Toys · 1917
Wartime Ingenuity and Playtime Classics in 1917
As the Great War reshaped global manufacturing, toy makers adapted with wooden construction sets, patriotic dolls, and durable playthings. Families turned to wholesome home board games and imaginative building toys to bring comfort during turbulent times.
- 1917 | Liberty Coaster Co. | USA
Liberty Coaster Wooden Wagon
Italian immigrant Antonio Pasin founded his company in 1917, handcrafting wooden toy wagons that would eventually evolve into the iconic Radio Flyer brand.
- 1917 | Madame Alexander | USA
Madame Alexander Red Cross Nurse Doll
Beatrice Alexander launched her doll business in 1917 by fashioning cloth dolls dressed as Red Cross nurses to reflect the home front effort during World War I.
- 1917 | A.C. Gilbert Company | USA
Gilbert Erector Set
Featuring steel girders and gears, A.C. Gilbert's popular construction system inspired aspiring young engineers despite wartime metal restrictions.
- 1917 | The Toy Tinkers | USA
Tinkertoy Construction Set
Made from wooden spools and wooden rods, Charles Pajeau's open-ended building set was a massive commercial success across American playrooms.
- 1917 | Geo. Borgfeldt & Co. | USA
Kewpie Doll
Designed by illustrator Rose O'Neill, these cherubic composition and celluloid dolls continued their reign as one of the world's biggest toy crazes.
- 1917 | Lionel Corporation | USA
Lionel Armored Military Train
Lionel adapted to wartime patriotic themes by producing electric toy trains outfitted with olive-drab paint and military supply cars.
- 1917 | A. Schoenhut Company | USA
Schoenhut Humpty Dumpty Circus
These wooden jointed figures of clowns, acrobats, and trained animals allowed children to pose and create their own elaborate big-top play spectacles.
- 1917 | Milton Bradley | USA
The Game of Uncle Wiggily
Based on Howard R. Garis's beloved bedtime stories, this simple track board game invited children to guide the elderly rabbit hero to his hollow-stump bungalow.
Enjoyed your trip back in time?