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Dice

1946-1984 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

British toymaker Susan Wynter (1923- 2013) started making objects from wood when she was eight years old. Growing up, she lived in London near a billiard table maker where she would use the wooden off-cuts and leftover green baize to create her own objects. As Susan grew older and had children, she began to design toys for the nursery, focusing on both function and education. Through this new approach to toymaking, Susan Wynter began to gain international fame, exhibiting at the London Design Centre, the Venice Biennale, and in various trade fairs in British Pavillions.

Her business, the Toy Trumpet, began as a small toy shop in St. Ives where Susan started designing and making high quality wooden toys. Through her toys Susan was keen to promote exploration through and also designed toys for children with special needs. These toys were then sold to stores like Harrods and Fortnum and Mason. In the late 1960s Susan moved the business to Essex and settled in Brightlingsea where she employed local people. The company grew exponentially, providing toys for major companies like James Galt and the Educational Supply Association.

This turning toy with three large dice shows the combination of educating and entertaining, something that Susan Wynter successfully achieves with her toys. The use of a tangible toy for learning purposes is one of Wynter's main goals. She engages children with the curosity for the toy itself, meanwhile they are learning valuable information.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Turning dice blocks, wood, made by Susan Wynter, England, 1946-1984
Physical description
Wooden number turning blocks consisting of three dice linked by a metal rod with a rounded metal head on each extreme. The blocks have numbers depicted on three of the sides: one, two and three studs in each face, respectively. The blocks can be turned on the rod to match three of a kind in one row, to count, or to find the alternative ways to make a given number.
Dimensions
  • Width: 4cm
  • Length: 13.2cm
  • Height: 4cm
Credit line
Given by Susan Murray
Subject depicted
Summary
British toymaker Susan Wynter (1923- 2013) started making objects from wood when she was eight years old. Growing up, she lived in London near a billiard table maker where she would use the wooden off-cuts and leftover green baize to create her own objects. As Susan grew older and had children, she began to design toys for the nursery, focusing on both function and education. Through this new approach to toymaking, Susan Wynter began to gain international fame, exhibiting at the London Design Centre, the Venice Biennale, and in various trade fairs in British Pavillions.

Her business, the Toy Trumpet, began as a small toy shop in St. Ives where Susan started designing and making high quality wooden toys. Through her toys Susan was keen to promote exploration through and also designed toys for children with special needs. These toys were then sold to stores like Harrods and Fortnum and Mason. In the late 1960s Susan moved the business to Essex and settled in Brightlingsea where she employed local people. The company grew exponentially, providing toys for major companies like James Galt and the Educational Supply Association.

This turning toy with three large dice shows the combination of educating and entertaining, something that Susan Wynter successfully achieves with her toys. The use of a tangible toy for learning purposes is one of Wynter's main goals. She engages children with the curosity for the toy itself, meanwhile they are learning valuable information.
Collection
Accession number
B.78-2014

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Record createdJuly 19, 2014
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