Part 1, Potsdam Museum Toy Exhibit

When I saw that the museum in Potsdam, New York was offering a special Toy Exhibit, I knew I had to go see it. My first two attempts were foiled, first by a local band offering holiday songs, and then by groups of school kids, being read stories by the museum staff. But the toys looked so interesting that I gave it another try:

The first thing I saw was this exquisite collection of Victorian dolls. I remembered, from my previous trips to the museum, learning that Potsdam had been a boom town in Victorian times:

There were ethnic dolls:

And Amish dolls. There are lots of Amish folks around here:

There was an entire display of Fisher Price toys:

This hook and ladder firetruck was from the 1950s:

This toy fire truck was from the 1940s. It was made by the Marx Company of New York City, which began manufacturing pressed steel toys in 1919 and was the largest toy manufacturer in the world by the 1950s:

A 1940s motorcycle policeman, also from the 1940s:

A 1920s "Buddy-L" aerial ladder fire truck:

Lots more toys: A rocking horse, a camper truck pulling a boat, and a plush toy horse:

This black pony carousel horse was manufactured by the Charles W. F. Dare Company, sometime between 1867 and 1901. Mr. Dare emigrated to the United States as an 18 year old in 1824 and began making toys in New York City:

This carousel music boxfrom the 1970s was made in Hong Kong. It played "The Carousel Waltz" and the horses moved up and down as it rotated:

I didn't notice any date on this baby carriage, but suspected that it was one of the oldest artifacts in the museum. The child's potty and the high chair seemed to be from a similar era:

A toy farm, a toy which I remember seeing as a kid. The Scottish doll looked familiar and I pondered it for awhile, finally remembering it that it was the spokesperson for Campbell Soups once upon a time. But I was just getting started in the toy exhibit. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow: