12/19/2023 0 Comments Plastic toy playsets![]() ![]() So, some manufacturers started using cellulose acetate butyrate, which is more resistance to moisture and heat, but expensive and emits a strong odor. While the development of cellulose acetate solved this problem, it came with its own set of issues, such as high water absorption and poor dimensional stability when exposed to heat or sunlight. There was, of course, the small issue of celluloid’s inflammability when exposed to heat. These early plastic toys did have some drawbacks though. They could be molded in precise and intricate detail at a low cost, and could incorporate transparent elements into their deign without the use of glass. Their bright colors do not peel or chip, as paint does on wood or metal. Plastic toys were cheap to produce in large quantities, lightweight and inexpensive to ship, which resulted in lower retail prices. There were many advantages to plastic as a material for toys. As plastic chemistry and molding technology developed throughout the early to mid 20th century, plastic toys grew in popularity. Celluloid rattles and bath toys soon followed, first appearing around 1890. The first celluloid dolls were made in Germany around 1878, and continued to be commonly produced in the US, Germany, France and Japan for many decades. Man-made plastics began to be used in the production of toys quite soon after they emerged in the nineteenth century. Over the following decades, it gradually came to replace celluloid for a number of applications, particularly for photographic film, but also for toys. Despite its volatile nature, the material was also used to make toys and dolls for children.Ĭellulose acetate was developed in the early 20th century to address the need for a safer plastic. It was also used for photographic film but was banned in 1951 due to its high inflammability. The versatile material could imitate the look of ivory, amber, and tortoiseshell, and soon came to be used for combs and other toiletries, jewelry, pens, cutlery and much more. The initial purpose for Hyatt’s Celluloid was actually to replace ivory as the main material for billiard balls. They trademarked it under the name many collectors are familiar with today: Celluloid.Ĭelluloid (now the generic term for all cellulose nitrate + camphor plastics) became the first commercially successful plastic. In 1870, American businessmen John and Isaiah Hyatt acquired Parkes’ formula and patented it in the US. Unfortunately, Parkes went bankrupt soon after he started producing his plastic. Although it was man-made, it was based in organic materials: cellulose is a naturally occurring polymer found in plants. Some sets during the 1960s and 1970s were offered within metal 'suitcase' containers. The most common toy playsets involve plastic figures, accessories, and possibly buildings or scenery, purchased together in a common box. It was made from a combination of cellulose nitrate (discovered earlier that century and initially used as an explosive) and camphor. Playsets, or play sets, are themed collections of similar toys designed to work together to enact some action or event. ![]() The first man-made plastic was developed by British inventor Alexander Parkes, and patented in 1855. ![]()
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