Category Archives: Toys from 1970s

Superball from Wham-O

SuperBall

SuperBall also known as Bouncy Balls if made by different manufacturers first arrived in 1965,  they were small but thoroughly amazing rubber balls which were capable of bouncing very high and claimed to be able to bounce more than three stories high.

Super Balls were invented in 1964 by chemist Norman Stingley, the balls were an immediate sensation with American children,  the Super Ball offered extra bounce and surprise to a normal game of catch. They initially sold for 98 cents, by the end of 1966 they were 10 cents in vending machines as the fad had passed.Superball from Wham-O continue reading>>

Dam Troll Orange outfit and black hair

Troll Dolls also known as Dam Doll

Trolls or Troll Dolls are also known as Dam Doll is a small plastic doll which has furry hair often in bright and slightly pointy styles. They were first created in 1959 by a Danish guy called Thomas Dam, they became one of Americas biggest toy fads in the 1960’s and have had numerous come backs and fads in periods during the 1970’s, 1990’s.

Thomas Dam was a fisherman and woodcutter and was struggling to afford a gift for his young daughter, so he carved a troll doll especially for her. When other kids saw the dolls they also asked for one and so the Dam company began to produce dolls using plastic instead. They marketed the dolls as a Good Luck doll. The dolls were very popular in many European countries in the 1960’s they were then introduced to USA soon after. They were one of the biggest fads in the USA from late 1963 right through to 1965. The original Dam dolls were high quality and featured sheep’s wool and glass eyes. continue reading>>

Chatty Cathy Doll

Chatty Cathy Doll

Chatty Cathy is a doll made by Mattel from 1959-1965. Chatty Cathy spoke one of eleven phases at random when a ring aka “chatty ring” was pulled from the upper back of the doll. This string was connected to a simple record in the dolls abdomen which was driven by a metal coil wound by the toys string.Some of the phases included “I love you” or “Lets Play School”, others were added in versions from 1963 onwards which increased the number of phases to 18.

The voice unit in Chatty Cathy was designed by Jack Ryan who was the head of r & d at Mattel and had also been responsible for designing the Barbie doll. continue reading>>

Modern Day Girls World Doll Toy

Girls World

Girls World has been around for decades.  Its is large sized plastic girls head with hair that can be styled and make-up that can be applied.  A must for any young aspiring make up artist.  It is still available in any good toy shop and now supplied with make up, hair accessories including beads, bead applicator, hairbrush and hair slides.

My First Girls World version was released in the 1970’s and game with choker, brush, curlers, and make up.

Many now come with more beads and straight hair for easier styling. Hair brushes, beads and hair ties,clips are some of the accessories which typically are included with the latest Girls World Bead and Style version. continue reading>>

Board Game Cluedo

Cluedo Board Game

Cluedo is a popular board game based where you try to work out who was murdered and where and using what. This well known game was first published in 1949 in Leeds England by Waddingtons by Anthony E. Pratt who was a solicitors clerk and part time child’s entertainer. In the United States Cluedo is published by Hasbro who acquired its US publisher Waddingtons and Parker Brothers.

The aim of the game is for players to move around the board, each player represents a character/person and you move around the rooms of the mansion collecting clues to solve the questions of  who murdered who in the where with the what. continue reading>>

USA Edition of Monopoly

Monopoly Board Game

Everyone knows about the game Monopoly where you buy landmarks and hotels and take chance, try and avoid jail and travel round the board trying to avoid landing on opponents property’s. Many different versions exsist and the properties used are normally based on the location or film/TV featured.

USA Edition of Monopolymonopoly-lord-of-the-rings

The game consists of forty spaces on the outside edge of the board, with twenty-eight properties, three chance spaces, three community chest, four corners, Go, Jail amongst others.

monopoly-hobbitDoctor Who fun with Monopoly continue reading>>

Snakes and Ladders aka Chutes and Ladders

Snakes and Ladders is known worldwide (aka Chutes and Ladders) originates from an Ancient Indian game.  First released by MB games and later on by Hasbro it is a board game for 2 or more players.  Players roll a dice and move their piece on the board.  Landing on a Snake (or Chute) means that the players piece moves back squares and Ladders allow the players piece to move up squares.  The first player to reach the end square  wins. The Ancient Indian origin symbolises help and hindrance to life, symbolised by the Snakes and Ladders.  The game is available in numberous editions including many cartoon charecters aswell as electronic versions. continue reading>>

Picture of different Stickle Brick Items

Stickle Bricks

Stickle Bricks are a plastic toy used for constructing, playing and gaining co-ordination primarily aimed at toddler age group. The Stickle Brick was invented in 1969 by Denys Fisher, the brand is now owned by Hasbro and currently made by Flair Leisure Products plc.

Picture of different Stickle Brick Items

Stickle bricks come in a number of different shapes each a couple of centimetres long and all come with a number of brush or small plastic figures which allow you to push Stickle bricks together to be joined in different ways.

A number of companies manufacture similar toys but not all of them are compatible with Stickle Bricks. continue reading>>

Radio Flyer Wagon

Radio Flyer Wagon were invented by a passionate 16-year-old Italian boy called Antonio Pasion, in the 1920’s he was among the millions who immigrated to America from Europe. He was a skilled carpenter and headed to Chicago. He began to construct small red wagons out of stamped pressed metal and by 1923 he had saved enough to form the Liberty Coaster Company.

Soon after he began mass-producing the radio flyer red wagons for under $3. Countless children have enjoyed playing with the Radio Flyer Wagon pulling friends or moving things and now the range has expanded to small-large wagons, tricycle and even wheelbarrow with prices from $20 upwards. continue reading>>