The rocking horse, or hobbyhorse, has survived in many versions. This nineteenth-century example is made from pine painted with oil colours. The two parallel rockers are each cut in profile from a single piece of wood. The actual form of the horse is incidental in this case: a horse's head and neck, cut in profile, are attached to the forward end of the rocker. The harness and ears are leather and fastened on with tacks. This hobbyhorse is essentially a low-back Windsor chair with splayed legs fastened to a rocking platform; since the chair is more complex than the horse, it is possible that the craftsman was a chair maker by trade.
This pull toy is a dachshund from around 1880. Loosely jointed, it undoubtedly once had wheels under the legs so that it could move along a flat surface with its body undulating from side to side.
A true rocking horse, this piece is primitive in construction, yet its design is vigorous and spirited. The stylized, round body is a single wooden log, while the head and neck are carved from another single block. The flat, stick legs are mortised into the underside of the body. The horse is mounted on a pair of rockers. This rocking horse was made between 1853 and 1856 by Benjamin P. Crandall of New York City; his name appears on the under surface of the horse. Like many other toy makers, Crandall did not produce toys exclusively and was listed also as a carpenter and maker of wagons, carriages, and perambulators.
Constantly seeking ways of adding animation and novelty to their products, toy makers invented many ingenious products. Pennsylvannia German artists were especially innovative in this aspect. The hand-operated wooden toy shown here consists of two jointed figures that revolve around a pole when the handle is turned. Made about 1835, the toy is hand-carved of pine. The wood has a natural finish, but the features are tinted.
Pull toys, set on wheels, provide animation to enhance a child's pleasure. Pull toys were frequently made from wood, as in this streetcar model from around 1885. Inscribed with the owner's name, Vera, this handmade toy is made from pine. The sides have sawn-out decorations of crescents, and the windows of the ends and cupola are backed with colored glass. There is a hole on top for insertion of a candle.
