"Deck Derby" Tin Horse Race Game

I love old games, and this was one of my most unusual finds. Dating from the 1920s or 30s, it's called "Deck Derby," and is made of beautifully lithographed tin. It folds down to form a more or less oval race track, and includes pressed tin horses and fences. The game play is pretty simple: roll the lovely old dice and move your horse around the track. There are lots of old horse race games out there, but this one is unique in its apparent intended use: on a cruise liner! The center of the board features a fantastic illustration of elegant travelers at play on the deck of a steamship, and the horses and fences include magnets which hold them firmly in place, a precaution against loss on rough waters.

Vintage Lithographed Rocking Horse

I love old ride-on horses. They're wonderful toys in their own right, but they're also fantastic display props for old teddy bears. This is one of my favorite rocking horses, made by the Gong Bell Company, probably in the early 1940s. The American-made horse is beautifully lithographed paper over wood, with a metal frame and wooden rockers. Underneath the horse is a little bell that rings as the horse is rocked. (Consequently, this is not a good choice to ride if you're pretending to be a wild west lawman sneaking up on the bad guys...)

Book Review

Collector's Guide to Housekeeping Toys, 1870-1970, by Margaret Wright. Published by Collector Books, January 2007. ISBN 978-1574325409. $16.95. 285 pages.

While not a comprehensive reference source, this charming paperback provides a fun introduction to its topic, presented in full-color with great, crisp photography. Toys covered include American-made stoves, miniature cupboards, grocery stores, cookware, tea sets, wash day and housecleaning items, and much more. The author admirably conveys her delight in these objects as both simple toys and important sociological artifacts, writing in the introduction: "toys...are historical documents...American history can be taught with 20 items on a table, beginning with an 1880 cast-iron stove and ending with a plastic tea set, components of the Industrial Revolution and modern technology." Her love for these toys is infectious: you'll find yourself wanting to "play house" after you finish reading this wonderful little book!

Thoughts on Toy Collecting

I made the mistake last week of "catching up on the news." This always makes me sad, and anxious, and I vow never to watch the news again. But that is really an impossible vow to keep. My antidote to too much toxic news was to retreat into some old books about toys and read, read, read, which I did all weekend. In a 1976 book on dollhouse miniatures, I came across this passage, with which I could readily identify. Although the author is speaking specifically about collecting miniatures, I think her words could apply to any old toy collection:

"Beyond the universal and age-old affection for things small, the fascination with miniatures seems to have a special significance for us today. The modern world is bewildering in its complexity and fraught with dangers, which the news media confront us with daily. At times, too, our society seems grossly insensitive to its heritage, paving over the past with scarcely a glance backward. It's the kind of world -- unsentimental and beyond our power to influence -- that we take pleasure in escaping from occasionally. Miniatures provide the perfect retreat. They take the rough edges off of reality. They allow us to preserve the past by recreating it. And, they give us control over a tiny world of our own making, where everything is just the way we want it, with ugliness and inconvenience walled out. In our miniature world, roofs never leak, rugs never fall victim to cigarette burns, beds never need making, food never spoils. As one collector put it: 'The only perfect thing in my life is my dollhouse. It's there. It's controllable. It's security.' "

Speak it, sister!

Teddy Bear Restoration

I'm a sucker for "love-worn" teddy bears...they just look like they've given their all, and now they deserve some care in return. How anyone can throw out a battered teddy is beyond my understanding!
Still, this one was damaged well past even my high tolerance level. But I bought him anyway, because he's a very rare and special teddy: an American 1920s Sleep Eyed Bear.

When I found him, I had never seen a Sleep Eyed Bear (SEB) for sale in over 20 years of collecting, and I thought, "well, I can probably fix him. How hard can it be?" As it turned out, quite hard, and eventually SEB was sent away to a professional teddy bear restorer.
(Mar-Ke Mohair at www.teddybearrepair.com: highly recommended!)
A month later, SEB could hear out of both ears, smell, and smile, and he also felt much cleaner and sturdier. It was a truly amazing restoration.

Sleep Eyed Bears, when found, are usually damaged, because of the fragility of their internal mechanism. The head contains a metal framework that holds the celluloid eyes in place. When you tip the bear back, the eyes roll into a closed position. It's pretty ingenious, but also hard on the bear: the fabric tends to strain against the metal, resulting in tears over time, and if the fabric gets wet, the metal causes terrible staining that looks like...well, like poor Teddy has been a homicide victim. Thankfully, this one was saved and is now living a comfortable retirement, beguiling the other bears with stories of his trip to the restorer.