USA, 1940

cardboard box, with glass front and back, covered brown gummed paper in places; cut and held together with tape
the toy itself consists of the sand toy equipment inside the box
front has a printed paper decorative scene, entitled, showing in the centre suspended on a wire is the figure of a woman - either a mid 19th century print or a copy of one, uncoloured
jointed at the waist and both legs
back has the card flywheel and attached wire together with the sand tray, but no sand

These sand toys were bought from the Evelyn Way Kendall Collection sale, at Sothebys, London on December 16, 1999. Three of the items are mid 19th century and the fourth was constructed by Mrs. Kendall's husband Henry W, in 1940.
The Kendall Collection was very large and housed in a purpose built display near Boston, Mass. Sadly the collection was not on view to the general public even though it was part of a large complex which included a whaling museum open to the public. Few people had the privilege of seeing the collection in situ, however, I (Caroline Goodfellow) did see it in 1994 and spent an afternoon there. Unfortunately Mrs. Kendall, along with others of her age and purchasing power, had changed many of the dolls from their original state, re dressed, cleaned and "repaired". Many of the costumes were swopped around the dolls and it is only possible to know this now through old photos and sale catalogues.
The toys, including the sand toys, were usually left alone and suffered little in the manner of the dolls. There has been some repair work, however, as Henry Kendall enjoyed the mechanical toys it is likely he did the work.

Historical significance: Although some instructions indicate that the toy could be used for weather forecasting, they are not weather forecasting equipment. The reason it could be used is when the weather is damp it makes the flow of the sand more difficult and the mechanism will stop. Fair dry weather is best for the toy.

Sand toys are mechanical devices with a long history, operated by fine sand from a hopper trickling on to a paddle wheel. The principles of the mechanism was known in ancient Egypt. Sets of paper cut out figures with jointed limbs were attached to the wheel, and would be animated through the action of the sand. The origins of this type of toy are are French, but other countries (including the UK, Germany and, much later, the USA) copied the principles and much later. This method was eventually succeeded by more robust mechanisms. The subjects depicted on sand toys were often whimsical or commemorative. Nineteenth century examples are rare, as the toys were fragile and easily broken. They were also not made in great numbers.

Sand toys are occasionally reproduced today using the same principles.

B.12-2000