Omar Khalid
The first plastic toy was made of celluloid, a synthetic plastic invented in 1863 by John Wesley Hyatt in New York. Hyatt, a printer by trade, created celluloid in response to an advertisement offering $10,000 for a substitute for elephant tusk ivory in the production of billiard balls. The first plastic toys made of celluloid appeared in the late 19th century, though plastic toys only became widespread after World War II. In the late 1940s, Fisher Price was the first company to manufacture an entire line of plastic toys. Mr. Potato Head, which has been around since 1949, was the first plastic toy to sell one million copies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the first plastic toy | Mr. Potato Head |
| Year of the first plastic toy | 1949 |
| Inventor of the first plastic toy | Toy designer George Lerner of Brooklyn, New York |
| Plastic used in the first plastic toy | Celluloid |
| Year celluloid was invented | 1863 |
| Inventor of celluloid | John Wesley Hyatt |
| Reason for inventing celluloid | Substitute for elephant tusk ivory in the production of billiard balls |
| Plastic used in the first plastic toy range | N/A |
| Year of the first plastic toy range | Late 1940s |
| Company that created the first plastic toy range | Fisher Price |
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What You'll Learn
The first plastic toy: Mr Potato Head
The first plastic toys were made of celluloid, a synthetic plastic invented in 1863 by John Wesley Hyatt in upstate New York. Hyatt, a printer and the son of a blacksmith, created celluloid in response to an advertisement offering $10,000 for a substitute for elephant tusk ivory in the production of billiard balls. The first celluloid toys appeared in the late 19th century, and celluloid was used in the production of dolls and other toys. However, celluloid had several drawbacks, including flammability and fragility, which led to the development of other plastics.
After World War I, improvements in chemistry led to an explosion of new forms of plastics, with mass production beginning in the 1940s and 1950s. In the late 1940s, Fisher Price was the first company to manufacture an entire line of plastic toys. During World War II, some new types of toys were created through accidental innovation, such as Silly Putty and Play-Doh.
One of the most iconic plastic toys to emerge during this time was Mr. Potato Head, which was introduced in 1949. Designed by toy designer George Lerner of Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Potato Head was the first plastic toy to sell one million copies. The toy was designed to look like a potato and had modular components that could be swapped out and used with other potatoes. The initial batch included two eyes, four noses, and three caps, along with eight felt pieces shaped like facial hair. Mr. Potato Head was also the first toy to be promoted on television, with a commercial featuring a potato in a wagon with a child.
The success of Mr. Potato Head and other plastic toys in the 1950s, such as Lego's line of colourful interlocking plastic brick construction sets and the Barbie doll, solidified plastic as the dominant material in the toy industry. Today, plastic toys account for 90% of the market, offering benefits such as low cost, lightweight construction, and a wide range of shapes, colours, and functions.
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Bakelite: the world's first fully synthetic plastic
The world's first fully synthetic plastic was Bakelite, invented in New York in 1907 by Leo Baekeland, who is also credited with coining the term "plastics".
Bakelite was produced in the first quarter of the twentieth century and was used in the production of toys, jewellery, trophies, and more. It was the first plastic to be made of entirely synthetic materials. Before Bakelite, celluloid was the first plastic used in toys, invented in 1863 by John Wesley Hyatt in upstate New York. Celluloid was a passable substitute for ivory and tortoiseshell, and could be carved and decorated. However, it had several drawbacks, including flammability and a tendency to crack and deteriorate over time.
Bakelite marked the start of the modern plastics industry. After Baekeland's patent ran out in 1927, other companies began to produce their own versions of synthetic plastics, such as Catalin, a translucent plastic that could be made into a variety of bright colours. Mass production of plastic toys began in the 1940s and 1950s, with companies like Fisher Price creating entire product ranges made of plastic. Plastic toys were cheap, lightweight, and well-suited to mass production, and by the 1970s, plastic had firmly established itself as the primary material for toys, accounting for 90% of the market.
Today, plastic is used in a wide range of sectors, including packaging, construction, textiles, transportation, and electronics. In the toy industry, plastic has allowed for the creation of interactive digital entertainment and smart toys, as well as traditional toys recreated in plastic, such as dolls, Play-Doh, and Mr. Potato Head.
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Celluloid: the first synthetic plastic used in toys
Celluloid, the first synthetic plastic, was invented in 1863 by John Wesley Hyatt in upstate New York. Hyatt was a printer by trade and the son of a blacksmith. He created celluloid in response to an advertisement that offered $10,000 for a material that could be used in place of elephant tusk ivory in the production of billiard balls. Celluloid was developed as a mixture of nitrocellulose and camphor, resulting in a transparent substance that could be shaped, painted, carved, or decorated.
Beyond billiard balls, celluloid proved to be a versatile material with a wide range of applications. It was used to imitate luxury materials such as ivory, tortoiseshell, and linen, making it accessible and affordable for various products. From jewellery and hair combs to toothbrush handles and children's toys, celluloid became an everyday material in the late 19th century, marking the beginning of the modern age of man-made plastics.
The Celluloid Manufacturing Company, established by Hyatt and his brother Isaiah Smith Hyatt, played a significant role in the production and innovation of celluloid goods. They developed machinery and techniques for working with celluloid, including blow moulding, which enabled the mass production of millions of inexpensive toys and ornaments.
However, celluloid had several drawbacks. It was highly flammable, fragile, and prone to cracking and deterioration over time. Despite these issues, celluloid was used in manufacturing for several decades until safer alternatives emerged. Bakelite, invented by Leo Baekeland, became a popular substitute for celluloid in the early 20th century, offering a range of bright colours that celluloid lacked.
While celluloid may have eventually been replaced by other plastics, it laid the foundation for the modern plastics industry and demonstrated the potential of synthetic materials in various applications, including toys. Its lightweight, mouldable nature, and low cost made it ideal for mass production, revolutionising the toy industry and paving the way for the widespread use of plastic in toy manufacturing.
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Plastic toys: cheap, lightweight, and great for mass production
Plastic toys are now ubiquitous, but the first plastic toys only appeared in the late 19th century. The first plastic, celluloid, was invented in 1863 by John Wesley Hyatt in upstate New York. Hyatt was a printer and the son of a blacksmith. He created celluloid in response to an advertisement offering $10,000 for a substitute for elephant tusk ivory in the production of billiard balls. Dolls were the first toys to be made from celluloid and were sold in the last decades of the 19th century.
Celluloid was a passable substitute for ivory and tortoiseshell, and it could be carved and decorated. It was also a cheaper alternative to rubber and other luxury materials. However, it had several drawbacks as a material: it was flammable, fragile, and its surface cracked and deteriorated over time. Despite these issues, celluloid was used in manufacturing for decades.
In the early 20th century, a contemporary of celluloid called Bakelite began to increase its share of the market. Bakelite was the world's first fully synthetic plastic, created by Leo Baekeland in New York in 1907. He coined the term "plastics". When Bakelite's patent ran out in 1927, other companies began to produce similar products, such as the American Catalin Company, which made its plastic products in a variety of bright colours.
After World War II, plastic toys became firmly established. In the late 1940s, Fisher Price was the first company to make its entire product range in plastic. Plastic was ideal for mass production, as it was cheap and lightweight, and could be moulded into various shapes, colours, and sizes. It was also safer than wood and metal, which were flammable and not suited for large-scale manufacturing. Plastic toys could be rushed out at dizzying speeds to meet the ever-growing demand.
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Post-WWII: plastic toys become firmly established
Post-WWII, plastic toys became firmly established, with the materials to make them readily available to manufacturers. In the late 1940s, Fisher Price was the first company to make its entire product range from plastic, with rivals like Ideal following suit. Plastic toys were cheap, lightweight, and safe for children, unlike wood and metal, which were flammable. This shift to plastic was also driven by the post-war baby boom, which created a large market of potential customers.
Toy sales grew from $84 million in 1940 to $900 million by 1953 and into the billions of dollars in the early 1960s. Plastic toys were also easily mass-produced, with new toys rushed out at "dizzying speeds". The development of television and TV advertising also played a role, with Mr. Potato Head, for example, becoming the first toy to be widely advertised on TV in 1952.
The availability of plastic resources was a key factor in the shift to plastic toys. While restrictions on plastics and rubber were lifted quickly post-war, metal remained on the restricted list, making plastic more available to manufacturers. Plastic toys were also durable and colourful, with polystyrene and polyethylene used for toys subject to heavy use by children.
The development of new plastics also played a role in the establishment of plastic toys. Celluloid, the first synthetic plastic, invented in 1863, was highly flammable and fragile. It was replaced by softer vinyl and robust polystyrene and polyethylene. The oil crisis of the 1970s also did not stifle plastic toy production, with manufacturers adapting to new trends and materials.
The use of plastic in toys allowed for creative play, with modelling clay, for example, reinvented by Play Doh in the 1970s with a combination of plasticine and rigid plastic accessories. The popularity of plastic toys continued into the 1950s and 1960s, with the boom in plastic products and the rise of companies like "Louis Marx and Company".
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Frequently asked questions
The first plastic toy was made of celluloid, the first synthetic plastic, invented by John Wesley Hyatt in 1863.
The first plastic toy was a doll, made of celluloid and sold as a toy.
The first plastic toys were sold in the late 19th century.
