Toys
Early 20th Century French Toys
Steel
1950s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Metal
1890s American Folk Art Antique Toys
Iron
1950s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Metal
1930s American Folk Art Vintage Toys
Tin
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Toys
Wood
Early 20th Century German Toys
Fabric, Wool, Glass, Wood
Mid-19th Century American Adirondack Antique Toys
Iron
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Toys
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Toys
Wood, Hardwood, Walnut
Early 20th Century Belgian Folk Art Toys
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Toys
Hardwood, Walnut
1890s American Country Antique Toys
Iron
1970s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Polyester
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Toys
Tin
1930s American Adirondack Vintage Toys
Cotton, Glass
1820s French Antique Toys
Fabric, Pine, Paper
1940s Japanese Folk Art Vintage Toys
Wood
Late 19th Century Folk Art Antique Toys
Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Toys
Chrome
19th Century Italian Early Victorian Antique Toys
Pine
Early 1900s German Baroque Antique Toys
Quartz
Late 19th Century American Adirondack Antique Toys
Wood, Leather
20th Century Toys
Hardwood
Early 1900s German Folk Art Antique Toys
Tin
1880s British Folk Art Antique Toys
Wood
1890s German Folk Art Antique Toys
Composition
1920s German Folk Art Vintage Toys
Composition
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Toys
Other
1920s German Folk Art Vintage Toys
Composition
20th Century Toys
Plastic
Early 1900s Folk Art Antique Toys
Tin
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Bamboo, Wicker
Early 1900s German Folk Art Antique Toys
Tin
1990s Japanese Showa Toys
Porcelain, Silk, Plastic
1910s American Folk Art Vintage Toys
Iron
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Metal
Early 1900s American Folk Art Antique Toys
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Peruvian Toys
Stone
1910s German Folk Art Vintage Toys
Composition
Early 20th Century German Toys
Metal
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Toys
Tin
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Toys
Hardwood, Walnut
19th Century American Folk Art Antique Toys
Tin
Early 1900s German Baroque Antique Toys
Quartz
1940s Vintage Toys
Steel
Mid-20th Century German Toys
Metal
Late 19th Century American Country Antique Toys
Iron
1940s American Folk Art Vintage Toys
Steel
Early 1900s Swedish Antique Toys
Pine, Paint
1870s American Victorian Antique Toys
Iron
1960s Swedish Folk Art Vintage Toys
Wood
2010s Mexican Folk Art Toys
Acrylic, Wood
1940s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Iron
1940s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Wood
1950s American Industrial Vintage Toys
Tin
Early 20th Century Swedish Toys
Leather, Jute, Wood, Paint
1930s American Other Vintage Toys
Iron
1990s Japanese Showa Toys
Metal
19th Century American Native American Antique Toys
Leather, Beads
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.