Page 32 - June 2018 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
P. 32
ANTIQUES PEEK by Jessica Kosinski
ANTIQUES PEEK
Block by Block
C hildhood is a time when fun and games are at the top of the priority death in 1910 also sent the production of the toys into a downward spiral.
However, production did not stop entirely until 1963. Then, in 1995, the
list. As adults, we may not have as much time to play as we would like,
blocks made a comeback when production began again. Many Richter anchor
but it is still fun to reminisce about, or even collect, some of our
favorite toys. One of those types of toys almost every kid has enjoyed playing blocks sets were numbered. Recently, set 14 sold for $175 online. Another set,
with at one time or another is building blocks. Every generation seems to be called set six, sold for approximately $120 – Richter blocks still have entertain-
associated with a different type of building block. Today Legos are the go-to ment value, as well as monetary value today.
building blocks. When I was a child in the 1980s I had Mattel Tuff Stuff
building blocks, also known as Wonder Blocks. I kept them and have since Tinkertoys
bought more. That way I can share my love of them with kids I know. Let’s Today, Tinkertoys are well known
take a peek at some other favorite building blocks you might want to collect for being among the most popular
today to enjoy with the children in your family. building toys in the world. They have
been available in some form since
Holgate Building Blocks 1914. Today’s Tinkertoys are sold
When considering the history of wooden building blocks in America, it by Playskool and made of plastic,
doesn’t get much more interesting than Holgate. The Holgate woodworking but Tinkertoys began in 1914 as
shop (later Holgate Toys) wooden toys. An Evanston, Illinois
was established stonemason named Charles Pajeau
by
Cornelius Holgate outside invented them in his garage. After
Philadelphia in the town of watching children playing with sticks, Tinkertoy tubes are often as collectible
Roxborough, Pennsylvania. pencils and other objects, he knew he as the toys themselves
It first opened its doors in could do better. He eventually
1789 and is still in business developed the early version of Tinkertoys and, after some unsuccessful
today; although its factory marketing attempts, turned Tinkertoys into a sensation by 1915.
has since moved to Kane, Many early Tinkertoy sets were sold in tube-like containers that kept them
Pennsylvania. well contained and safe when not in use. For that reason, many have survived
Holgate has produced to the present day. You can still find them at affordable prices in shops and
1930s Holgate wagon of colored blocks many block toys over the online. Buying a Tinkertoy set for your child is a great way to inspire
called “Junior Blocks” years, but many of its most creativity, or even relive part of your own childhood.
photo: Heitritter Collections & Museum popular wood building
blocks were produced in Lincoln Logs
the early to mid-1900s. For example, Holgate produced a wooden pull wagon Lincoln logs have been staples of childhood toy boxes for decades. They are
toy full of wooden blocks in the 1950s. That same decade its popular railroad the building blocks my mother grew up with, and she still has some to this day.
car building blocks were produced. Early Holgate blocks are routinely
They also have a very interesting history. You have probably heard of the
available online at affordable prices. You can also sometimes find them at flea famous architect Frank
markets and antiques shops. Lloyd Wright. His son,
John Lloyd Wright
Bliss Building Blocks invented Lincoln Logs.
Bliss Manufacturing Co. was In 1916, John Lloyd
founded by Rufus Bliss in 1832. Wright invented Lincoln
Located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, logs based on an inter-
the company produced many products, locking beam design his
including building blocks. Bliss blocks father had used to design
were often sold in boxed sets, such as Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel.
“Baby’s Baggage Blocks.” Both the John Lloyd right soon
boxes and the blocks themselves were realized his creation was
known for their bright colors. Bliss also reminiscent of logs used
produced versions of the popular to construct cabins, and
educational alphabet blocks we all that association made Rare 1923 J.L. Wright Lincoln Logs set
R. Bliss vintage Neverfall building blocks,
know and love, and was one of the top circa 1900-1909 him think of Abraham photo: worthpoint.com
dollhouse manufacturers of the late photo: worthpoint Lincoln, who was known
1800s and early 1900s. for living in a cabin when he was young. Hence, the name “Lincoln Logs” was
born. Soon, Wright developed sets allowing kids to construct models of
Richter Anchor Stone Blocks Lincoln’s actual cabin. He also released an Uncle Tom’s Cabin set based on
Anchor stones were stone blocks the popular book of the same name. Many more sets followed, including a
designed to maintain their shapes and 1940s Cowboys and Indians set that recently sold on eBay for $300.
colors. They were sturdier than some Lincoln Logs today are produced by Playskool, which bought the rights
of the wooden blocks of the time. First from Wright in 1943. They have survived well to this day partially due
produced in the 1870s in Germany, to their timelessness and versatility.
they were not popularized until a No matter what era they came from, Lincoln Logs can be used to construct
businessman named Freidrich Adolf almost any model a child can imagine. However, they also survived and
Richter bought the rights to them and remained popular due to their wood construction. While many pre-World
began marketing them in the 1880s. War II toys suffered during the war due to materials shortages, wood was still
Anchor stone blocks lost popularity A boxed set of Richter’s Anchor blocks readily available, and Lincoln Logs continued to thrive.
when World War I began. Richter’s
Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance writer specializing in writing short articles for 15 years. She is also an avid collector of both antique books and Star Wars memorabilia. Although she is not in the antiques
industry professionally, she has learned a lot about antiques over the years by periodically helping out at her mom’s antiques shop in Greenville, NH. She currently balances maintaining the antiques shop’s
Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MallofNE, and working on various freelance writing assignments. She can be reached at dementorskiss77@yahoo.com.
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
30
ANTIQUES PEEK
Block by Block
C hildhood is a time when fun and games are at the top of the priority death in 1910 also sent the production of the toys into a downward spiral.
However, production did not stop entirely until 1963. Then, in 1995, the
list. As adults, we may not have as much time to play as we would like,
blocks made a comeback when production began again. Many Richter anchor
but it is still fun to reminisce about, or even collect, some of our
favorite toys. One of those types of toys almost every kid has enjoyed playing blocks sets were numbered. Recently, set 14 sold for $175 online. Another set,
with at one time or another is building blocks. Every generation seems to be called set six, sold for approximately $120 – Richter blocks still have entertain-
associated with a different type of building block. Today Legos are the go-to ment value, as well as monetary value today.
building blocks. When I was a child in the 1980s I had Mattel Tuff Stuff
building blocks, also known as Wonder Blocks. I kept them and have since Tinkertoys
bought more. That way I can share my love of them with kids I know. Let’s Today, Tinkertoys are well known
take a peek at some other favorite building blocks you might want to collect for being among the most popular
today to enjoy with the children in your family. building toys in the world. They have
been available in some form since
Holgate Building Blocks 1914. Today’s Tinkertoys are sold
When considering the history of wooden building blocks in America, it by Playskool and made of plastic,
doesn’t get much more interesting than Holgate. The Holgate woodworking but Tinkertoys began in 1914 as
shop (later Holgate Toys) wooden toys. An Evanston, Illinois
was established stonemason named Charles Pajeau
by
Cornelius Holgate outside invented them in his garage. After
Philadelphia in the town of watching children playing with sticks, Tinkertoy tubes are often as collectible
Roxborough, Pennsylvania. pencils and other objects, he knew he as the toys themselves
It first opened its doors in could do better. He eventually
1789 and is still in business developed the early version of Tinkertoys and, after some unsuccessful
today; although its factory marketing attempts, turned Tinkertoys into a sensation by 1915.
has since moved to Kane, Many early Tinkertoy sets were sold in tube-like containers that kept them
Pennsylvania. well contained and safe when not in use. For that reason, many have survived
Holgate has produced to the present day. You can still find them at affordable prices in shops and
1930s Holgate wagon of colored blocks many block toys over the online. Buying a Tinkertoy set for your child is a great way to inspire
called “Junior Blocks” years, but many of its most creativity, or even relive part of your own childhood.
photo: Heitritter Collections & Museum popular wood building
blocks were produced in Lincoln Logs
the early to mid-1900s. For example, Holgate produced a wooden pull wagon Lincoln logs have been staples of childhood toy boxes for decades. They are
toy full of wooden blocks in the 1950s. That same decade its popular railroad the building blocks my mother grew up with, and she still has some to this day.
car building blocks were produced. Early Holgate blocks are routinely
They also have a very interesting history. You have probably heard of the
available online at affordable prices. You can also sometimes find them at flea famous architect Frank
markets and antiques shops. Lloyd Wright. His son,
John Lloyd Wright
Bliss Building Blocks invented Lincoln Logs.
Bliss Manufacturing Co. was In 1916, John Lloyd
founded by Rufus Bliss in 1832. Wright invented Lincoln
Located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, logs based on an inter-
the company produced many products, locking beam design his
including building blocks. Bliss blocks father had used to design
were often sold in boxed sets, such as Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel.
“Baby’s Baggage Blocks.” Both the John Lloyd right soon
boxes and the blocks themselves were realized his creation was
known for their bright colors. Bliss also reminiscent of logs used
produced versions of the popular to construct cabins, and
educational alphabet blocks we all that association made Rare 1923 J.L. Wright Lincoln Logs set
R. Bliss vintage Neverfall building blocks,
know and love, and was one of the top circa 1900-1909 him think of Abraham photo: worthpoint.com
dollhouse manufacturers of the late photo: worthpoint Lincoln, who was known
1800s and early 1900s. for living in a cabin when he was young. Hence, the name “Lincoln Logs” was
born. Soon, Wright developed sets allowing kids to construct models of
Richter Anchor Stone Blocks Lincoln’s actual cabin. He also released an Uncle Tom’s Cabin set based on
Anchor stones were stone blocks the popular book of the same name. Many more sets followed, including a
designed to maintain their shapes and 1940s Cowboys and Indians set that recently sold on eBay for $300.
colors. They were sturdier than some Lincoln Logs today are produced by Playskool, which bought the rights
of the wooden blocks of the time. First from Wright in 1943. They have survived well to this day partially due
produced in the 1870s in Germany, to their timelessness and versatility.
they were not popularized until a No matter what era they came from, Lincoln Logs can be used to construct
businessman named Freidrich Adolf almost any model a child can imagine. However, they also survived and
Richter bought the rights to them and remained popular due to their wood construction. While many pre-World
began marketing them in the 1880s. War II toys suffered during the war due to materials shortages, wood was still
Anchor stone blocks lost popularity A boxed set of Richter’s Anchor blocks readily available, and Lincoln Logs continued to thrive.
when World War I began. Richter’s
Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance writer specializing in writing short articles for 15 years. She is also an avid collector of both antique books and Star Wars memorabilia. Although she is not in the antiques
industry professionally, she has learned a lot about antiques over the years by periodically helping out at her mom’s antiques shop in Greenville, NH. She currently balances maintaining the antiques shop’s
Facebook page, www.facebook.com/MallofNE, and working on various freelance writing assignments. She can be reached at dementorskiss77@yahoo.com.
Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
30
