Toys
1950s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Metal
Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Toys
Tin
20th Century Japanese Toys
Feathers, Textile, Wood
1910s American Folk Art Vintage Toys
Iron
Mid-19th Century Spanish Antique Toys
Wood
Early 1900s French Folk Art Antique Toys
Ceramic, Faience
1930s English Art Deco Vintage Toys
Wood
1970s Vintage Toys
Plastic
1880s German Folk Art Antique Toys
Wood
1820s French Folk Art Antique Toys
Bone
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Tin
1920s American Industrial Vintage Toys
Steel, Iron
1890s British Victorian Antique Toys
Pine
1950s German Industrial Vintage Toys
Metal
1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Toys
Fiberglass
1950s French Folk Art Vintage Toys
Rubber
1950s Japanese Vintage Toys
Tin
1950s Japanese Folk Art Vintage Toys
Tin
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Toys
Tin
1950s American Folk Art Vintage Toys
Iron
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.