Rachel Toy Who doesn’t remember the click-clack sound of the chatter telephone as it was pulled across the floor? Or changing the little plastic discs on the record player to play its merry tune? This was our generations way of learning about the world, before pressing icons on tablets became a thing. Fisher Price toys were well built and designed to stimulate the imagination. So much so that many of them still survive and are played with by kids today.
How Fisher Price Began
Fisher Price was founded by three people during the Great Depression of the 1930s in East Aurora, New York. These were Herman Fisher, Irving Price and Helen Shelle. Their early focus was to build durable, affordable toys that allowed instinctive play.
The toys were made with heavy steel and wooden parts that did not splinter. They were decorated with colourful lithographic stickers often based on children’s books of the day. The first Fisher Price toy they sold was Doctor Doodle in 1931 – this was a pull along duck with top hat and tuxedo jacket. By the 1950s they had moved onto making toys in plastic.
The Golden Age of Play (1950s – 1980s)
One the company discovered that plastic enabled them to create longer lasting toys with more colourful designs, it kick started an era of iconic toys.
The first was Buzzy Bee, a pull along toy. Although the body and wheels were still made of wood, it had bright yellow plastic wings which moved when the toy was pulled along.
Little People were introduced in 1959 and became the heart of the brand. They were original called ‘Play Family’ and took over as the most popular toy that Fisher Price sold. The play sets including houses, schoolhouse, garage, airport etc captured many a child’s imagination and allowed for unlimited possibilities of play.
The success of the sets is that they mirrored real life and social interaction. They were colourful and still included the fun mid-century designs on lithographic stickers that we all know and love today.
The shapes of the toys, the illustrations all helped turn them into icons.
I have just listed the School Days Desk, Play Family Campervan and Teaching Clock, amongst other classic pieces.
Collecting Vintage Fisher Price
The sturdy build of older Fisher Price toys mean that many of them have survived years of play.
Add to that the nostalgia value, the hand me downs and the fact that some parents buy what they had for their own children, and you have a collectors market to boot!
When collecting look for the following:
- Wooden pre-1950s items are very rare, for example Buzzy Bee, Ding Dong, Ducky, Dr Doodle, Snoopy Sniffer, Bunny Cart There were also several Disney character toys.
- 1960s and 1970s plastic toys are iconic and a classic of mid century toy design. Little People and playsets were introduced as was the Clatter Telephone, Airport, Garage, School, and Play House. Other classics like the Roly Poly Chime Ball, Record Player, School Desk, Activity Center, Carousel, and Little Snoopy are also classic favourites.
- 1980s toys carried on the retro, fun design so still have value. Frisky Frog, Scarecrow, Tape Player and more.
- Full sets are worth more than ones with missing pieces, and if it’s still boxed, even better.
- Good condition is also key – no peeling or ripped off stickers, no teeth marks, damage etc.
- Check that all parts are still working properly, the sound of the telephone, the wheels go round, a wind up toy still plays well etc.
- Look out for the original Fisher Price logo on the base, and the copyright line – this will help you date the item.
- In 1969, the Quaker Oats company took over and in 1993 the brand merged with Mattel, who still owns it today.
- Here is a helpful chart of the logo evolution too, as provided on the 1000 logos website.
Modern Revival
In recent years Mattel have launched a ‘Classics’ range alongside their modern Fisher Price toys. These include a reissue of several iconic toys such as the Chatter Telephone, Record Player, Snoopy Dog and more.
It just goes to show that the nostalgia of these favourite toys isn’t going anywhere soon. People love to give them as gifts or even display as decor in their homes.
I love rescuing classic toys like these that remind us of simpler times, using our imagination and family memories. I will never forget the way a Fisher Price playset looked strewn across a 1970s patterned carpet. Good luck if you ever found the smaller pieces again!
You can browse my current Fisher Price finds here or feel free to share your own childhood favourites in the comments below!
This blog post is written by Rachel Toy, owner of Rachel’s Vintage & Retro. I am a 20th Century Vintage Blogger and Dealer writing about the vintage lifestyle, collecting, nostalgia and selling vintage. I also sell carefully curated 20th century antiques and collectables from my online vintage shop. I am happy to work with related brands on collaborations and also accept guest blogs. Find out how to work with me.
