Toys · 1905
Edwardian Playtime: Tin, Plush, and Parlor Games
In 1905, the toy world flourished with fine German craftsmanship, innovative metal construction sets, and lively parlor card games. Children embraced jointed wooden circus figures and spinning diabolos as Edwardian play reached new creative heights.
- Plush Toy | Steiff | Germany
Steiff 'Button in Ear' Teddy Bear
Richard Steiff's plush mohair bear featured the newly registered metal button in its left ear to guarantee authenticity against imitators.
- Wooden Playset | Schoenhut | USA
Humpty Dumpty Circus
Albert Schoenhut's articulated wooden figures and jointed circus animals allowed children to pose acrobat and animal acts in flexible configurations.
- Skill Toy | Gustave Philippart | France
Diabolo Playground Craze
Engineered with a modern spool design, this revived ancient spinning game exploded across European parks and schoolyards as a sensational physical challenge.
- Card Game | Parker Brothers | USA
Pit Card Game
Simulating the chaotic energy of the Chicago Board of Trade, this fast-paced trading game swept dinner parties and living rooms throughout 1905.
- Construction Set | Frank Hornby | UK
Mechanics Made Easy
Perforated metal strips and brass wheels allowed young builders to construct working cranes and bridges before the brand was renamed Meccano.
- Porcelain Doll | Armand Marseille | Germany
Armand Marseille Bisque Dolls
Featuring realistic glass eyes and delicate porcelain heads on composition bodies, these German creations dominated the global doll market.
- Board Game | Lizzie Magie | USA
The Landlord's Game
Created to illustrate economic theories of land monopoly, this property-buying board game gained a passionate follower base across college campuses.
- Tinplate Toy | Gebrüder Bing | Germany
Bing Clockwork Tinplate Trains
Meticulously hand-painted clockwork locomotives and passenger cars represented the pinnacle of early twentieth-century miniature engineering.
Enjoyed your trip back in time?