Wound up and charged. Special exhibition of moving toys from the past 100 years
20.04. - 06.10.2013
Wind-up toys are true marvels. For 100 years they have been delighting children all over the world. The special exhibition "To wind up and charge” is also sure to quicken the pulse of many adults when they catch sight of the numerous sought-after, still functioning collector's items.
With their cars, motorbikes, airships, animals and teddy bears, Schuco, Tippco and Günthermann are surely among the most-admired and well-known early German manufacturers. In the 1950s, the moving toys from Japan were introduced, and there were no boundaries when it came to imagination and creativity. The popcorn vendor with his cart, the magician with his magic tricks or the pipe-smoking woodman are all popular examples. These new toys from Asia were equipped with a wind-up mechanism or operated by batteries.
The early toys were often made completely from tin and could be found with elaborate and detailed lithographs. There were also dolls with porcelain heads on tricycles. They were later joined by figures and animals clothed in mohair or other fabrics. The Asian products were predominantly made of plush, plastic and coloured tin.
In the exhibition, all of the different types of wind-up toys will be represented. Through short films, visitors can enjoy seeing the funny and versatile movements and sequences which the displayed toys are capable of performing.
www.spielzeug-welten-museum-basel.ch/de/sonderausstellungen/aktuelle-ausstellung/aufgezogen-und-aufgeladen/
