Toys
1960s Balkan Folk Art Vintage Toys
Plaster, Plywood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Toys
Paper
1930s Mexican Industrial Vintage Toys
Wood
1950s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Metal
1920s European Folk Art Vintage Toys
Pine
19th Century Czech Antique Toys
Wood
1950s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Paper
1950s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Paper
1980s Italian Vintage Toys
Metal
Early 1900s Scandinavian Rustic Antique Toys
Wood
1950s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Paper
Mid-20th Century Chinese Toys
Metal
19th Century European Antique Toys
Plastic
Mid-20th Century American Sporting Art Toys
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Toys
Paper
Early 1900s British Folk Art Antique Toys
Pine
Late 19th Century Victorian Antique Toys
Ceramic, Fabric
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Toys
Wood
1920s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Fabric
1990s American Toys
Metal
19th Century Romanian Folk Art Antique Toys
Wood, Lacquer
1950s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Paper
Early 20th Century English Toys
Lead
1970s Mexican Folk Art Vintage Toys
Plastic, Paint
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Mirror, Wood
Mid-20th Century American Toys
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Toys
Wood, Paint
1950s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Paper
1980s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Foam
Late 19th Century English High Victorian Antique Toys
Wood
19th Century English Antique Toys
Glass, Wood
20th Century European Country Toys
Hardwood
1920s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Fabric
Early 2000s Toys
Wood
Early 20th Century American Victorian Toys
Other
1930s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Cork
Early 2000s Toys
Wood
1960s American Folk Art Vintage Toys
Metal
Early 20th Century American Other Toys
Iron
1920s British Folk Art Vintage Toys
Metal
Mid-20th Century French Toys
Lead
1940s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Wood
Early 20th Century Folk Art Toys
Fabric
20th Century Japanese Toys
Wood, Feathers, Textile
1960s Belgian Folk Art Vintage Toys
Wood
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Bamboo, Cane, Rattan
Late 20th Century Folk Art Toys
Iron
Early 19th Century American Adirondack Antique Toys
Wood
Early 20th Century American Folk Art Toys
Fabric, Plexiglass
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Fabric, Plastic
1940s American Industrial Vintage Toys
Tin
1950s German Modern Vintage Toys
Metal
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Toys
Wood
Early 2000s Toys
Wood
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Toys
Wood
19th Century German Adirondack Antique Toys
Cotton, Linen, Velvet
1920s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Fabric
Early 20th Century American Classical Toys
Mohair, Hardwood
Antique, New and Vintage Toys
Children as well as nostalgic grown-ups are still finding pleasure in toys and objects designed specifically for playtime that are, in comparison to today’s digital device-oriented distractions, far more modest in nature. Indeed, antique, new and vintage toys of years past — handmade folk-art toys such as wooden train sets, dolls, rocking horses and more — can be enjoyed by the young and old alike. In contemporary interiors, gently aging toys are wonderfully uncomplicated decorative objects primed for display in a cabinet or other case piece.
With their romantic appeal and frequent incorporation of natural materials, some vintage toys and folk-art toys are treasured collectibles, showcasing the beauty of handmade craftsmanship. Alongside other works characterized as folk art — in this case, visual art, typically reflective of a community’s culture and usually handmade by craftspeople working within a popular tradition — handcrafted vintage toys are historical works of art worthy of any collector’s mantel. These are toys that tell a story of the time in which they were produced and the people who produced them.
Like any artifact, toys provide a window into the past. The ornamental dolls of the Victorian era, for example, produced in Germany and England, made of ceramics such as porcelain and dressed in textured fabrics, speak to the fashion of the era and will add a pop of color and a decorative flourish to the neutral corners of your home.
Mid-century modern toys are as sophisticated as the widely cherished furniture of the era. As much as they thought good design for the home should be available for all, iconic American design duo Charles and Ray Eames believed in making durable and interesting products for kids too. Today, their Eames Elephant is available from Vitra and Herman Miller, and it doesn’t even require a digital screen.
Explore a unique collection of antique and vintage toys as well as folk-art toys on 1stDibs.