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Although about half these toys were made overseas – mostly in Japan – all of them were sold and played with in the United States. Most of them came to the Children's Museum from the estate of Catherine M. Buschle in 1992 because she had arranged the donation in her will.
Wind-up tin toys were inexpensive. Many of the American ones were made during the Great Depression of the 1930s – a time when many people were very poor – and an inexpensive toy was a popular gift. After the United States and her allies won the Second World War (1939-1945), Japan was occupied by the United States military. Japan had to recover from a costly, difficult war. One helpful industry that helped Japan recover was the production of inexpensive toys from recycled tin cans and scrap metals. All these toys are very collectible today.
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Quick Time (279K)
Real Media (288K)
Media Player (40K) |
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Rubber Seal with a Striped Ball
Japan, circa 1960
The neat part about this toy is the realistic movement in the seal's neck. He also makes a heavy, low-pitched whirring sound.
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| If your computer has audio, you can hear the sound of the mainspring and drive gears spinning. |
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Quick Time (352K)
Real Media (369K)
Media Player (49K) |
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Blue Seal with a Propeller Blade
USA, circa 1940
This fun toy is imaginary, which means that it is doing something that doesn't happen in real circus life.
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| Although a trained seal can balance a ball on the tip of its nose, it can't spin a propeller the way this toy does. But imagination is also important in the circus. |
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Quick Time (156K)
Real Media (149K)
Media Player (24K) |
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Tumbling Clown
Japan, circa 1950
Watch this clown tumble and flip! His legs are loose and just flop as he tumbles, but the arms are driven by his spring motor to make him tumble. In the circus, many clowns are acrobats too!
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Quick Time (293K)
Real Media (292K)
Media Player (42K) |
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Hand Standing Clown
USA, circa 1930
This clown, like many in the circus, does a trick – standing and walking on his hands. Many clowns are also acrobats.
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| When this clown is wound up, the spring motor makes his hands jiggle back and forth. He might "walk" around a bit, but he also falls down. |
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Quick Time (216K)
Real Media (231K)
Media Player (34K) |
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Skating Clown
Japan, circa 1955
Watch him skate forward, then pivot (turn sharply). The mechanism, which makes this clown go and turn, is mostly in his leg!
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| A small, metal rod under his clothing goes from the motor in the foot up to the hip. Since the rod moves, and the hip can bend, his other leg and also his upper body lean back and forth, making it look like he is really skating by pushing with the other, moving leg. But that is just an illusion. |
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