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- Alphabet Blocks, 1873-1880 -
- 1873-1880
- Collections - Artifact
Alphabet Blocks, 1873-1880
- Building Blocks, 1876-1886 -
- 1876-1886
- Collections - Artifact
Building Blocks, 1876-1886
- Alphabet Blocks, 1865-1875 - 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.
- 1865-1875
- Collections - Artifact
Alphabet Blocks, 1865-1875
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.
- Alphabet Blocks, Used by Edsel Ford, 1898-1903 - By 1900, many American toy companies mass-produced colorful wooden alphabet blocks. 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.
- 1898-1903
- Collections - Artifact
Alphabet Blocks, Used by Edsel Ford, 1898-1903
By 1900, many American toy companies mass-produced colorful wooden alphabet blocks. 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.
- Alphabet Blocks, 1860-1880 -
- 1860-1880
- Collections - Artifact
Alphabet Blocks, 1860-1880
- Picture Puzzle, 1858-1863 - Toy manufacturers designed puzzles for older children and adults. One form -- cubes with pictures on each face -- challenged users with the possibility of multiple solutions. This set of 24 wooden blocks could be combined to create one of six illustrated scenes, a map of the United States, or the alphabet.
- 1858-1863
- Collections - Artifact
Picture Puzzle, 1858-1863
Toy manufacturers designed puzzles for older children and adults. One form -- cubes with pictures on each face -- challenged users with the possibility of multiple solutions. This set of 24 wooden blocks could be combined to create one of six illustrated scenes, a map of the United States, or the alphabet.
- Alphabet Blocks, 1880-1890 -
- 1880-1890
- Collections - Artifact
Alphabet Blocks, 1880-1890
- Alphabet Blocks, 1890-1900 -
- 1890-1900
- Collections - Artifact
Alphabet Blocks, 1890-1900
- Alphabet Blocks, Used by Edsel Ford, 1895-1900 - 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.
- 1895-1900
- Collections - Artifact
Alphabet Blocks, Used by Edsel Ford, 1895-1900
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.
- Hill's Kindergarten Building and Spelling Blocks, 1880-1890 - Educational toys in the late nineteenth century often served multiple purposes. This set of building and alphabet blocks included different shapes and colors for creative stacking. It also offered a variety of learning opportunities. With upper and lowercase letters in print and cursive, images of animals with printed names, and Roman and Arabic numerals, children could practice spelling and counting while they played.
- 1880-1890
- Collections - Artifact
Hill's Kindergarten Building and Spelling Blocks, 1880-1890
Educational toys in the late nineteenth century often served multiple purposes. This set of building and alphabet blocks included different shapes and colors for creative stacking. It also offered a variety of learning opportunities. With upper and lowercase letters in print and cursive, images of animals with printed names, and Roman and Arabic numerals, children could practice spelling and counting while they played.