Pat-Parachute: the Para-Trooper, 1942-1945

Summary

Military toys and play sets became particularly popular during and just after World War II. With material shortages during the war, toymakers used their ingenuity to create products of wood, cardboard, and paper, such as this set, which was produced when the use of metal and rubber was restricted. Elvy Kalep, this toy's designer, was a female aviator.

Military toys and play sets became particularly popular during and just after World War II. With material shortages during the war, toymakers used their ingenuity to create products of wood, cardboard, and paper, such as this set, which was produced when the use of metal and rubber was restricted. Elvy Kalep, this toy's designer, was a female aviator.

Artifact

Toy (Recreational artifact)

Date Made

1942-1945

Creators

Kalep, Elvy, d. 1989 

Geo. Borgfeldt & Company 

Place of Creation

United States, New Jersey, Jersey City 

United States, New York, New York 

Creator Notes

Designed by Elvy Kalep, Jersey City, New Jersey, distributed by Geo. Borgfeldt & Company, New York, New York.

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

72.177.577

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Almena Gray Wilde.

Material

Wood (Plant material)
Felt (Textile)
Cotton (Fiber)
Silk (Textile)
Paper (Fiber product)

Color

Green
Black (Color)
White (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 3 in

Width: 4.75 in

Length: 12.5 in

Inscriptions

Tag on back of toy: PAT PARACHUTE / by ELVY KALEP, Aviatrix / Made in U.S.A. U.S. Pat. No D-132,277 Product package: PAT-PARACHUTE / THE PARA-TROOPER

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