Alphabet Blocks, 1865-1875
01
Artifact Overview
Mid-nineteenth-century companies drew on new technologies to produce and distribute inexpensive toys. In 1858, New York firm S. L. Hill patented "a new and Improved Spelling-Block" with imagery applied directly to the wood. Hill became the first American manufacturer to mass produce toy alphabet blocks. These popular toys helped children learn letters and numbers and practice spelling. They also served as stackable building blocks.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Alphabet block
Date Made
1865-1875
Creators
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
91.0.11.491
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Wood (Plant material)
Paper (Fiber product)
Technique
Lithography
Color
Multicolored
Dimensions
Height: 1 in
Width: 6 in
Length: 6 in
Inscriptions
box lid:
Hill's Alphabet Blocks
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.