People who collect vintage toys are well-versed in the history of their items, what company made them, when they were popular, and who the typical users were. Still, many people remember the toys of their childhood but don’t always know their origin and history, especially those that are not just basics like dolls, blocks, and toy trucks.
WorthPoint examined some popular toys with fascinating origins. Do you have any of these? Some of them have become quite valuable and are sought after by collectors.
Frisbee—A Flying Disc
This flying disc started out on college campuses in the Northeast, specifically Yale University, in the late 1940s. They used tin pie plates from a bakery in Bridgeport, CT, called, of all things, “Frisbie’s Bakery.” In 1948, a Los Angeles-based building inspector, Walter Morrison, and his partner, Warren Franscioni, created a plastic version that was more aerodynamic than a pie plate and could fly higher and faster. Initially, they named it “The Flying Saucer” and then “The Pluto Platter.”
In 1955, toy company Wham-O bought the rights to the disc, renaming it a “Frisbee” as an homage to its origins. It sold well and eventually became popular, with organizations springing up and professional “Ultimate Frisbee” leagues beginning. Mattel eventually purchased Wham-O, and the discs are still incredibly popular.
The Slinky—Original Cost: $1
One mention of this iconic toy, and almost everyone can start singing the jingle, “A Slinky, a Slinky, for fun it’s the best of the toys/A Slinky, a Slinky, it’s fun for a girl and a boy.” Like many famous inventions, it came about by accident. Naval Engineer Richard James was trying to develop custom springs for ship equipment. He knocked over some springs he was working with and found that they toppled end to end as if “walking” on their own.
His wife, Betty, came up with the name, and they formed a company to market it as a toy. Sales were initially slow, but for the Christmas season in 1945, Gimbel’s department store in Philadelphia demonstrated the product, and their inventory of 400 Slinky toys sold out the same day. The original price for a Slinky in 1945 was $1.
Lincoln Logs—Started with a Hotel
Who else but John Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright, arguably the most famous architect in history, could develop a set of building blocks based on an actual building design? From 1917 to 1923, the father and son worked together on constructing the Tokyo Imperial Hotel. The building had to withstand earthquakes, as the area was known for them. It opened on September 1st, 1923, ironically, the same day the Kanto quake struck the region. The hotel remained standing due to its interlocking design that swayed in an earthquake but did not collapse.
The younger Wright designed a set of play pieces with an interlocking design, similar to the hotel. He began selling them under his own company, and they were a big hit. In 1943, he sold the company to Playskool for only $800. They remain a childhood staple, and the Strong National Museum of Play inducted the sets into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 1999.
Silly Putty—A Chemical Discovery
Necessity is the mother of invention, and Silly Putty is a perfect example. Most of the rubber used in the United States before World War II came from Asia. As the war began, General Electric sought synthetic alternatives. Chemist James Wright created a peculiar substance: a sticky material that bounced. Ultimately, this creation was not used during the war. The putty was briefly sold by a toy store owner, Ruth Fallgatter, via her catalog, but was dropped after two years.
In 1950, toy marketer Pete Hodgson had the idea to put globs of the putty into plastic Easter eggs. He presented them at the International Toy Fair but could only convince Neiman Marcus and Doubleday Books to stock them. After seeing the putty in the bookstore, a NY Times writer bought some and wrote about it, and that’s when it became a hit.
The goo took off even higher in 1968 when astronauts aboard Apollo 8 brought the putty along to keep tools and other items from floating away in zero gravity. Silly Putty has been part of the National Toy Hall of Fame since 2001.
Simon—Not So Simple
This toy is not simple, but it does harken back to the parlor game, “Simon Says.” In the late 1970s, video game pioneer and inventor Ralph H. Baer was working on an early Atari game similar to Simon Says called “Touch Me,” where the player has to complete sequences of touching colored squares on the screen. Baer created a round portable version that would have a broader appeal. The toy debuted at an unlikely venue, Studio 54, in 1978, where a giant version of the dinner plate-sized toy hung from the ceiling over the dance floor.
It was an instant hit and has been a popular toy ever since.
These five toys are just a few examples of the serendipity that can happen when something unexpected is found while looking for something completely different. From casual games tossing pie plates on college campuses to defense contractors trying to engineer military solutions, these accidental favorites have become part of toy history.
While some collectors crave older toys with their original materials, fans can still find some versions of these toys at affordable prices at thrift stores and tag sales. Remembering the playthings of the past is one thing, but being able to get back a few of those memories by finding a Lincoln Log set or a jiggly Slinky is a treat for anyone who remembers a toy that started as something else entirely but became a beloved pastime for children and adults.
Did you have one of these toys? Let us know your favorite, and maybe we will feature its history and development.
Brenda Kelley Kim lives in the Boston area. She is the author of Sink or Swim: Tales From the Deep End of Everywhere and writes a weekly syndicated column for The Marblehead Weekly News/Essex Media Group. When not writing or walking her snorty pug, Penny, she enjoys yard sales, flea markets, and badminton.
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