is no catalogue.

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