Uncle Sam Bank
Vintage 1940s American Folk Art Toys
Composition
Mid-20th Century Taiwanese Folk Art Toys
Iron
People Also Browsed
Antique 19th Century American Doors and Gates
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Toys and Dolls
Plastic
Mid-20th Century Danish Folk Art Animal Sculptures
Iron
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
20th Century Toys and Dolls
Silver
Vintage 1950s English Folk Art Ceramics
Ceramic
Vintage 1920s American Industrial Antiquities
Iron
Antique Late 19th Century American Rustic Animal Sculptures
Iron
Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Posters
Paper
Antique Early 1900s American Adirondack Animal Sculptures
Iron
Early 20th Century American Adirondack Toys
Iron
20th Century Japanese Toys and Dolls
Metal
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Models and Miniatures
Metal
Vintage 1920s American American Classical Animal Sculptures
Iron
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Toys
Tin
Antique Early 1900s American Folk Art Toys
Iron
Recent Sales
American Decorative Objects
Iron
Vintage 1940s North American Other Toys and Dolls
Composition
Antique 19th Century American Toys
Iron
Finding the Right toys for You
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.
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