"Through creative , the toy inspired several generations of children to become architects, engineers (Dilbert?) and tinkerers during a century when America significantly expanded its infrastructure of roads, bridges, pipelines and dams."
Gilbert also had chemistry and microscope "toy" sets. In 1938, the company began manufacturing American Flyer toy trains.
Jugle received his first Erector set as a toddler growing up in Elmhurst, Illinois, and began collecting them in the 1950s. When toy stores went out of business, Jugle and his brother would buy out all things A.C. Gilbert.
Jugle is considered to be the nation's premier A.C. Gilbert historian and has a collection of 2,4000 company documents.
There is even an annual A.C. Gilbert Heritage Society convention (something I'd sure like to attend).
Build It and They Will Come. --Cooter
Showing posts with label toys under the tree. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toys under the tree. Show all posts
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Remembering Erector Sets-- Part 2
Come to think of it, my brother might have done something with my old Erector set. he might have melted it down for the war effort. He was prone to doing stuff like that. Ask him some day what he did with my old Beatle albums.
Erector sets were invented in 1911 by American toy visionary A,C. Gilbert, and revolutionized the toy construction sets with pieces enabling kids to build models as large as their budgets, or family generosity would allow. Gilbert patented his sets and cornered the toy market.
The sets were made in New Haven, Connecticut and were originally packaged in wooden boxes. The product had the first national advertising campaign for a tiy. (I have to wonder why little Ralphie in "A Christmas Story" didn't fall for an erector set? Probably because you couldn't shoot your eye out with one.)
The sets were sold for over five decades until the company went bankrupt in 1967. During that time, more than 30 million sets were sold through Sears, J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward and independent toy stores. (Remember those great Christmas catalogs that we looked through hundreds of times and just got those faraway looks in our eyes.)
Well, I Guess You Could Hurt Yourself If You Didn't Tighten Stuff or Build It Correctly. --DaCoot
Erector sets were invented in 1911 by American toy visionary A,C. Gilbert, and revolutionized the toy construction sets with pieces enabling kids to build models as large as their budgets, or family generosity would allow. Gilbert patented his sets and cornered the toy market.
The sets were made in New Haven, Connecticut and were originally packaged in wooden boxes. The product had the first national advertising campaign for a tiy. (I have to wonder why little Ralphie in "A Christmas Story" didn't fall for an erector set? Probably because you couldn't shoot your eye out with one.)
The sets were sold for over five decades until the company went bankrupt in 1967. During that time, more than 30 million sets were sold through Sears, J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward and independent toy stores. (Remember those great Christmas catalogs that we looked through hundreds of times and just got those faraway looks in our eyes.)
Well, I Guess You Could Hurt Yourself If You Didn't Tighten Stuff or Build It Correctly. --DaCoot
Remembering Erector Sets-- Part 1
From the December 5-11 American Profile Magazine "Erector Protector" by Vicki Cox.
This is about L. Andrew Jugle of Elmhurst, Illinois, who is one of the foremost Erector People in the country. One of his pride and joy sets of the old toy is a 1963 carousel.
Of course, the Erector Set was one of the great build-em toys of my youth along with Tinkertoys and Lincoln Logs. I liked them all, but probably the Lincoln Logs because it was more historical. They worked well with both my Blue and Gray-size soldiers and HO-scale ones.
Today, these sets have been replaced by Legos, which are also neat.
Said Jugle, "Erector sets weren't something that built just one toy; they could make thousands. There was nothing like them. Kids saw buildings and bridges being built outside their windows, and suddenly they could make the same thing."
Mr. Jugle, a retired science teacher, has a collection of more than 200 Erector sets lining the floor-to-ceiling shelves in his garage.
I'm sitting here right now and wondering whatever happened to my old Erector set? Did Mom throw it out or sell it at a garage sale? I've got a hankering to build something. I did find that the long straight erector pieces made excellent breastworks for my HO-scale soldiers. Behind some of these, my Confederate soldiers were absolutely invincible to approaching Union troops.
Mom! What Did You Do? --Cooter
This is about L. Andrew Jugle of Elmhurst, Illinois, who is one of the foremost Erector People in the country. One of his pride and joy sets of the old toy is a 1963 carousel.
Of course, the Erector Set was one of the great build-em toys of my youth along with Tinkertoys and Lincoln Logs. I liked them all, but probably the Lincoln Logs because it was more historical. They worked well with both my Blue and Gray-size soldiers and HO-scale ones.
Today, these sets have been replaced by Legos, which are also neat.
Said Jugle, "Erector sets weren't something that built just one toy; they could make thousands. There was nothing like them. Kids saw buildings and bridges being built outside their windows, and suddenly they could make the same thing."
Mr. Jugle, a retired science teacher, has a collection of more than 200 Erector sets lining the floor-to-ceiling shelves in his garage.
I'm sitting here right now and wondering whatever happened to my old Erector set? Did Mom throw it out or sell it at a garage sale? I've got a hankering to build something. I did find that the long straight erector pieces made excellent breastworks for my HO-scale soldiers. Behind some of these, my Confederate soldiers were absolutely invincible to approaching Union troops.
Mom! What Did You Do? --Cooter
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Since This is a Day for Toys
The December 23rd Chicago Tribune had a "10 Things You Might Not Know About Toys" history lesson by Mark Jacob.
Some of the more interesting facts:
1. Play-Doh was invented as wallpaper cleaner. And there I sat eating it.
2. Milton-Bradley originally called the game Pretzel before it changed its name to Twister. The game really gained in popularity after Johnny Carson played it with actress Eva Gabor. I can just see old Johnny's expressions now. Wish I'd seen it.
3. Chicagoland has been the birthplace of many toys. The Radio Flyer red metal wagon was invented in Chicago and its world headquarters remain here. They are made in China today, however. Big surprise there.
Tinkertoys were designed by Charles Pajeau of Evanston.
Donald Duncan, of Oak Park, popularized the yo-yo. He also invented the dreaded parking meter. If you're like me, it is not that I don't feed them on purpose, it's just that I forget to put the quarters in.
4. Who is Barbra Millicent Roberts?
5. Illinois-based RC2 Corp, maker of Thomas the Tank Engine had to recall one million units because of lead paint from China. They sent free box cars to soothe irate customers, but then it was discovered some of the box cars had lead paint.
6. Barbara Millicent Roberts is better known as Barbie. Various estimates have it that between 10 and 25% of Barbie collectors are men.
Give Me Toys, Give Me Toys. --the Old Coot
Some of the more interesting facts:
1. Play-Doh was invented as wallpaper cleaner. And there I sat eating it.
2. Milton-Bradley originally called the game Pretzel before it changed its name to Twister. The game really gained in popularity after Johnny Carson played it with actress Eva Gabor. I can just see old Johnny's expressions now. Wish I'd seen it.
3. Chicagoland has been the birthplace of many toys. The Radio Flyer red metal wagon was invented in Chicago and its world headquarters remain here. They are made in China today, however. Big surprise there.
Tinkertoys were designed by Charles Pajeau of Evanston.
Donald Duncan, of Oak Park, popularized the yo-yo. He also invented the dreaded parking meter. If you're like me, it is not that I don't feed them on purpose, it's just that I forget to put the quarters in.
4. Who is Barbra Millicent Roberts?
5. Illinois-based RC2 Corp, maker of Thomas the Tank Engine had to recall one million units because of lead paint from China. They sent free box cars to soothe irate customers, but then it was discovered some of the box cars had lead paint.
6. Barbara Millicent Roberts is better known as Barbie. Various estimates have it that between 10 and 25% of Barbie collectors are men.
Give Me Toys, Give Me Toys. --the Old Coot
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