The Development of China Toys
China’s various national industries began to take shape after the May Fourth movement in the 1919. During that time, the semi-colonized China was constantly subjected to the divisions of the big powers. A group of patriots began manufacturing & developing national products. Amongst them were some toy manufacturers & publishers like Shanghai Commercial Press, China Can Company and The New Art Toy, who took the lead in the development of the toy industry in China.
However, many toy factories were forced to cease business during World War Two. By the time the war ended, only about 200 toy workers were left. The People’s Republic of China was established in 1949 and the Central Government re-defined the development of the toy industry, laying down the standards for the upgrading of technical expertise. In 1958, the toy industry started to formulate a standard system and compiling proper merchandise code for export.
Under the command from the headquarters to eliminate the capitalist class, however, China kickstarted the Cultural Revolution in 1966. Under the slogan to wipe out the Four Olds, many fine toy designers were unable to give full play to their talents. The toy industry became stagnant during this period. In the 70s, under the instruction of Premier Zhou Enlai to “adapt foreign things to Chinese needs”, electronic technology was introduce to produce high quality toys, thereby enabling the Chinese toy industry to enter a new domain.
The Museum of Shanghai Toys is the first museum of its kind in the world. My name is Marvin Chan and my collection originates from China.
In 1989, I came across a toy shop in Malaysia where I bought a few tin toys that I’ve played with when young. Who would have thought those few pieces would lead me to a new chapter in my life!
My enthusiasm for toys grew from there. In 1993, I visited a famous toy museum in Japan. I was impressed by the way they had held on to their cultural heritage – it reinforced my feelings for Chinese toys. Thus the seed to MoST was planted.
Setting up MoST marks my first major step towards my China Toys dream. I’m truly happy to be able to share my dream and passion with you through MoST and I hope you’ll enjoy your trip here too.
The Museum has an extensive toy collection - toys have been, and continue to be, central to the childhood experience. In the past, most children would have had home-made toys, made from materials commonly found around the home.In ancient times, Greek and Roman children are known to have played with marbles, spinning tops and clay dolls. It was not until the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that toys were mass produced.
Noah’s Arks
Noah and his Ark has always been a popular biblical story for children, and toy versions of the ark have been made since the 18th century. They were particularly popular during the Victorian period when children were restricted to play with biblical toys on Sundays.
It is believed that the Noah’s Ark toy originated from a small village in Germany, called Oberammergau, an area that is renowned for its wood craftsmanship. The industry started out as a cottage industry, with different families producing particular animals, which would then be collected together and assembled with an ark. Later on, as the industry expanded, new techniques we formed to speed up the process. A ring known as a Seiffen (named after the place where it was invented) would be carved out from wood and shaped with a lathe. The ring would then be sliced into sections, with each section forming the basic shape of an animal. Each animal would then be finished by hand, with tails and horns being added where needed.
The ark itself comes in two basic shapes; the first is a flat bottom ark which is a flat piece of wood in a raft shape with a hut on the top, the second is a boat ark, which has a deep hull with a large building on the top. The animals are stored inside, with access from a hinged roof. Some arks can have up to 400 animals which, when placed nose to tail, can extend for up to 30 metres. Like many toys, arks can vary in quality. Some of the most sought-after ones are decorated with inlaid straw which looks golden in the light, or inlaid with different types of wood.
Most arks have a dove carrying a olive branch painted onto the roof, a symbol of hope. Arks were very popular up until the 1920s and were exported from Germany to markets all over the world. Their decline came when export tax was imposed on them during the war. The tariff was based on size and weight, so many makers of arks switched to making toys which were smaller and lighter.
Toy Horses
Toys horses, in various forms and made from many materials, have been around for several thousand years. Often they closely resembled their real counterparts and the work that they performed, and they were usually for boys. Toy horses encouraged imitative play, teaching children adult skills for the future, riding being an essential skill for the male sex. Boys would mimic their fathers riding into war, or hunting, or driving. This is illustrated by the words James I of England wrote to his young son: ‘the honourablest and most commendable games that ye can use are games on horseback’.
The earliest type of ‘rideable’ horse was the hobby horse which has appeared in illustrations in Europe since the 15th century. In its simplest form the hobby horse could be a plain straight stick. However, more complex designs developed, with carved heads, wheels attached to the bottom of the stick, or even covers to hide the riders’ legs. They were generally toys for older children who could run around.
The rocking horse was a later development; no references have been found to this toy before the 17th century. The idea of the rocking horse evolved from three main sources: the traditional rocking cradle, the pull-along tilting seat used in the middle ages for jousting practice, and the wheeled hobby horse. The first rocking horse was very different in appearance from our usual notions of the toy. It consisted of two flat boat-shaped planks bridged by a seat, in front of which was a carved equine head and neck. A tail may have been attached and sometimes two foot rests were placed on the shoulder. The earliest surviving example is the horse thought to have belonged to King Charles I. This method of construction was simple as it avoided the difficulties of carving the horses’ legs, and because of its practicality it continued into the 19th century as a design for cheaper horses. Sometimes the solid sides were painted with the lower body and legs of the horse, or with folk patterns, or a scene as if viewed through the horses’ legs. This type of horse was usual in Germany, while the English preferred the fully carved type.
As the toy gained in popularity and advances were made in cabinet making, the legs of rocking horses began to be carved in round. The head and body were often made of pine and the legs of the stronger beech wood. At first these horses were rather heavy in structure, although gradually they became more elegant, standing on slender carved rockers with tapering ends. This reflected the changes in the real world as faster and lighter horses were needed for artillery, and in the mid-17th century Arabian stallions were imported into England and hunting became a popular pastime. Rocking horses had also evolved into spirited racing steeds with lowered heads and outstretched legs. These horses were effective training devices as the young rider could easily be thrown if not riding correctly.
The basic structure of the rocking horse was wood, carved in several pieces and then pegged together before being covered with a thin layer of plaster called gesso. The paintwork usually represented a dappled grey, although animal skins, often deer or calf, were also used as a covering. The rockers were often painted green to resemble grass, and the horses’ features were usually painted, although glass eyes were sometimes inserted into the heads. Saddles and bridles of leather had metal bits and stirrups so that the child could accustom himself to the riding position. Manes and tails were frequently made of real horse hair which was cheaper and more realistic than carving.
In the 19th century the increase in trade and traffic led to a greater demand for more horses to carry and distribute goods to and from towns and railway stations. As wealth increased, more horses were kept for pleasure and as a result, a greater diversity of horse breeds developed. Similarly, in the toy horse world there was an ever-growing range of models as the rapid expansion of the toy trade meant manufacturers were constantly looking for new ideas. In London in 1877 there were eleven different makers of rocking horses, for these had become standard items of nursery equipment. Photographic studios often posed children, rich and poor, with rocking horses, and illustrations of the toy abounded, for example, accompanying the nursery rhyme Ride a Cock Horse, the original ‘horse’ having been an adult’s knee.
Himfr Mary is a professional researcher, focusing researches on toys history of the world. If you are interested in world toys, please visit www.himfr.com
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