This Month: Penny toys
But, 110 years ago, you were as likely to buy a 'penny' toy as a bag of pigeon food. For enterprising pedlars (also known as 'gutter merchants') congregated in the streets surrounding the cathedral, selling a wide variety of cheap toys.
In the years preceding the First World War, Germany exported numerous toys to Britain, Europe and America. Historically, the Bavarian town of Nuremberg was a centre for toy making. The great companies of Bing (in Nuremberg) and Märklin (in Baden-Württemberg) made magnificent working toys of ingenuity and quality (especially trains and ships) for the children of the middle and upper classes. These were relatively expensive, beyond the reach of the average working man. In comparison, the humble penny toy, produced between 1890 and 1935, was affordable to all but the destitute. European toy companies produced penny toys, only a few inches in length, from a variety of materials: tinplate and paper (from Nuremberg), cast iron and lead (from Paris) and wood (from Erzgebirge). The tinplate toys are beautiful, with huge aesthetic appeal, and this perfection in miniature is, understandably, of considerable interest to serious toy collectors.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July 2023 من Homes & Antiques.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة July 2023 من Homes & Antiques.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Animal magic
Brought to life in myriad ways, whether printed, woven or embroidered, animals and birds have always been popular motifs in textile design, says Celia Rufey
Bright, bold and BRILLIANT
Small homes don't need to compromise on character. In Nick Kenny's two-up, two-down terrace, natural light, upcycled pieces and colourful accents make a big impact
Petite et chic
Amanda Grant and Kristian Dean's compact apartment encapsulates the essence of continental country house style
A thrifty MIX
Jill De Búrca's home was once a buy-to-let. Now that she's finally moved in, she has begun to furnish it with a quirky combination of antiques, vintage pieces and high street finds
Scholarly SANCTUARY
Statement antiques create drama in this one-bedroom former school hall, owned by antiques dealer Jean Hill
HEIRLOOMS OF THE FUTURE - FLORA JAMIESON
The stained glass artist talks to Dominique Corlett about the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement and capturing the English countryside at its best
Armillary sphere
The roots of the armillary sphere go back centuries but the design has retained its appeal, and sculptor David Harber creates some of today's most spectacular examples, says Jenny Oldaker
Six of the best HERITAGE RAILWAYS
Plying an 84-mile round trip route through the Scottish Highlands (current licensing woes willing), the Jacobite Steam Train starts at Fort William and skirts the tallest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis, and spectacular beaches on its way to Mallaig.
TRAVEL
48 hours in Stockholm and the best heritage railways.
A PERSONAL PASSION
For opera lovers, Glyndebourne Festival is the highlight of the summer, beloved for its magical setting as well as the calibre of its productions. Celia Rufey steps behind the scenes as it celebrates its 90th birthday