Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at Young V&A
Imagine Gallery, Small Worlds, Case 1, Shelf 4

This object consists of 53 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Caravan

Toy Caravan
1989-1995 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Toy caravan designed for Sylvanian Families figures.

It is a traditional 'Gypsy'-style horse-drawn caravan made from predominantly red and green plastic, moulded and assembled to form the sides, ends, base and back wheels of the caravan. The base is green and it extends at the back to form the top of the step and at the front to form the seat; it is mounted on two wheels of beige with a cream axle running through a matching plate which is screwed to the base, there is a matching plate at the front to which is attached the front wheels. The base inside is grooved and at one end forms a seat with a cream lid (this lifts up when the front wheels need to be attached); midway along one wall is a post into which fits the basin. At each end are red walls, each with double opening yellow two-part doors, the top halves cut away as windows. These walls are rounded at the top and there is a spike at each corner. The lower eft side lower half is cream, with red upper and a central double opening window in yellow. Matched on the right side with a cream lower half which drops down, the upper half is attached to roof. At the back outside are two yellow ballastrades.

Removeable convex roof, green plastic, with raised windows along the centre and decorative ends.

Front wheels and draught arms, moulded cream and beige plastic. Between the wheels is a plastic screw which allows the wheels to be attached to the base of the caravan. The screw is opaque.

The horse is of moulded plastic covered with grey flock; it is jointed at the legs. Its mane and tail are of white rooted saran hair and eyes are black beads. It wears a black cotton nose band with long matching reins and a neck collar of black elastic with a black cotton bow. It attaches to the caravan with a harness or yoke, moulded white plastic ring shape which fits over the horse's back and has loops to hold the arms from the front wheels in place. There is a length of red ribbon to be used with the horse, probably to decorate its tail. There is also a tan plastic horse brush and comb.

Steps, moulded cream plastic with three steps and knobs on the upper outer edges to attach it to the back of the caravan.

Moulded black plastic pot bellied stove.

Moulded cream plastic sink, with folding lid lined with mirror paper. It is slotted over a holder on the caravan side. On one side is hooks and on the other slots.

Moulded cream plastic plate rack with a hook at the back so it can be attached to the top edge of the caravan side. It has a shelf with the centre cut away and two hooks below.

Cream moulded plastic with a hook at the back so it can be attached to the top edge of the caravan. One shelf cupboard unit with a drawer in the lower left corner. Se[arate drawer.

Cream plastic cup rack, at the back are two hoooks to allow it to be attached to the caravan side, above the sink unit.

Kitchen accessories: frying pan, dinner plate, two tea plates, two cups, two mugs, ladle, kitchen knife, table knife, fork, spoon, all of white plastic. A bucket, washtub, jug and vase of tan plastic.

Three white white cotton flowers, tinged with pink, yellow plastic centre with long twisted white stems.

Moulded black plastic chimney which sits into a cut away section on the roof.

Blanket of lavender brushed nylon, rectangular with rounded corners.

Printed card representing the bed lining which is placed inside the bed at the front of the caravan. At one end is a tongue shape to ease the removal of the card when the front wheels need to be put on or taken off.

Two sheets of stickers to be used to decorate the caravan, yellow paper printed in colours to show flower pots with birds.

Three clear plastic bags for accessories.

Printed paper instruction sheet for the assembly of caravan and its parts.

Packaging box, card, printed in colours to show photographs of the toy and accessories, maker's details and trademarks, British safety trademarks and details of age ranges 3+ and 4+, opens at the top with a tongue and slot fitting. The titles and details are in three languages. With red plastic handle and cardboard packaging inserts.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 53 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Caravan
  • Roof
  • Set of Wheels
  • Screw
  • Horse
  • Miniature (Size Attriubute)
  • Harness
  • Ribbon
  • Ribbon
  • Brush
  • Comb
  • Step Ladder
  • Miniature (Size Attribute)
  • Stove
  • Sink Unit
  • Plate Rack
  • Cupboard
  • Drawer
  • Cup Rack
  • Frying Pan
  • Plate
  • Plate
  • Plate
  • Cups
  • Cups
  • Mug
  • Mug
  • Ladle
  • Miniature (Size Attribute)
  • Knife (Culinary Tool)
  • Miniature (Size Attibute)
  • Knife (Culinary Tool)
  • Fork
  • Spoon
  • Spoon
  • Bucket
  • Bucket
  • Jug
  • Vase
  • Flower
  • Flower
  • Flower
  • Chimney
  • Blanket
  • Lining (Material)
  • Stickers
  • Stickers
  • Bag
  • Bag
  • Bag
  • Sheets (Information Artifacts)
  • Box
  • Handle
  • Insert
  • Insert
  • Insert
  • Box
Titles
  • Caravan (manufacturer's title)
  • Original Sylvanian Families™ (series title)
Materials and techniques
Plastics, printed card and paper
Brief description
Toy caravan, Sylvanian Families, Tomy / Epoch, 1989-1995
Physical description
Toy caravan designed for Sylvanian Families figures.

It is a traditional 'Gypsy'-style horse-drawn caravan made from predominantly red and green plastic, moulded and assembled to form the sides, ends, base and back wheels of the caravan. The base is green and it extends at the back to form the top of the step and at the front to form the seat; it is mounted on two wheels of beige with a cream axle running through a matching plate which is screwed to the base, there is a matching plate at the front to which is attached the front wheels. The base inside is grooved and at one end forms a seat with a cream lid (this lifts up when the front wheels need to be attached); midway along one wall is a post into which fits the basin. At each end are red walls, each with double opening yellow two-part doors, the top halves cut away as windows. These walls are rounded at the top and there is a spike at each corner. The lower eft side lower half is cream, with red upper and a central double opening window in yellow. Matched on the right side with a cream lower half which drops down, the upper half is attached to roof. At the back outside are two yellow ballastrades.

Removeable convex roof, green plastic, with raised windows along the centre and decorative ends.

Front wheels and draught arms, moulded cream and beige plastic. Between the wheels is a plastic screw which allows the wheels to be attached to the base of the caravan. The screw is opaque.

The horse is of moulded plastic covered with grey flock; it is jointed at the legs. Its mane and tail are of white rooted saran hair and eyes are black beads. It wears a black cotton nose band with long matching reins and a neck collar of black elastic with a black cotton bow. It attaches to the caravan with a harness or yoke, moulded white plastic ring shape which fits over the horse's back and has loops to hold the arms from the front wheels in place. There is a length of red ribbon to be used with the horse, probably to decorate its tail. There is also a tan plastic horse brush and comb.

Steps, moulded cream plastic with three steps and knobs on the upper outer edges to attach it to the back of the caravan.

Moulded black plastic pot bellied stove.

Moulded cream plastic sink, with folding lid lined with mirror paper. It is slotted over a holder on the caravan side. On one side is hooks and on the other slots.

Moulded cream plastic plate rack with a hook at the back so it can be attached to the top edge of the caravan side. It has a shelf with the centre cut away and two hooks below.

Cream moulded plastic with a hook at the back so it can be attached to the top edge of the caravan. One shelf cupboard unit with a drawer in the lower left corner. Se[arate drawer.

Cream plastic cup rack, at the back are two hoooks to allow it to be attached to the caravan side, above the sink unit.

Kitchen accessories: frying pan, dinner plate, two tea plates, two cups, two mugs, ladle, kitchen knife, table knife, fork, spoon, all of white plastic. A bucket, washtub, jug and vase of tan plastic.

Three white white cotton flowers, tinged with pink, yellow plastic centre with long twisted white stems.

Moulded black plastic chimney which sits into a cut away section on the roof.

Blanket of lavender brushed nylon, rectangular with rounded corners.

Printed card representing the bed lining which is placed inside the bed at the front of the caravan. At one end is a tongue shape to ease the removal of the card when the front wheels need to be put on or taken off.

Two sheets of stickers to be used to decorate the caravan, yellow paper printed in colours to show flower pots with birds.

Three clear plastic bags for accessories.

Printed paper instruction sheet for the assembly of caravan and its parts.

Packaging box, card, printed in colours to show photographs of the toy and accessories, maker's details and trademarks, British safety trademarks and details of age ranges 3+ and 4+, opens at the top with a tongue and slot fitting. The titles and details are in three languages. With red plastic handle and cardboard packaging inserts.
Dimensions
  • Instruction sheet height: 310mm
  • Instruction sheet width: 215mm
  • Box height: 335mm
  • Box width: 245mm
  • Box depth: 140mm
Production typemass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'SYLVANIAN FAMILIES / ©1989 EPOCH CO LTD / MADE IN TAIWAN' (Moulded onto caravan)
  • 'TOMY ® / Ref. No. 3165' (Printed on instruction sheet)
  • 'TOMY®' (Printed in red in various places on the box.)
  • 'TOY & MODEL CORNER / Our Price £16.75' (Red paper label attached to the front of the box)
  • '©1989 Epoch Co Ltd / ©Dixon-Manning Ltd / Made in Taiwan' (Printed in black on the bottom of the box)
  • 'Tomy Uk Ltd / European Headquarters / Sutton, Surrey, SM1 1LD, England' (Printed in black on the bottom of the box)
Credit line
Given by Tomy UK Ltd
Object history
This was donated by Tomy UK Ltd and has not been played with.
Production
Reason For Production: retail
Subjects depicted
Bibliographic reference
Toy Trader, May 1989
Other numbers
  • Ref. No. 3165 - product number
  • 5 011666 031654 - product number
Collection
Accession number
B.43:1 to 53-1998

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Record createdJanuary 6, 1999
Record URL
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