MetaFilter posts tagged with toys and history

'Favorite dolls may fade with time - our love for them never will.'

anastasiav — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:31:11 -0800

Doll Kind :: Dolls of the 20th Century - A Celebration in Pictures and Histories

Junior Generals

Mitheral — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:47:00 -0800

Junior General is intended to promote the use of historical simulations as a tool for teaching history by providing free resources that anyone can use. To go with their teaching scenarios they make available thousands of paper solders for download and printing. Everything from stone age primatives thru Myceneans, Confederate gunboats to US Iraq infantry and futuristic Cyber Assault Droids. Also available are accessories like castles, houses, trenches, battering rams and hangers.

Pre-Videogame Era Toys

jonson — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:44:57 -0800

Before there were videogames, growing up in England in the late 1960s though the 70's we had Action Transfers. The Letraset company branched off its division of hand set rub-on transfer fonts into full blown action scenes, with Cowboys & Indians, famous historical battles, Vikings, natural disasters & more. This collector has dozens of sets, scanned in high resolution & never used.

A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know. -- Diane Arbus

anastasiav — Sat, 08 Nov 2003 09:18:43 -0800

Anima: A fascinating archive of the ways early photography was used to give the illusion of motion, as well as information on the evolution of optical toys and early cinema.

RobertLoch — Wed, 03 Jul 2002 19:53:30 -0800

History of U.S. Armies in Uniform From His Majesty’s First Independent Company of American Rangers, Colonial America, 1747 to Special Operations, Tora Bora, Afghanistan, 2002. Although this site is very interesting from a historical perspective, I like it because it contains what must be the coolest Action Man collection in existence.

johnjreeve — Mon, 29 Oct 2001 21:10:52 -0800

Battle Over Blocks
These essays offer a thoughtful insight into the Lego bricks we grew up with, and how the toys have changed with the times to reflect an absence of creativity in our society. Features Jeff Bates, cofounder of slashdot.