Mel Williams, Visitor Services
I love Christmas Eve. There is a buzz of excitement in the air and the kids are on their best behaviour, after all, they can’t risk landing on the naughty list so close to Santa’s arrival. The anticipation of what they might find under the tree the next morning is palpable.
I was thinking about the gifts I’ve bought for my kids this year… Something to play with, something to wear, something for outside and something to share. It got me thinking about the toys of yesteryear, what were the “must haves”, and how many are still mentioned in letters to Santa today.
Lego has been a regular request every year since its invention in 1932, as has Barbie, which has been one of the world’s most popular toys since it went on display at The American Toy Fair in 1959.
Toys are often a pre-curser to the things we love as we get older. Princess Elizabeth, before moving to Buckingham Palace and eventually becoming Queen, valued her collection of horses on wheels so highly that she “fed and watered” them every night then stabled them on the upper staircase landing. Her love of horses never diminished and she went on to live a life surrounded by her favourite animals.
I decided to go on a toy hunt at Whangārei Museum here at Kiwi North, in search of things that kids once asked Santa for. What I found was a trove of toys, obviously very loved as evident by their chipped and faded paint and their cuddle worn fur.
One such discovery is a character baby doll, designed by Gebruder Heaubach of Germany around 1910 -1912. Her head, arms and legs are made of bisque (unglazed porcelain). She was donated to the museum with a small red ‘First Prize’ certificate awarded to Miss Amy Crisp for the Best Dressed Doll at the Whangarei Agriculture and Pastoral Society 40th Exhibition of 1916. Bisque dolls during the 1800s and beyond were a way for young girls to practice and learn their sewing skills. This particular doll came to the museum with a full wardrobe including a cotton overdress, silk dress and bonnet, two cotton underdresses, and multiple woollen and knitted items. All these garments have been beautifully made and demonstrate the skills of 12-year-old Amy Crisp.
The Bisque Doll is pictured with a table croquet set and a Hornby Train. Hornby Trains date back to 1901 when Frank Hornby, who was also the founder of Meccano, received a patent for his Meccano construction toy. His first clockwork train was released in 1920, then in 1938 Hornby launched the first 00 gauge train. Both Hornby and Meccano were bought out by their competitor, Tri-ang in 1964, before Hornby Railways became independent again in the 1980s.
The Jenny Lind Paper Dolls are pretty special. Jenny Lind was a Swedish Opera Singer born in 1820. She began performing at the age of 10 and by 25 was an international celebrity. She retired from the opera stage at 29 then embarked on an historic tour of America with the legendary showman Phineas T. Barnum. The dresses that accompany the paper version of Jenny Lind are believed to be representations of dresses worn by her on stage.
My favourite discovery however is the “Royal Cub” Bear. These were made in Japan in the 1950’s and were battery operated. When it was new, the Mama Bear’s eyes would have lit up as she walked her cub in the pram. The cub in turn would cry and lift its arms, bringing its milk to its mouth.
Teddy Bears will always be a popular toy, that first best friend, quite often the one toy that crosses with its human into their new adult world. The term “Teddy Bear” came about in 1903 when Morris Michtom, a Brooklyn candy shop owner, and his wife Rose decided to create a stuffed toy bear and dedicate it to the then president, Theodore Roosevelt, who refused to shoot a bear. They called it 'Teddy's Bear'. I love the humanity in this.
While many of the vintage toys I found lack the cuteness that most kids expect today, all very clearly found their way into the hearts of a child before finding their way into the museum.
