Wooden Toy
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 moving snail toy made from wood and cardboard, demonstrates Wynter's enthusiasm for using animals as a means of children's toys. Like many of her other animal toys, Susan promotes interaction and movement with the toy, allowing children to open up their imagination. This mobile snail toy allows children to play and explore movement.
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 moving snail toy made from wood and cardboard, demonstrates Wynter's enthusiasm for using animals as a means of children's toys. Like many of her other animal toys, Susan promotes interaction and movement with the toy, allowing children to open up their imagination. This mobile snail toy allows children to play and explore movement.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | |
Brief description | Snail moving toy, wood & cardboard, made by Susan Wynter, England, 1946-1984 |
Physical description | Flat cardboard snail, with a yellow body and pink dots on the bottom of the neck. It has a pink shell decorated with yellow dots. The snail has a black outline around it, as well as black eyes and a mouth. It is attached to a white wax cylinder, which is linked to a tab on the snail by a rubber string that crosses the centre of the cylinder. The white cylinder is inside another wooden cylinder covered with blue felt. The rubber is kept in place on the wooden cylinder, on the opposite side to the snail, by a little wooden rod. When turning the cylinder the rubber string turns as well, and then it comes back to the original position making the snail crawl. |
Dimensions |
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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 moving snail toy made from wood and cardboard, demonstrates Wynter's enthusiasm for using animals as a means of children's toys. Like many of her other animal toys, Susan promotes interaction and movement with the toy, allowing children to open up their imagination. This mobile snail toy allows children to play and explore movement. |
Collection | |
Accession number | B.83-2014 |
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Record created | July 19, 2014 |
Record URL |
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