Children's Building Blocks Have Been Around For Centuries
It seems that everywhere I go, I'm seeing stacks of vintage children's blocks for sale. These colorful wooden playtime favorites have been around for a very long time with a variety of styles. Alphabets, numbers, animals, Disney characters and storybook themes are common designs on both paper and wooden blocks.
While most of the blocks that you will discover at yard sales or shops are from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, you may be lucky to find some older blocks from the Victorian Era and earlier. After all blocks date back to the 1600's https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toy_block.
Wooden blocks were followed by the emergence of plastics in the 1950s, such as Legos, Duplo and other building toys.
Buying Old Alphabet and Nursery BlocksMany dealers will sell an assortment of blocks form different sets and time periods. Once and awhile you might find a complete set in its original box or re-boxed in a new container. For wooden blocks you want to look at how bruised they might be. Are they splintered, chipped, faded ? Paper or cardboard blocks get worn, ripped and faded.
It depends what you are going to do with the blockz as to how picky you need to be. Surely for using as toys for your children or grandchildren you want to think safety first.
Collectors may be more concerned with rarity, good graphics, intact sets. Garden variety blocks can be picked up for a few dollars, while unusual individual and sets of blocks can fetch hundredths of dollars.
Wooden blocks were followed by the emergence of plastics in the 1950s, such as Legos, Duplo and other building toys.
Decorating And Crafting With Vintage Children's Blocks
Today, you will find many young people using vintage building blocks as decorative accessories, displaying on a windowsill or as part of a shelf vignette or craft project. Wooden blocks make great holiday accents and tree ornaments.
C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists