Item Reference: 002024
Category: Toys and Games
Format: Artefact
Description: Simple pink plastic kaleidoscope in conical shape, with a small end cell with multi-coloured plastic and clear plastic cap. Kaleidoscope has star detailing as a pattern as well as manufacturer information. A Simex/Simm and Söhne. Made in West Germany
Date: c. 1970s
Further Information: Simex began as an offshoot of German brand Simm and Söhne.
Links:
Item Reference: 002023
Category: Toys and Games
Format: Artefact
Description: Red plastic kaleidoscope with wheel action, marketed as ‘The Amazing Wonder Wheel’. Red plastic casing with Simex branding and clear plastic wheel attachment with small multi-coloured plastic pieces within. Tube of the kaleidoscope has a printed sticker with branding on it, as well as illustration and Berwick branding. Made in England with parts from West Germany.
Date: 1975-1986
Further Information: Simex was a West German company that specialised in the manufacture of plastic toys, and by 1975 was able to produce moulds. As their logo is on the plastic body of the kaleidoscope, this is where the ‘parts West German’ mentioned on the label would be. Berwick on the other hand was a popular manufacturer of toys in Britain and has registered trademarks with the British Intellectual Property Office. Simex still operates, primarily creating packaging for cosmetics brands and Berwick is now a dead trademark with regards to the manufacture of toys and to Berwick Toys Company Ltd. has been in liquidation since 1986.
Links:
Item Reference: 002022
Category: Toys and Games
Format: Artefact
Description: Tin kaleidoscope with the pattern of children riding a train through a valley with blue sky. The twistable end cell is red plastic with colourful plastic pieces within. The pattern is lithographed. Produced by WH Smith
Date: c. mid-1970s
Further Information: Features the cube logo introduced in 1973, though the design of the kaleidosope is similar to many pre-1973 products.
Links:
Item Reference: 002021
Category: Toys and Games
Format: Artefact
Description: Blue tin kaleidoscope with colourful circle patterns. The twistable end cell has a blue plastic cap with colourful plastic pieces within. The pattern is lithographed. Produced by Chad Valley and made in England.
Date: 1970s
Further Information:
Links:
Item Reference: 002020
Category: Toys and Games
Format: Artefact
Description: Red plastic Standard Frisbee created as part of a promotional deal with Lucozade. Comes with instructions and slip to receive more Frisbees as part of the deal.
Date: 1974
Further Information: 33p in 1974 in the equivalent of just over £3 in June 2024
Links:
Item Reference: 002019
Category: Toys and Games
Format: Artefact
Description: Selection of miniature Christmas cracker toy stored in a green Golden Virginia tobacco tin. The toys feature a large assortment of miniature dice and small plastic accessories, some of which are small board games. Aside from the tin, there is no branding on any of the artefacts.
Date: c.1970s
Further Information:
Links:
Item Reference: 002018
Category: Toys and Games
Format: Artefact
Description: Piano pencil case with battery operation allowing sound from the buttons on the front of the case, which are labelled ‘do-re-mi’ etc in the style of the seven-note diatonic musical scale, with corresponding numbers. It is branded as ‘Minipiano’. The battery is no longer functional. The is pink plastic and features paper stick-ons with cartoon characters.
Date: 1980s
Further Information: This design/line was relatively common during the 1980s and usually was accompanied by simplistic music sheets, though this does not survive with this artefact.
Links:
Item Reference: 002017
Category: Toys and Games
Format: Artefact
Description: Illuminated battery-operated yo-yo with red and clear plastic casing through which the battery is visible, though it is no longer functional. Uses a thread string.
Date: c.1990s
Further Information:
Links:
Item Reference: 002016
Category: Toys and Games
Format: Artefact
Description: Child’s watch made by Tikkers, featuring Japanese quartz movement as its mechanism. The strap is coloured plastic, the watch face back is stainless steel, and the buckle is black metal. The watch face has geometric patterns.
Date: 1992-1996
Further Information: According to their website, Tikkers began in 1999 however various UK trademarks for ‘Tikkers’ for the sale of watches were filed as early as 1989, with this particular logo font being filed in 1991, with a different font being then entered into the trademark registry in 1996.
Links:
Item Reference: 002015
Category: Toys and Games
Format: Artefact
Description: Toy right-angle viewer. One-inch cube with right-angle viewer apparatus. The cube is very light-weight and wrapped in a paper material with an intricate design and a shiny veneer.
Date: c. 1990s
Further Information:
Links:
