The Picture Alphabet For Good Children, 1835-1855
01
Artifact Overview
Sturdy paper discs housed in cylindrical wooden boxes were one form of alphabet toy used in the mid-1800s. Most of these small cards feature a letter and, on the other side, a colorful image of something beginning with that letter. Children could dump out and mix up the letters, then rearrange them to spell words.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Educational toy
Date Made
1835-1855
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
24.7.50
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Wood (Plant Material)
Paper (Fiber product)
Color
Green
Blue
Red
Yellow (Color)
Black (Color)
Brown
Dimensions
Height: 2.5 in
Diameter: 2.8 in
Inscriptions
THE PICTURE ALPHABET/For Good Children [on box top]
Keywords |
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Related Content
SetAlphabet Blocks and Spelling Toys
- 12 Artifacts
By 1900, many American toy companies mass-produced wooden alphabet blocks with raised ornamentation and colorful printing. These blocks belonged to Henry and Clara Ford's son, Edsel. Along with letters, they feature images of animals with their names printed below. Words on the blocks encouraged children to think about letter sounds and spelling while they played.