1950's, 1960's children's Toys

[beecee]

In the early/mid fifties, I remember getting building sets called "Bayko" and was  designed for building houses, stations, garages, bungalows etc. It was my favourite Chrissy present!

The Bayko sets started as simple designe building up to more complicated stuff and numbered arounf 4 or 5 sets from memory....the following photos give an idea of what could be constructed and the methodology......

In my very humble opinion, it leaves the LEGO construction sets for kids we see today, for dead! ....Anyone else remember them? Anyone else lucky enough to have had them? 

 

 

The other rather inovative and educational "toy" was the "meccano sets, which were more engineering orientated for building bridges, cranes, tractors vehicles etc...

Memories, memories, things of long ago! That still to this old fart, appear far more educational and constructive then looking at electronical devices all day!!!

[Peterkin]

Meccanos, yes! They were my brother's. Little strips of metal under every rug and sofa cushion. My favourite was Tinkertoy when younger, then the molecular model kit and the Visible series. https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_214319

 

[Genady]

18 minutes ago, beecee said:

In the early/mid fifties, I remember getting building sets called "Bayko" and was  designed for building houses, stations, garages, bungalows etc. It was my favourite Chrissy present!

The Bayko sets started as simple designe building up to more complicated stuff and numbered arounf 4 or 5 sets from memory....the following photos give an idea of what could be constructed and the methodology......

In my very humble opinion, it leaves the LEGO construction sets for kids we see today, for dead! ....Anyone else remember them? Anyone else lucky enough to have had them? 

 

 

The other rather inovative and educational "toy" was the "meccano sets, which were more engineering orientated for building bridges, cranes, tractors vehicles etc...

Memories, memories, things of long ago! That still to this old fart, appear far more educational and constructive then looking at electronical devices all day!!!

I remember, I had it, too. Except it was called something else. Don't remember what, but it was in Cyrillic  

Metal parts looked exactly the same, but the architectural elements that look plastic here, were wooden pieces in my case. Even better look and feel that way.

My mother was an architect and my father was a construction engineer - they made sure I got such stuff...

[beecee]

21 minutes ago, Genady said:

I remember, I had it, too. Except it was called something else. Don't remember what, but it was in Cyrillic  

Metal parts looked exactly the same, but the architectural elements that look plastic here, were wooden pieces in my case. Even better look and feel that way.

My mother was an architect and my father was a construction engineer - they made sure I got such stuff...

 

24 minutes ago, Peterkin said:

Meccanos, yes! They were my brother's. Little strips of metal under every rug and sofa cushion. My favourite was Tinkertoy when younger, then the molecular model kit and the Visible series. https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_214319

 

I had all the Bayko sets and would spend hours constructing the bungalows, town halls and such, and would proudly have it displayed on the cabinet or TV set (an old 21 inch one) for weeks at a time. My mate had the meccano sets and we would spend our quite (sometimes) lazy Sunday arvos constructing our pieces together.

Seriously though, is there anything like this for kids today? I'm certainly not impressed with Lago.

[CharonY]

Lego technic is pretty good, and it was rather cheap when they sold it at a loss. But if you are interested in Meccano kits, they are still around (they were bought by Canadians, I think?).

[Phi for All]

25 minutes ago, beecee said:

Seriously though, is there anything like this for kids today? I'm certainly not impressed with Lago.

Erector sets are still made by Meccano, still all metal, and have new models based on new technology. I believe Meccano makes an erector drone you can fly. They have animatronics and computer chips in them now.

[Peterkin]

The molecular models are available, too, and look better than mine did. The springs all got lost eventually, so you could only make the stiff dowel connections. There is quite an amusing building toy of magnetic bricks, Hot wheels makes some car kits and there are over-coloured plastic thingies for the very young. But the market  does seem heavily dominated - colonized, infested, overrun - by Lego products of every kinds of speciality. 

 I had a set of building blocks that came in square, oblong, triangle, cylinder, arch and semicircle, each piece small enough for four-year-old hands. They were smooth and unpainted, restful to look at, a pleasure to touch. You can still get them, and other construction toys made of wood, but they're really expensive.  I made a set for a grandchild some years ago, but she preferred the large Duplos from which you can make tall structures and knock them over with a big crash. (Imagine the melodrama of her teens! You know how wish upon your children the kind of children they were? I got my wish.)

Edited April 20, 2022 by Peterkin

[beecee]

1 hour ago, CharonY said:

Lego technic is pretty good, and it was rather cheap when they sold it at a loss. But if you are interested in Meccano kits, they are still around (they were bought by Canadians, I think?).

 

1 hour ago, Phi for All said:

Erector sets are still made by Meccano, still all metal, and have new models based on new technology. I believe Meccano makes an erector drone you can fly. They have animatronics and computer chips in them now.

 

22 minutes ago, Peterkin said:

The molecular models are available, too, and look better than mine did. The springs all got lost eventually, so you could only make the stiff dowel connections. There is quite an amusing building toy of magnetic bricks, Hot wheels makes some car kits and there are over-coloured plastic thingies for the very young. But the market  does seem heavily dominated - colonized, infested, overrun - by Lego products of every kinds of speciality. 

 I had a set of building blocks that came in square, oblong, triangle, cylinder, arch and semicircle, each piece small enough for four-year-old hands. They were smooth and unpainted, restful to look at, a pleasure to touch. You can still get them, and other construction toys made of wood, but they're really expensive.  I made a set for a grandchild some years ago, but she preferred the large Duplos from which you can make tall structures and knock them over with a big crash. (Imagine the melodrama of her teens! You know how wish upon your children the kind of children they were? I got my wish.)

Thanks for that...just thinking of the grandkids!!!

[Externet]

Nostalgic enough, bought one of these lately :

http://www.rccaraction.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Mattell-Vac-U-Form-ebay.jpg

[LaurieAG]

7 hours ago, Peterkin said:

Meccanos, yes! They were my brother's.

In the late 60's my twin brother received a Meccano set and I received a steam engine so it didn't take long before we had a steam car in operation.

[Sensei]

On 4/20/2022 at 12:22 AM, beecee said:

I'm certainly not impressed with Lago.

..because you probably formed your opinion based on cheap kits..

 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lego+technics

 

Quote

children's Toys

The modern way: a computer, a 3D printer and a 3D app...

 

 

Edited May 4, 2022 by Sensei

[beecee]

54 minutes ago, Sensei said:

..because you probably formed your opinion based on cheap kits..

 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lego+technics

 

The modern way: a computer, a 3D printer and a 3D app...

 

 

OK, OK I'm convinced!!!😁

[Sensei]

6 hours ago, beecee said:

OK, OK I'm convinced!!!😁

Good! Good! My young Padawan! I will let you spread the word, for yet another day..

 

 

[studiot]

Bayko dates from the 1930s.

Like Meccano it had the characteristic of being dissassemblable.

Another type of constructional toy, not yet mentioned would be the type where the result of construction was permanent. such as the 'Airfix' kits, mostly model aircraft.

These followed on from earlier hobbies such as 'matchstick modelling' carried over from the previous century into the early part of the 20th.

If you visit western Europe there are lots of toy museums scattered around, with some really fascinating toys and games.

The one in Perth (Scotland) and the one downstream of Duisburg and Dusseldorf particularly spring to mind.

Edited May 4, 2022 by studiot