How it's made: Kay Bojesen's Wooden Monkey

The Wooden Monkey, designed by Kay Bojesen in 1951, is a beloved classic of Scandinavian design. Discover how it's made by hand.

Antonio Vitali Toy Boat Set

I finally managed to find and purchase a set of Antonio Vitali toy boats. They fit beautifully in my three year old's hand. He loves them as as he sails them across the floor and I love their design aesthetics.

Ebay Vitali Finds

Some lucky person purchased a whole collection of Vitali toys at a great price

$75 got them an aeroplane, boats, and a few wheeled vehicles. 

 I particularly like the boats . I would have liked to be the keen eyed person who spotted them for $22 but they were already sold.

Maybe next time?

Antonio Vitali Community Helpers

What a beautiful set of Antonio Vitali Playforms.

Recently sold on Ebay for $1225

Vitali at a fraction of usual prices

A recent ebay auction saw a large number of Vitali vehicles sell for a fraction of usual prices. [two airoplanes for only $20] These well loved toys oozed character.

With strong interest in Japan, Switzerland, Australia, Argentina, Germany and the UK. I suspect the low prices reflect the sellers reluctance to post outside the US.

1962 Vintage Creative Playthings Catalogue, Antonio Vitali

Creative Playthings Catalogues are full of beautifully designed well made toys. Frank and Theresa Caplan engaged designers, scientists and experts in early childhood development to produce ideal toys. The catalogues are not only nostalgic but include short well written articles about children and lovely images of children at play.
This 1962 catalogue with an antonio vitali family on the cover sold for a touch over $125 on ebay.

Antonio Vitali Creative Playthings People, Animals,Vehicles

Antonio Vitali for Creative Playthings 

Vintage Kay Bojesen Wooden Toys

1966

Kay Bojesen wooden toys. This beautiful image is from a vintage toy catalogue 

Antonio Vitali Bird sells for $405

Vitali 

Wise words from Swiss toy designer Antonio Vitali

"A toy made by lovingly observant parents, be it naive or unsophisticated, is preferable to mass-produced merchandise. It was created for the specific needs of that child, known by the parents." Antonio Vitali

Antonio Vitali Playforms Toy Transportation Set Creative Playthings

Currently listed on ebay, this beautiful antonio vitali playforms set comes complete with box. Other Creative playforms Vitali sculptured toy figures illustrate the perimeter of the box.

Other creative playforms Vitali vehicle sets I have seen come with a covered truck and pilot in the aeroplane.

Antonio Vitali Family , Farm Animals

These beautiful Creative Playthings toys by Antonio Vitali above, sold on ebay for a little over $3000. I am curious to know whether these toys will form part of a personal or private collection or be scattered on the floor for some fortunate child to play with.

Over $2000 was realised for the sale of the Vitali vehicles and animals in the photo below.

Below is a lovely collection of 23 vintage wooden Vitali Figures. They sold for over $2500 on ebay.

Naef Swiss Wooden Dog Puppet

Quintessentia often have beautifully designed Swiss vintage toys available on their web page.  This Naef Swiss Wooden Dog Puppet is currently for sale at $220. The paintwork may not be original but was done by someone with a strong aesthetic sense. I think it looks great.

Vntage Wooden Toy Caterpillar & Swiss Naef Juba

My kids love playing with this vintage wooden toy caterpillar. When placed in the hand carved wooden cocoon like dish it looks ready for transformation. However, when it emerges from the cocoon it is has not transformed into a butterfly but remains a beautiful caterpillar.
The contrasting light and dark woods remind me of the wooden animals of Danish Kay Bojesen or the Schooline figures from Japan . The caterpillars movement and play potential bring to mind Naef's Juba by Xavier De Clippelier.

Above my beautiful wooden vintage toy. Below Switzerland's Naef Juba. Image © Naef Spiele AG 

Naef Spiel, Kurt Naef 1957

 This classic 1957 design by Kurt Naef is still produced by hand in Switzerland.

I love this set that shows off the natural grain. The design allows for open ended play opportunities

                                           

     Images ©Naef Spiele AG 

Schooline Poodle

Wooden Schooline poodle. Made in Japan.

The swing tag reads  - Over the years choice and finely worked woods become treasured possessions. The wood inlays and natural grain of this figure will acquire warmth and quality with handling.

Schooline Corporation, Hollywood, California
Stamped SCHOOLINE © 1958

I'd love some more information. If you have some please add a comment.

Kindergarten play

I taught at one of Australia's oldest kindergartens. This beautiful old wooden house must have been played with by 100s of children. The patina was provided by lots of little fingers.

The figure in front of the house was made in New Zealand in a no longer running sheltered workshop.

The wooden wombats [right of the figure] were made by craftsman John Elliott in Warburton from scavenged wood. [Unfortunately he is also no longer making toys].

Well designed and crafted toys live beyond the life time of their designers and makers.  

Oguru Saburo Jigsaw Puzzle

This Jigsaw puzzle was found at a school fete, we loved the design.
It appears to be the design work of Japan's Oguru Saburo who has designed for Swiss "play object" maker Naef.
Each piece of the puzzle is lovely to play with. The animals are often taken out and swam or walked across the floor. It is quite a tricky puzzle and there are times when the pieces are not placed back in their frame.
Beautifully designed wooden toys still look great when left scattered by the kids in play.

Kay Bojesen Dog Little Tim, Denmark

This is Kay Bojesen's "Little Tim". No longer in production. Each turn of his head brings a new expression. I was lucky enough to buy him whilst trawling ebay, listed only as "wood dog". The postage cost to Australia was greater than the sale! A real bargain!!! Judging by auction results he is rare [and valuable]. Tim's friend "Plet"[Spot] sold at lauritz.com for nearly EUR 700. Not too valuable for the kids to play with though. Kay Bojesen would want his dog to be played with.

Schooline Bears

Here is a family of Schooline Bears. These bears come in a number of sizes just like those of Bojesen. The contrasting wood detail on the pads on these bears feet are beautiful. Made in Japan they are marked SCHOOLINE © 1958. I'd love some more information on who designed for Schooline and Zoo-Line. Do you know?