By Rhonda Akey
I have a confession to make…of all the artifacts I have had the privilege to handle over the past year of my internship here at Lang Pioneer Village Museum, the toys have been my most favorite of all. There is just something about them that brings an instant smile to your face. You are instantly transported to wonderful memories of your own childhood, like Christmas morning or the best birthday present you ever received, or maybe the memory of your favourite childhood toy. I bet you’re smiling already, aren’t you!
Today I thought I’d share some of the marvelous toys we found in the collection while reorganizing the shelves one day. I have to admit, I do not know much about the history of them, as I have not done any research. Despite this, thought it would be fun to provide some pictures of these wonderful artifacts.
This doll tea set is a miniature version made of enamelware. Not only is it adorable, there was a really wise parent behind this purchase, as they are very durable. They inspire thoughts of a little girl in the 1800s playing tea party with her little rag doll.
This is a tiny wooden, lathe turned tea set. I took the second picture with the end of a pencil to show you the tiny scale it was made to. I imagine a father working diligently out in the barn creating this as a special Christmas gift for his little girl. The craftsmanship is superb!
This is a puzzle which adds an educational element to the fun. On the back of each piece is a math equation. The pieces are then matched with the corresponding answer. The box contained several puzzles.
This is a tabletop game that is a cross between a billiard game and a pinball game. The inside of the wooden case has a picture of how to set up the pieces and rules on how to play.
The game came with these glass marbles. Each one is a different animal figure, encased in thick glass. Surprisingly, these are meant to be struck with a wooden cue, similar to how you play billiards!
The above are marbles made of fired clay. When examined closely you can see slight variations in shape, which suggests that each one was hand rolled. Don’t they provoke an image of a bunch of boys crowded together playing games in the school yard dirt?
This little toy is a miniature cannon that works. As you can see from the two images, the one end has a hammer that pulls down and is held in place by a clasp. A cap or some type of exploding powder would be placed in the hollow of the hammer. The hammer was then released to create a loud cannon pop. What little boy won’t love something so interactive and realistic?
I hope you enjoyed these toys as much as I do. I am sad to say that my one year internship has come to an end. It is bitter sweet, as I will be joining the interpretive staff this summer. If you’ve enjoyed reading my blogs and happen to visit Lang Pioneer Village this summer, please stop by the General Store to say hello. I wish you all a wonderful and safe summer.
Rhonda Akey is the Records Management Intern at Lang Pioneer Village Museum. She has been working and/or volunteering at the Village since September of 2010. Rhonda is fascinated by all things historic – and loves to share the neat tidbits she discovers behind the scenes in the Lang Pioneer Village Museum collection with everyone.