THE FASCINATING HISTORY OF FOLK TOYS

Toys survive from the most remote periods of antiquity and from a wide variety of cultures. They vary in appearance from a crudely carved stick serving as a hobby horse to the most sophisticated mechanical devices. The World of Toys provides a wide-ranging survey of the subject with particular emphasis on folk toys. A study of children’s toys reveals that many items which we regard as playthings are also closely bound up with ancient beliefs and religious traditions.

In his new book Dr. Josef Kander, an acknowledged expert on children’s toy, has concentrated on hand-crafted items produced all over the world in the last 200 years, created mainly but not exclusively from natural materials. Following a historical introduction, there are chapters on toys made of wood, ceramics textiles, paper and papier mache, toy theatres an puppets of all sorts and toys designed to be sold as souvenirs, are also covered, as are folk and ethnic toys made from easily accessible but less conventional materials such as straw, dough, dried meat, pine cones and wax. Finally, there is an invaluable list of museums and galleries with important collections of children’s toys.

Lavishly illustrated with photographs in colour and black and white and with line drawings. The World of Toys will appeal not only to  toy collectors but also to all those interested in folk art and the history of childhood.