Toys of Migrants in Australia

Life in Australia

2007-01-27T02:42:00.000-08:00

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Pre-war Vintage Steiff Pug Pull Toy on Wheels (1918)

2006-07-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

Asmuni and his wife Joy have been collecting vintage toys for over 25 years. At the Doll Fair 2006 he even managed to sell one of their vintage Steiff Bears for the price of $10,000. I was lucky enough to get this vintage Steiff Pug on wheels from their collection. Eventhough this pug has no buttons or tags he is for sure a Steiff (judging from the appearance and the wheels), this toy might be produced between 1918 to 1920s. He is made from brown mohair and he has a brown leather colar.

This pug on wheels is stuffed with straw and he has his original black stitched nose and mouth and black button eyes. This toy has been played with and he has lost almost all of his fur. He might even at one stage attacked by a dog. His metal wheels are all original and work well. As with many early pull toys there have been some sympathetic repairs to this pug but none of this detracts from his charm and style.

Asmuni came from Singapore and migrated to Australia 30 years ago. He was the only participant at the Doll Fair who could communicate with me in Malay.

The China Doll of Jacki Brooks

2006-07-30T00:23:00.000-07:00

Isn't that wonderful to meet Jacki Brooks the editor of "Doll & Bear Digest Facts Magazine in person and on top of that to be able to collect one of the dolls from her collection?

I got this small 1890 China Doll from her to accompany my grandma's doll (please read the posting of May 2006 in the archives).

Ann-Marie, Mrs King's Doll

2006-07-30T00:05:00.000-07:00

A lot of people went to see the Doll Fair, most of them were born before 1950s and they bought toys for themselves. "When we were children, life was hard. We could not afford to buy toys" said Mrs King. " Now that I am an adult, I am free to buy what I want. I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't play pokkies and I don't go on holidays therefore I deserve to buy dolls once a year. This year I bought this doll which I named Ann-Marie and last year I bought a big Kewpie doll to keep me company."

Helmut The Early German Bear

2006-07-28T23:16:00.000-07:00

Today and tomorrow (29th and 30th of July 2006) the Doll Collectors Club of NSW Inc. presents the 25th Annual Doll Fair at Blacktown Leisure Centre in Stanhope Garden. I collected a few items among others was Helmut the vintage Teddy Bear.

I met Lana and Cheryl the owners of Olde Bear Attic in Melbourne who came to join the fair and I bought Helmut from them. Helmut is an 18 1/2" Early German. Kapok & wood-wool filled. More than 60% old gold mohair coverage. The felt paws and pads have been replaced and he is fully jointed with boot button eyes. He surely has the most distinguishing face, the reason why I chosed him. Helmut comes wearing his wonderful officers uniform and a captain cap.

The Metal Steam Engine from Solo

2006-07-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

This iron locomotive is heavy because it was made from solid metal. I bought it from an antique dealer in Solo, Central Java and then brought it to Australia.

This steam engine was handcrafted by an apprentice in metal turner. The name of the student who made that solid locomotive (which can be used as a doorstop) was written at the bottom of the train. The maker was Sumarsono.

In the rural areas of Solo, we still find some sugar plantations and the sugar cane was transported by lorries pulled by a vintage locomotive. I have always been fascinated by trains even until today.

Jeckle, the Vintage Mohair Growler Teddy Bear

2006-07-25T23:28:00.000-07:00

I won this vintage 20" Mohair Teddy Bear with working tilt growler from e-bay auction a few months ago. He is five way disc-jointed and he has original glass eyes, stitched nose and mouth. Claws are stitched with one paw having loose threads. He is straw stuffed, nice and firm, no sagging and retain 75% of his blonde mohair. His head is large and his nose is quite pointed giving him a very expressive face, ears are slightly offset.

Karen J.Hammer his previous owner lives in Adelaide and her code name at e-bay is Hecklebird01. Heckle is the name of Karen's pet which is a mischievious Magpie. I named the teddy bear Jeckle. Heckle and Jeckle is a pair of hilarious and witty black magpies made their debut in the 1946 short The Talking Magpies. They certainly looked alike but Heckle spoke with a New York accent while Jeckle spoke with a British accent. Jeckle the bear has long tapered arms and although untagged he is probably an English Teddy Bear from the year 1930s.

Heckle & Jeckle were always looking for a free ride, free meals, free board and lodging and usually got what they wanted by way of their cleverness.

The Story of Sydney the Vintage Teddy Bear

2006-07-23T22:50:00.000-07:00

I overlooked a letter that was sent together with Sydney the vintage Teddy. This is the story of Sydney told by Kerri-Ann the previous owner;

Hi Theresa,
I purchased the little fellow several years ago from an old German lady who was selling up her estate to go into a home. She told me that teddy originally belonged to her brother when he was a baby, and if he was still alive he would be 87 years old back then.

I estimate teddy's age is around 92 years old.
Teddy was in an old box filled with cherished things belonged to her brother; photos, letters etc. The key around his neck is one of two that opened the old box (I gave it a coat of paint because it was very rusty).

I hope you love him as much as I do. Being a collector yourself I know you will cherish him.

Take care both of you,

Kerri-Ann

Sue McPerson's Donald Duck(s)

2006-07-21T18:12:00.000-07:00

Donald Duck is an animated cartoon and comic-book character from Walt Disney Productions. Donald is a white anthropomorphic duck with yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He usually wears a sailor shirt and cap - but no pants (except when he goes swimming).

According to the cartoon Donald Gets Drafted (1942), Donald's full name is Donald Fauntleroy Duck (his middle name appears to be a reference to his sailor hat, which was a common accessory for Fauntleroy suits). Donald's birthday is officially recognized as June 9, 1934, the day his debut film was released, but in The Three Cabaleros, his birthday is as simply "Friday the 13th". In Donald's Happy Birthday (short) it has his birthday as the 13 th of March.

Sue McPerson was born in Sydney, New South Wales in 1940. She was given 2 Donald Duck toys, one of them was a saving box from the Bank of New South Wales. Westpac Bank is the oldest bank in Australia, which started in the year 1817 as the Bank of New South Wales. It has undergone various convergences throughout history, and it settled to be named as Westpac Bank in the years 1982, deriving its name from the territory that it operates, the Western Pacific territory.

Mrs.Mortimer's Chair

2006-07-20T23:49:00.000-07:00

This vintage oak child's chair was brought from England by the Mortimers in 1930's. For years it had been used by their children or for displaying their dolls. One day Mrs.Mortimer decided to get rid of the once adorable chair. It was forsale at "Your Display Gallery" at Artamon and I purchased it from Margareth, the owner of the shop. Mrs. Mortimer's chair is a very nice little chair, it looks handcrafted not machine made. The shop from where I bought it was full of vintage furniture and collectibles.

To children's eyes the furniture sets in the house must be gigantic. Children need furniture of their size. Every child deserves a place to dream. When we were children (my self and my three brothers) were given a set of turbular rattan chairs in children's size. Those four chairs were painted in bright rainbow colours. They were given by my uncle who was a bit of an artist. He was a photographer and he himself rode a pink motorbike (a bit unusual in the 1960s).

While adults sat on their huge chairs sipping coffee, we the children sat on our chairs enjoying our tea put in our mini tea sets, unforgettable!

Sydney the Vintage Teddy

2006-07-20T00:08:00.000-07:00

I named him "Sydney". He is an antique 1900's German 8 inch Teddy Bear which I got from e-bay auction on the day when I had been approved to be a citizen of Australia. That was a few days ago on the 11th of July 2006.

This is a gorgeous little fellow very well made and classic looking. He has a stocky build with a slight hump on his back. He retains 95% of his blonde/ beige silk plush and he has got glass shoe button eyes and a stiched nose. His paws are original with no holes. He is firmly stuffed with straw. He came from Queensland.

Margareth Wright's Bear

2006-07-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

I am a member of the Doll Collectors Club of NSW. I got this bear from another member called Margareth Wright. The bear has been in the family for a long time. This is a "Lindee" Teddy Bear from 1940-1950's by the Lindenbergh Family. The teddy bear's factory was in Parramatta and the trade mark was Lindee Toys. It has got rexine paw pads, English quality mohair, woodwool stuffing, the glass eyes possibly had been replaced.

The growler was not in operant and the Doll's doctor of the Doll Collector's Club Barbara Hancock replaceed a new growler for him. The old growler has got "Cat's Cry" written on it (it was made in Japan). Barbara said that the the growler might have been replaced a long time ago. This is a lovely quality bear eventhough it is not tagged. I dressed him with a vest adorned with tiny tools and he is now proudly standing on his blue leather boots made in Spain.

"The Steiff Historische Schwarz Bar"

2006-06-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

The one who introduced me to Steiff Teddy Bears was my friend Petra Essers from the Netherlands.

Petra was an only child of a Dutch mother and and Indo-Dutch Father. She was born in 1952 in The Hague (Den Haag) and when she was a baby her father gave him a Steiff Teddy bear which she treasured very much. The father left the mother and married another woman. The bear was the only momento from her dad.

Petra passed away in 2004, totally alone with no family members around. When the mother died several years before, she had no relatives. She lived totally alone in this world. During her life she spent a lot of her money buying Steiff products in remembrance of her lost childhood. Petra's dad had never contacted Petra since she was 2 years old and yet he lived with his new family not far away from where she lived.

I bought this Steiff miniature bear in remembrance of Petra. Historic Steiff miniatures are smaller versions of their originals and hence they are real treasures, handmade in high quality mohair plush. This black bear which was a replica of Steiff miniature of 1907 came from New Jersey, the USA. I got this one from e-bay.

This black bear also reminds me of my own black mohair teddy bear which I got when I was a child. A pocket was hand sewn by me to be attached to this bear carrying a small book containing his identity as an original Steiff bear (029202 Schwazbar/Blackbear 1907 , 16cm). He also has a miniature metal tuba made in Spain by Latina Gift Musical Treasures.

The black bear was standing in front of the computer when the picture was taken. I only saw his picture before and now he is real, as if coming out of the screen. I put the picture of my mum and my grandma in the screen of my computer. They passed away already but the sweet memories never die.

Hand Knitted Bears from Peru

2006-06-27T02:01:00.000-07:00

Today (June 27, 2006) I went to Town Hall and I saw these two interesting "Mother and Daughter Bears" at Oxfam shop. These two bears were hand knitted in Peru by artisans who work with MINKA to avoid exploitation by conventional traders.

Minka means mutual cooperation in the Quechua. By choosing this product you are helping Minka to provide the 4000 member families with a better income for their traditional handwork, skills training, basic health care, education opportunities and you also are contributing to save the coloured alpacas from extinction. These two bears were handspun by using 100% pure Alpaca fine hair.

The shop assistant today was Arin and I named the baby bear after her. Arin the bear and the mother now live happily with me.

A Toy from the Toyless Country

2006-06-09T18:39:00.000-07:00

I found this on the corner of a shelf in St.Vincent de Paul Shop in Paddington. Some one must have brought this souvenir from Nepal. It looks like a toy for the children there but actually it is not. Things like these are only for the tourists.

Children in Nepal almost never play with toys. And yet research has shown that playing with toys is one of the important ways that children learn about the world. For instance, in one study in the United States showed that the most consistent predictor of IQ was availability of play materials. There are many more studies with similar conclusions. The results of this deficiency are often plain to see. Nepali children often manifest a lack of problem solving ability that comes from a tendency to not see the world as whole, interconnected, orderly, and consistent. We hope that by teaching Nepalis about the importance of toys, and by distributing them freely among the children, that we can help to reverse this trend. (Tiny Hands Nepal : http://www.tinyhandsnepal.com/dev.htm )

Lucy Stevenson's Doll

2006-06-08T23:16:00.000-07:00

I bought this Panda (from an antique dealer) together with a camera, an old photo album and two pictures of the previous owner, a child called "Lucy". The black and white shot was taken by Lucy's mum using a Brownie Kodak. There was no date written but it was probably taken in 1960s. The family name Stevenson was written on the envelope where the pictures were kept.

Lucy was at that time 18 months old and at the back of one picture the mother wrote:

She is a big girl in high heels.

Just to show you how she is growing. She's bold as brass but really a little pet. You can see how she has lost her lolly legs.

Lucy was holding her Panda and she was wearing her mum's high heeled shoes! She was also carrying a Paddington Bear's tiny suitcase, what a beauty! The pictures were maybe sent to her grandparents but by now Lucy herself might be a grandmother.

The camera is a Kodak Brownie Six-20 Camera, Model E with Flash Contacts, made in England around 1950s.

The Chinese Papier Mache Dolls

2006-06-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

From one collector I got three interesting items, two paintings on tiles done by an artist called Joyce Melling (she passed away several years ago) and a pair of Chinese papier mache dolls (a mother and her daughter, the baby girl is attached to the body of the mother).

The painting was done in water colour and you can see the resemblance of the two faces. The strong bond and love between a mother and her daughter is shown here.

It has been years since my mum passed away and now I am in a far away land called Australia but the sweet memories stay. Not a single day I live without the memory of her.

Paper was invented in China around 105 CE by T'sai-Lin, a courtier from Lei-Yang. Although the word 'paper' derived from 'papyrus', this early paper was not a papyrus product.

Antonio Bartolini's Aeroplane

2006-06-01T23:27:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken by Antonio's grand father at Bondi Beach in 1950s. Antonio was shown here riding the back of his father Alberto. He imagined himself flying an aeroplane. He loved aeroplanes.

According to Italian tradition Antonio was named after the father's father because he was the first born son. His grandfather was very proud of him and he was given a handmade scrap metal plane. The Bartolinis migrated to Australia in 1950s.

Robert Steiner's Toy Train

2006-06-01T22:40:00.000-07:00

The Steiners migrated to Australia from Germany in 1950s. When Robert was 8 years old he won the first prize of piano competition in his school. The year was 1958 and Robert Steiner was awarded a present from hid proud dad, it was this steam engine train.

The trains pictured here are from Java. While most steam engine trains nowadays can only be found in museums, steam engine trains like these are still being used up to the present around the sugar plantations in Central Java.

The Story of Mr.Rabbit's Vintage Pocket Watch

2006-06-01T20:16:00.000-07:00

It happened that the 17th of May was Uni Annie's birthday. She is a good friend of mine and we decided to celebrate the birthday in the city. I asked her a bit about about her childhood memories. She told me that her father used to work for the Deli Railway in North Sumatra. The most valuable momento from her dad is a pocket watch.

Before we went for lunch we ventured ourselves to Rozelle Market and by coincidence we found this pocket watch with "Spoor Horloge" written on it. That was a Dutch expression which means " A Train Watch" therefore it will always show the correct time, the watch has to be wound up every single day. I bought the watch in memory of the father of uni Annie. She still keeps the original pocket watch belonging to her dad. Uni migrated to Australia in 1978 and she is married to an "Aussie". The pictures above are the last three locomotives from the Deli Railway in North Sumatra (operated by NIS/ Nederlanshe Indische Spoorweg) and were never renumbered. These locomotives were brought to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in Jakarta around 1980s. They are still diplayed there.

Mr.Rabbit now is wearing the antique pocket watch (the brand is Anker) in the memory of Uni Annie's beloved father.

Mister Rabbit

2006-06-01T19:34:00.000-07:00

"Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" The rabbit said to itself. (Lewis Caroll - "Alice in Wonderland")

Almost every child is fascinated by the story of Alice in Wonderland written by Lewis Caroll. The story started when Alice followed a rabbit down the hole and fell into an unknown magic world.

"Down, down,down. Would the fall never come to an end? I wonder how many miles I've fallen this time" She said aloud. "I must be getting somewhere near the centre of the earth. I wonder if I shall fall right through the earth. How funny it'll seem to come out among the people that walk with their heads downwards, but I shall have to ask them what the name of the country, you know. Please Ma'am, is this New Zealand or Australia?"
This vintage rabbit soft toy was probably made in 1950s with glass eyes and now adorned with a vintage watch and the watch has a story of its own. I bought the rabbit and the watch at Rozelle Market together with a tiny silver tea pot suitable for "The Mad Hatters Tea Party"!

One of the earliest lessons may be that the world, while a big and strange place, can also be soft and inviting. Steward Goodboy, a professional woman in New York, knows this firsthand. Ms. Goodboy received a velveteen rabbit on her first birthday and still has it. "Having my stuffed animal for 24 years has been a great source of comfort for me,"she says. (Ross Atkin - Toy Stories)

Nia's Doll (2)

2006-05-27T19:25:00.000-07:00

Nia is now 25 years old and a succesful career woman. She still calls Australia home while her brother Ninto lives and works in London. The picture on the left was taken at Nia's 21st birthday party. Ninto is the one in brownish grey shirt.

The doll represents Nia's past and childhood memories. She has been cleaned and dressed in a red wine velvety dress, that kind of red is one of the traditional Minangkabau's colours representing her mum's origin (Minang in West Sumatra) and the canting and the Batik head cover representing the Javanese blood in her from her father's side. The doll is carrying a pouch with two small teddy bears, one in pink nightie representing Nia and the one in blue representing her brother Ninto.

In the picture on the right is Nia and her boyfriend Anthony holding Nia's doll. Anthony looks very much like Ninto.

Nia's Doll (1)

2006-05-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

Nia Amasin was three years old when the marriage of the parents fell apart. Lini , her mother took her and her brother Ninto to Australia. Lini met Stuart and formed a new family.

Nia's doll is a Unimax made in China given by her father when she was a baby, the doll was the only momento from her beloved dad. She could not be parted from the doll until she was in her thirteen. The doll was always with her wherever she went.

The Lost Bear

2006-05-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

"Can I have my bear back?" Asked Ratri pitifully to her aunt. She was then 12 years old and she got that tiny bear from her penfriend in the USA. "No!" Her aunt answered firmly. The beautiful mohair teddy bear was just there inside the glass cabinet, out of reach and out of touch. It was a display in the living room for all people to see but for Ratri the owner, well, she had no right to play with it.

Ratri migrated to England and lived in London there for 20 years. Now, in her sixties she lives in Sydney, Australia. No one can say no to her anymore. This bear is similar to the tiny teddy bear confiscated by her aunt. The bear she lost is now found. This is one of 2,000 pieces designed by Becky Wheeler and it was bought from a shop in the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney.

If only we could find the toys we loved so much when we were children...

The Soft Toy Pie

2006-05-26T18:36:00.000-07:00

When Englishmen go out to dine
Roast beef their staple dish
The Russians all eat caviar
And Eskimos chew fish;

The French they say, are fond of frogs;
The Yanks - Kentucky fries;
But dinkum Aussies, one and all;
Shout: Give us hot meat pies."
Yes, dinkum Aussies, one and all
Shout:"Give us hot meat pies."

A Roll-Over Cat

2006-05-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

In 1958 a friend of my dad went to Hong Kong and when he returned he gave me a roll-over cat with black rubber ears. That was the first tin toy I had.

This roll-over cat which I obtained from Cromwell's auction (Lot 124) was made in Germany (US Zone), the tinprinted tabby with a yellow ball reminds me of my cat Bubu. She is a spoilt, adorable cat. I always love cats and for the last 12 years living in Australia we led a catless life until the day we bought a house. In Australia pets are not allowed to be kept in flats or apartments.

This roll-over cat moves in wide circles, rolling over occasionally, in very good working condition.

A Doll Called Windu

2006-05-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

Australians come from over 200 countries according to the 2001 census. Each of these groups has its own cultural diversity.

It is hard to live in Australia when your name consists of twenty-two letters and it is not a familiar Aussie name therefore I change my name to Theresa Jackson. "How do you spell your first name?" They still ask. I always say :"Theresa just like Mother Theresa and the surname is Jackson like Michael Jackson." Within 2 minutes the spelling is done, so simple and easy, not complicated at all.

This Patsy type doll from the 1930s has been repainted into a new doll just like me having been a few days to become an Australian citizen. I received a brown doll as a present from my mom when I was 8 years old. The doll was given the name Windu which in Sanskrits language means eight. Unfortunately I lost that beautiful doll a long time ago and luckily I got this Windu-look-alike doll a few days ago from e-bay. What a magnificent doll!

An OK Kader Doll

2006-05-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

When I was ten years old I was given an OK Kader Doll B 3525 by my parents. It was then named "Christine" (tien means ten in Dutch) but I lost this doll a long time ago. It happened that my sister-in-law had the same doll. Her father bought this doll when she was little. Dolls like these were very expensive in those days. I got mine from Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. She got hers in Semarang, a harbour city, the capital city of Central Java. All these years the doll was kept in her empty house in her hometown Pekalongan. The doll was brought to Yogyakarta and then to Sydney. This doll had to be hand carried and on the flight to Sydney, she was always mistaken for a real baby and asked to be seen her boarding pass.

As soon as she landed in Sydney she was brought to "the Vinnies" to get a new dress. She is now wearing a pair of jeans, a jumper with a Teddy Bear on it, a cap, a shawl and a pair of red rubber shoes. She looks magnificent! This Doll made in Hong Kong now recides in Australia.

My Studio and Library of Books and Toys

2006-05-24T20:09:00.000-07:00

I work in the evening in one of the rooms in the house which I consider as a studio surrounded by books and toys. With the simple lighting that comes from a desk lamp I take the pictures of the toys in my collection by using a digital camera. I do a research of the toys from the books in this library or from the internet. I also do some line drawings for the stories.
The enjoyment of toys is to see them displayed, attractively and orderly. A sad thing is a toy packed away. Let posterity be now. Feel, revel, examine. A toy is history and art in action. (On the Dynamics of Display - Al Marwick)

The Little Queen (2)

2006-05-23T17:21:00.000-07:00

The Queen visited Australia again recently to open the Commonwealth Games. The visit before that was done in 2001 and that was when I met her. I took this picture in Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour. I handed her a flower while taking this picture and by doing that I almost fell into the water and she laughed. The Duke of Eddinburg took the flower and handed it to her.

The Little Queen (1)

2006-05-23T03:47:00.000-07:00

The little queen was a doll that was made to commemorate the visit of HM the Queen Elizabeth II in 1954 to Australia. Surely I could not attend the occassion since that was the year I was born. The picture on the right was taken when the queen visited "the Three Sisters" in the Blue Mountains, NSW in 1954. I obtained the original black and white picture from the photographer.

The Koala in a Match Box

2006-05-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

A koala is not a bear, it is a marsupial but it is always addressed as the "Koala Bear" because of its teddy-bear look.

My mum used to teach us to make our own toys. We made dolls out of chalks and we put them in match boxes in a row resembling the babbies in the maternity ward. In remembrance of those happy creative days, I put this "Koala Bear" in a Koala Match Box. The koala is made of pottery, the two hands and legs are movable.

Toys serve many purposes. They occupy, teach, amuse and become much-loved treasures. Throughout the ages parents have provided their children with toys and this is unlikely to change, but it was not always possible to purchase toys in shops. What happened if there were no shops or times were tough, or a shop did not have what the child wanted? Perhaps sheer neceeity meant that the parent had to make the toys from scratch using all of his or her ingenuity. (John Verhoeven - "Toy Story" Collectors Corner)

The Pecking Hens and A Rooster (2)

2006-05-22T00:50:00.000-07:00

There is a definite rhytym involved as their beaks touch the paddle and the sound can be modulated by the speed and direction in which the pendulum is rotated.

The fall has got a positive result in the neck of one of the hens, when the pendulum moves the neck goes to the direction of the mouse next to it as if trying to "shoosh" it away. Wonderful! By the way, this wooden toy was made in Srilangka.

The future of toy collecting lies in repair and repainting. It is a wide open field and of course, related only to the 'in need of restoration' category. If one can restore a full size automobile then why not its toy counterpart? (Twenty-five Topics Pertaining to Toy Collecting by Al Marwick)

The Pecking Hens and A Rooster (1)

2006-05-22T00:34:00.000-07:00

In 1998 I found this toy in front of my apartment in North Sydney. It was thrown away by a child with a temper tantrum and the hens were scattered around. Indeed, it was badly damaged. I fixed this toy by glueing back the four hens and one rooster on the paddle and repainted them. One tail was gone and I made a new one out of clay. In addition I also made two mice. Now when the pendulum is moved, the hens and the rooster are busy peking the grains.

The two mice just stand there as if trying to steal the grains from the hens. The chickens bodies are stationary but their heads and necks rise and fall in response to the motion of the rotating ball beneath the paddle.

A wooden Horse from Rangoon

2006-05-22T00:11:00.000-07:00

I bought this horse at Rozelle market last Saturday from a frenchman called Benjamin. He migrated to Australia in 1950s and now he makes a living by having a stall selling secondhand goods in markets.

This marionette depicts Buddha's horse "Kandik". It is made of wood and decorated with painted flowers. This horse came from Rangoon, Burma (probably in 1960s). This elegant white horse is a one of a set of puppets wood for performances.

The Greek Wedding Keepsakes

2006-05-20T19:40:00.000-07:00

There are two of these dolls in my collection, one is white and the other one is pink. The lady doll can be split into two parts and inside there is an inscription on a piece of paper; Michael-Kate 8/3/59. I think these dolls must be the keepsakes from the groom and the bride on their wedding day to the guests who came to attend their wedding party. There are a lot of Greek migrants in Australia. Michael and Kate must be their adopted Australian names.

The Bandai Ford Fairlane Pick Up Truck

2006-05-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

This Bandai toy car was made in Japan in 1957, tinplate and friction drive. The ute is in sky blue colour and cream with chrome detailing, whitewall tyress, checked tinprinted interior and striped tinprinted tray with articulated fold down rear gear.

This car is still in a very nice condition and it brings back my memory of the past. My dad used to run a garage and cars like these were in our garage. The pictures on the right were taken by my uncle when I escaped from my playpen (I was 7 months old) and crawled to the garage. My father picked me up from the floor with his greasy fingers. Mum found 'the escapee' in Dad's arms and that was when the shoot was taken (in 1955).

For me the garage was always a place to find new adventures and new toys. This Bandai tintoy surely brings back a lot of sweet, unforgettable memories with my beloved Dad and his garage.

The Tricycle underneath the House (2)

2006-05-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

The tricycle belonged to one of the three sons of the previous owner of the house. Mrs. Gardiner passed away a few months before the house was sold, she was in her eighties.

In 2004 we bought another house, 20 houses away from the previous one. The van Waards, a Dutch couple in their eighties are our nextdoor neighbours. They migrated to Australia in 1958. They have a son and a daughter. In this photograph, the son was standing in front of his sister while holding a Cyclop tricycle just like the one found underneath the other house. So many things are connected to the toys in a strange kind of way. Throuh the tricycle we learn a bit of the history of the suburb we live in.

The Tricycle underneath the House

2006-05-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

Now I have lived in Australia for 13 years. I am an Indonesian language tutor and I have worked in different schools, TAFEs and at one time at Sydney University. I had been the editor of the Indonesian Monthly Magazine Gamelan for 8 years. Gamelan stopped its publication last April 2006. The circulation was 10,000 copies monthly. I am also a photographer and an illustrator.

After moving to different suburbs in Sydney, we bought a house in this suburb 2 years ago. The fibro house stands on stilts above the ground just like the bamboo houses in Indonesia in the past.

The fibro house was old but quite strong and still in good condition. Before settling in we asked someone to clean the junks underneath the house. A lot of interesting things could be found among others an old Cyclop tricycle .

My Grandma's Doll and HMV Gramophone (2)

2006-05-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

The case of the HMV gramophone is with hinged lid and the front set with two doors opening to reveal a record storage area, complete with a winder and a box of illustrated needle tin full of needles. The volume of the gramophone is controlled by the type of needles used (extra loud, loud, half tone or soft tone). I left the original gramophone belonging to my grandma in our house in Indonesia.

The china doll was made in Germany in 1890. When it was given to me, it had just been found locked in a cabinet in the storage for more than 50 years. By then the doll was not yet a complete doll (just the head and limbs).
I asked a friend to sew a body and a dress to match. We had never seen such a doll before. Apparently, the body made for her is too short for this doll since she was meant to have a caucasian body. The doll is then a combination of East and West, a parian doll with an Asian body, a multi cultural doll!

My Grandma's Doll and HMV Gramophone (1)

2006-05-17T22:50:00.000-07:00

I migrated to Australia as a skilled migrant in 1993 and to accompany me I brought along the toy that was given by my grandma. My grand mother was born in Yogyakarta, Central Java in 1893 (ten years after the big eruption of the volcano Krakatoa) and 100 years after that her grand daughter landed in Sydney on the first of January 1993.

Apparently when you migrate to another country it is important to bring something that reminds you to your homeland. This doll is considered to be a momento from my grand mother. I was very closed to her and she passed away in 1983 at the age of 83.

My grand mother got this china doll from an auction in 1920s. A Dutchman by the name of van den Bruin left the country to return to his homeland in the Netherlands and all his goods were auctioned (Indonesia was occupied by the Dutch for 350 years from early 1600 to 1945). Besides this doll she got among others a gramophone (His Master's Voice). I could not bring the gramophone with me but I got an original HMV gramophone as such from Cromwell's auction (Model HMV 563 or 109, circa 1913, the table gramophone contained in a rectangular oak case).

A Vintage Type Writer & The Busy Secretary

2006-05-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

This Mettoy Supertywriter was made in Great Britain in 1950s, the tinprinted machine in green and red with real ribbon, in fair condition in its original maker's box.

Indeed, a typewriter itself can be considered a toy. A child (if allowed) will be amused to play with a real type writer. This toy typewriter is the replacement, who knows what the future holds for the little one? A computer programmer? An IT expert? I think, a happy child had got the enjoyment of playing with this wonderful typing machine before computers and video games were invented.

People who migrated to Australia and brought their children might bring a toy or two from their home countries or the toys might have been bought here after settling down.

The other toy on the left was made in Japan. A Linemar Busy Secretary from 1950s, tinplate and battery operated, the tinprinted desk with pencils etc complete with a typewriter. The secretary with rubber painted and moulded face, long pony tail and tinprinted 1950s-style blouse and skirt. She takes dictation, a letter emerges from the lighted moving typewriter, seven actions in all, the typewriter lights up but not in working condition (what a pity!).

Toys, which upon first inspection appear to be children's playthings can symbolize much more, the toys may play a role in deciding their career in the future!

Introduction

2006-05-16T00:33:00.000-07:00

Hello, let me introduce myself , my name is Theresa Jackson and this is my first Blog.
I live in one of Sydney suburbs, Australia . I want to write about my life in Australia as an artist and a toy collector. At present my hobby is collecting toys (vintage dolls, teddy bears, tin toys etc). The theme of the collection is "Migrant's Toys in Australia".
My home country is Indonesia and I migrated to Australia on the first of January 1993, so I have lived here for 13 years. I came as a skilled migrant as I am an Indonesian language teacher. According to me, there is a child within each of us which needs a toy to have a joy and to share a story, for there is a story behind every toy and there is a joy when the story is told.

There are hundreds of toys in my collection at present and I am in the middle of writing a story behind each of them.