A brand new e-book explores a century of all-American toy promoting
While objects designed with the intent to entertain children have been around since ancient times, it wasn't until the rise of industrial mass production in the 20th century that toys as we know them emerged.
At the beginning of the 20th century, European manufacturers dominated the toy market, with Germany in particular supplying the US market with the majority of its toy products. The First World War ended the dominance of Germany and in the 1920s the steadily growing American consumer culture led to domestic toy brands becoming more and more ubiquitous.
Above: Lionel, 1928; Above: Wheat cream, 1936. All images: Jim Heimann Collection / Courtesy Taschen
As in any booming industry, the multi-million dollar toy explosion in the US was aided by the work of the advertising industry, which was in the middle of its own “golden age”.
A new book from Taschen examines this fascinating time in toy history through the lens of advertising, turning toys such as hula hoops and frisbees into cult collectibles.
Hungarian, 1960
Written by Steven Heller and edited by Jim Heimann, the book examines how children were inundated with toy advertisements, first through magazines and comics, and later through television.
Flipping through the book provides a fascinating snapshot of an exciting period in entertainment history, but equally revealing is the way the ads of the time helped maintain gender stereotypes that are only now no longer being selected – train sets that are accurate aim boys play housekeeping sets for girls.
The earlier advertisements also lack foresight for the impending technological revolution that defined the next chapter in the industry, where the global video game industry is now valued at over $ 138 billion.
Toys: 100 Years of All-American Toy Ads is published by Taschen