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The huge increase in toy manufacturing during the 20th century has converted toy collection into a means of recovering lost childhood. Teddy bears, trains, boxes and china dolls are the preferred objects of collectors. But there is much much more.
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China boxes
These carefully worked and decorated small boxes are usually designed in period styles and are now the collector�s most sought-after objects. They transport us to the age of the Victorians, Hapsburgs and Bourbons, allowing the collector to appreciate history, artistic movements and all the anecdotes associated with these tiny objects.
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Doll houses
Our love of miniaturism converts us into artisans, architects and interior decorators. With a little imagination it is possible to build beautiful Victorian houses and decorate them according to our taste: from the walls to the rooms to all the furniture and accessories. All this can be bought from the specialised stores, toy shops, auctions and doll house exhibitions that take place the world over.
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China dolls
Beautiful dresses, attractive faces and sweet expressions. China dolls are all this and much more besides. Collecting these delicate objects allows us to relive the settings, toys and fashions of every generation from the beginning of the 20th century to the late 1990s. These collectable pieces tend to attract sensitive souls.
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The teddy bear family
A cartoon published in the Washington Post on 18 November 1902 and drawn by Clifford Berryman inspired a new children�s toy. The cartoon showed President Roosevelt refusing to shoot a baby bear during a hunt. The toy manufacturers of the age wasted no time in transforming that cartoon bear into a fur-covered bear with articulated arms and legs. The teddy bear, as it was affectionately dubbed, was a great success given its association with such a popular president. It has become one of the most collectable of toys and it is now possible to categorise them as follows: jobs �firemen, policemen, doctors, fishermen �, size and texture �fur, hair and wool.
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Scalextric
Toy or sport? Both terms can be used to describe a phenomenon that has just celebrated its 40th birthday in Spain. If the train was one of the child�s favourite objects, leading to the popularity of miniature trains, the car was in hot pursuit. Miniature trains were very static and scaled down cars were far more complicated to build. The first step was taken in 1950s England, when cars and circuits were manufactured under the brand Scalextric, becoming ever more popular with the use of plastic in the 1960s. The manufacturers began to make cars such as the Ferrari 156, the Aston Martin, the Austin Healey and the Seat 600 in 1966. At the end of the 1980s, with nearly 30 years of history behind them, Scalextric cars became collectable, appearing in specialised books and clubs, and increasing in value. The dream of any collector is to possess each and every model in each and every colour.
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And there�s more...
The toys mentioned above aren�t the only ones that have become collectable. The list includes the world-famous Barbie and Nancy, as well as planes, boats, tin soldiers and even doll�s dresses. The many fairs and exhibitions allow you to acquire these ancient objects. All you need is a childlike fascination to discover the fantastic world of toy collecting.
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