Who knew but the yo-yo dates back to ancient Greece, around the year 500 BCE. It has obviously come a long way since then with the help of Duncan – because hey, if it isn’t a Duncan it isn’t a yo-yo!
We all need to begin somewhere …
1959: the first troll doll was formed into creation by by Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam in Denmark. He soon forms the DAM company to make high quality, mass-marketed trolls that find their way across the Atlantic in the 60s.
1960s-1970s: DAM Troll Dolls warm the hearts of men, women, and children across America with their creepy glass eyes, soft sheep-wool hair, and “cute cuddle” bodies.
1980s: The E.F.S. Marketing Associates, Inc. is granted permission to import and market the Thomas DAM trolls for re-sale in the United States under the trade name of ‘Norfin (R) Trolls’, with the Adopt A Norfin Troll logo on the tags.
Late 1980s through 1990s: A slew of hideous troll imitators flood the market including Uneeda‘s Wishnik Trolls, and Treasure Trolls, all of which feature the signature Troll tall hair, lovable face, and pot belly. There is total Troll chaos, going as far as Troll Warriors, Battle Trolls, Stone Protectors, and even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Trolls, and The Trollies Radio Show. This fad capitalization even saw a 1994 re-release of Dudes with Attitude simply modified into Trolls on Treasure Island.
Geez …
2003: A Congressional law allows the Dam family of Denmark to restore their original U.S. copyright and become the only official manufacturer once again. Peace and order are once again established in the realm of the Troll.
I don’t think I need to say anything more.
Advancements are being made daily in so many different fields around the world – the flip has given us a pocket-sized camcorder, tablets allow us to have the convenience of a computer with the weight and size of a notebook, SmartBoards provide a digitalized chalkboard experience in the classroom, and that is only to name a minuscule few. But, I think there is one field that has received very little attention since its creation way back when. Yes, I am talking about the sock puppet. That is until now!
Spanish designer Héctor Serrano’s has created temporary tattoos that actually transform hands into colorful creatures. They are non-toxic and work with hands of nearly any size–each tattoo is approximately 3″ x 2.5″. They are easily removed with skin oil or adhesive tape. Interested? You even have the choice of Animal Hands, Robot Hands, Monster Hands, or Dino Hands (each box contains 8 tattoos and instructions). I’d say that these tattoos are the perfect gift for just about any child.
Robot Hands
Animal Hands
Dino Hands
Monster Hands
Available for $10 in NYC at Estella, 493 Sixth Avenue (Between 12th & 13th Streets), New York, NY 10011 - 1.877.755.3553
Or click here to buy them online!
Have you ever sat around and dreamed of creating the coolest clubhouse or treehouse, or just making your bedroom into the best hang ever? Verner Panton certainly did. He was a Scandinavian designer who created a lot of amazing things in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, some of my favorite being the swinging chair, and his full environments. In these spaces Panton would carve out seats from soft foam in all sorts of bright colors to create spaces that resembled the most incredible space caves you could ever imagine. His creations were more than just furniture, they were actual fun, functional objects that made any room infinitely more rad!
The Swing Chair from 1964
Panton also designed a DIY sculpture/toy in 1975 called the Pantonaef for the Naef company. Essentially, you could buy a kit to build all sorts of different animals – elephants, cat, cow, fish, owl, etc. Inside the box would be a number of basic cubes that you would then have to clip together to create the sculpture of your choice. The last step was to then place colored panels on top of your sculpture and voila, your own homebuilt amazing toy!
FriendsWithYou is a design group based out of Miami, but they might as well have come from an alternate universe where all things are magical, bubbly, and very, very colorful. A place inhabited by creatures of all shapes and sizes whose mission in life is to bring a smile to your face. FriendsWithYou has been making that fantasy come to life since they formed in 2002, and their world of magic, luck, and friendship is slowly but surely infecting popular culture.
Created by Samuel Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III, the two artists began their company sewing plush toys on the floor of their studio. They wanted to create toys that really had real personality and character, creatures that could come alive. Now that dream has expanded to the construction of actual habitats in galleries and other spaces around the world. From a Rainbow City installation in Miami to commercials for Nike, and everything in between, FriendsWithYou is making their world and ours into a happier place!
You can buy FriendsWithYou products at KidRobot.
From now on, every Wednesday will be Retro Day on superradnow.com. A day to celebrate all of the cool stuff that was, to inspire the cool that is still to come. Now, onto the first retro post …
As a teacher, I have seen a lot of lunch boxes in the classroom. There were a couple Star Wars ones that were pretty cool (with matching thermoses and all), and one that was perfectly compartmentalized for a sandwich, fruit, and treat which I could absolutely appreciate. But all in all, I think the field of lunch boxes has gone pretty dry. I’m sure you’ll agree when you see these incredible ones from the past.
And if you find yourself inspired to buy a cooler lunch box after checking out these ones, the ones below are actually new, but they have the same great retro look! Just click on the images and you’ll be redirected to the site where they are available for purchase.
Last, but not least, there is the toy Bruno Munari designed in 1953, the Zizi monkey. He is flexible, soft, helpful, and very cutel. Zizi can keep your pen safe, swing from your finger, keep your papers in place, or hold your tie! He was so well loved, Zizi even won the Compasso d’Oro award the year he was born.
