Mr Potato Head thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at Young V&A
Imagine Gallery, Small Worlds, Case 1, Shelf 2

This object consists of 48 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Mr Potato Head

Construction Toy
1963-1969 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The toy consists of various facial features, feet, bodies and hats which can be stuck into a potato or on another suitable item to make a figure. The potato would be used to make the head, and the objective is to create a 'funny face character'.

Original cardboard box which is covered with illustrations of Mr. Potato Head driving a car, towing his boat. Inside the box is a seperate sheet of printed card forming a background scene and showing the figure. The sheet is folded four times to make raised areas top and bottom. In the lowest piece is placed the car and boat plastic models. The sheet has holes in it to house the car and boat wheels and the facial pieces.

With the box is a sheet printed on one side to advertise other characters and how to use the toy.

Car, open topped, yellow plastic with red plastic wheels. At each end is a loop into which can be fitted with the hook on the boat. The seat has two knobs onto which sits the torsos.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 48 parts.

  • Packaging
  • Leaflet
  • Car
  • Boat
  • Body
  • Hat
  • Boater
  • Moustache
  • Eyebrow
  • Foot
  • Foot
  • Ear
  • Ear
  • Nose
  • Nose
  • Mouth
  • Mouth
  • Mouth
  • Pipe
  • Hand
  • Spectacles
  • Eye
  • Eye
  • Eye
  • Eye
  • Body
  • Eye
  • Ear
  • Ear
  • Hand
  • Nose
  • Nose
  • Body
  • Moustache
  • Eye
  • Eye
  • Eye
  • Eye
  • Top Hat
  • Hat
  • Boater
  • Foot
  • Foot
  • Mouth
  • Nose
  • Nose
  • Pipe
  • Spectacles
Titles
  • Mr Potato Head (generic title)
  • Mr Potato Head Takes a Sailing Trip (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Injection-moulded plastic (probably polystyrene), printed card and paper
Brief description
Construction toy, "Mr.Potato Head Takes a Sailing Trip", box; Card, English, c.1960
Physical description
The toy consists of various facial features, feet, bodies and hats which can be stuck into a potato or on another suitable item to make a figure. The potato would be used to make the head, and the objective is to create a 'funny face character'.

Original cardboard box which is covered with illustrations of Mr. Potato Head driving a car, towing his boat. Inside the box is a seperate sheet of printed card forming a background scene and showing the figure. The sheet is folded four times to make raised areas top and bottom. In the lowest piece is placed the car and boat plastic models. The sheet has holes in it to house the car and boat wheels and the facial pieces.

With the box is a sheet printed on one side to advertise other characters and how to use the toy.

Car, open topped, yellow plastic with red plastic wheels. At each end is a loop into which can be fitted with the hook on the boat. The seat has two knobs onto which sits the torsos.
Production typeMass produced
Credit line
Given by Mrs. N. A. Marshall
Object history
Given by Mrs. N. A. Marshall. [80/1101]
Production
Licenced by Peter Pan Playthings from Hasbro for manufacture and distribution in the UK.
Subject depicted
Associated object
Collection
Accession number
MISC.124-1980

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Record createdJuly 1, 2009
Record URL
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