1930s Popular Vintage Children's Toys with Prices, Descriptions and Images
Depression Era Toys on this page Balsa Wood Kits, Vintage Cadalac Coupe, Vintage Steel Truck, Plane and Airship, Lionel Electric Train Set, Studebaker Farm Wagon, Teddy Bears, Wind Up Train Set, Stereoscope, Stick Horse, BB Rifle, Bagatelle and many more from the 1930s
Following on from the twenties, because of the great depression you would expect the thirties choices to decrease. Surprisingly, they did not and new manufacturing methods combined with the growth of radio and the movie theaters, making house hold names of radio and movie stars, increased the range of toys kids wanted. It is also interesting seeing kids pedal cars reflect the streamlining of automobiles. As I researched the decade a few things stood out including the growth of Home Movie Projectors and the sale of Mickey Mouse films and how by the mid thirties many of the prices had dropped partly through cheaper manufacturing methods and partly because of the great depression.
Popular Toys in the Thirties
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Amos and Andy Taxi
Price: 95 cents
Description The Amos and Andy Taxi was popular because of the radio comedy series "Amos 'n' Andy" which ran nightly through the 30's, I included this first because it reflects how popular media began to influence what children played with from the early 30's right through to today.
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Balsa Wood Kits
Price: From 83 cents
Description These were ideal during the depression years as they provided a cheap fun idea to keep kids amused while allowing them to build something, the kits were fairly easy to assemble and anything to do with planes and flying was new and exiting to children.
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Vintage Steel Truck, Plane and Airship
Price: From $1.98
Description Another example of value for money these were pretty large steel models over 2 ft long and look fairly well made, The Steel Truck, Plane and Airship all allowed children to use their imagination during play.
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Vintage Cadalac Coupe
Price: 25 cents
Description Cadalac Coupe, what I found strange with this was the way it was spelt unsure if spelling mistake on purpose or by accident.
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Flossy Flirt Doll
Price: From $1.95
Description Choose from a range of 4 sizes from 12 inches high to 22 inches high.
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Lionel Electric Train Set
Price: $11.98
Description Lionel Electric Train Set measures 36 inches long with 8 1/2 inch reversing locomotive with working headlights and three pullman cars. Track forms oval of 50 inches by 30 inches and runs on 10 colt battery of AC/DC Transformer. Lionel train sets were the most popular and well known and are quite collectable today, especially those from the 20s and 30s.
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Marx Flying Plane
Price: 59 cents
Description Lightweight, wind up, Marx Crash Proof Plane, takes off from the ground after a short run.
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Marx Climbing Tractor
Price: 59 cents
Description Wind Up Marx Climbing Tractor will climb steep slopes and move over rocky ground just like a real tractor.
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Weeden Steam Engine
Price: From $3.98
Description These Steam Engines from the 20s and 30s were extremely popular, this is a great example from late in the thirties that offered it in alcohol burning or electric version. The alcohol burning steam engines had been around for quite some time and were $3.98 but the electric version was quite new and cost much more at $6.98. This Weeden Steam Engine was a reversible horizontal type engine with a whistle and throttle.
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Shirley Temple Doll
Price: $1.98
Description This Shirley Temple doll came with rolling eyes and curlers, Shirley Temple was every little girl's heroine and the cost included Shirley Temple book, movie badge and an autographed photo free with each doll.
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Chrysler Pedal Car
Price: $10.69
Description 1937 Chrysler Pedal Car includes Goggles and Helmet. If you have checked our 20's toy section where we included pedal cars from the 1920's the change in streamlining from the 20's to 30's reflects the change of auto design in just 10 years.
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Service Station with electric lighting
Price: $1.00
Description Service Station with electric lighting on gas pumps and electric lighting under service platform.
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Rocking Horse
Price: $3.19
Description Every little girl's dream present, a rocking horse 23 inches high and 37 inches long.
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Studebaker Farm Wagon
Price: $12.95
Description Studebaker Farm Wagon, more than 3 ft long and 18 inches wide. Studebaker originally built wagons and carriages but began making automobiles in the the late 1800's. During the 30's they made carriages and autos and only later changed over to auto manufacture only. Studebaker carriages were some of the most expensive on the market and they were known for attention to detail and Studebaker sold carriages and harnesses for the White House.
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Teddy Bears
Price: 98 cents
Description Teddy Bears were popular in the 30s and sold in the millions, this is just an example.
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Popeye Express
Price: 59 cents
Description Another example where a character is made popular by the media. In this case, the popular Popeye Cartoons in newspapers and kids toys are made to meet the need with this wind up Popeye Express Popeye and his wheelbarrow.
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Rolmonica
Price: 79 cents
Description This is one of the things I have never seen when wandering around antique stores and shows, it was a combination of a roll playing device similar to early phonographs and a harmonica, you turned the handle to play the roll and blew in to it like a harmonica to make the sound, I will definitely be keeping my eye open but I suspect they might be quite rare.
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40 inch Wooden Snow Sled
Price: $1.25
Description 40 inch Winter King Wooden Snow Sled built super strong and designed for strength and speed.
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Velocipede or 3 Wheel Bike
Price: $9.39
Description Velocipedes or 3 wheel bicycles were popular not just for children but adults in the 1930s. They ranged in size from small all the way up to 24 inch wheels and this example includes all the latest modern features with ball bearing wheels, motorcycle saddle, horn, mud guards and the latest molded auto tread rubber tires.
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Wind Up Train Set
Price: $2.89
Description Wind Up Train Set includes 50 ft of track, 3 carriages and a caboose.
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Basic Design Rocking Horse
Price: 77 cents
Description Basic Design Rocking Horse
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Fire Trucks
Price: From 59 cents
Description Fire truck with extendable ladder and siren.
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Stereoscope
Price: 98 cents
Description Hundreds of thousands of stereoscopes were sold and they are quite easy to find for sale, many in pretty good condition.
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Stick Horse
Price: 39 cents
Description No decade would be complete without including a Stick Horse, here is an example from the 30s.
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25 cents Toys Range From 1934
Price: 25 cents
Description Included for 25 cents were wind up cars, trucks and tractor, a wind up Popeye, wood blocks, holster and cap pistols, dial phone, gyroscope top and more.
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Bagatelle Game
Price: 79 cents
Description Bagatelle Game with glass top to stop the balls coming out.
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King BB Rifle
Price: 59 cents
Description King BB Rifle, whenever I see a BB gun I think of the movie "A Christmas Story (1983)" where Ralphie wants only one thing for Christmas: a Red Ryder BB Gun which was made by Daisy Outdoor Products and introduced in 1938.
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1937 Streamlined 3 Wheel Bike
Price: $5.98
Description As cars became more streamlined in the late 30's, children's play things including this example of a 3 wheel bike, known as streamliner, became popular. What is also interesting is the price, a similar bike with the more basic design cost less than half price.
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Childrens Dial Typewriter
Price: $1.98
Description Childrens Dial Typewriter allows a child to type a letter all uppercase and takes 9 inch wide paper and includes a space bar.
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Dolls
Price: From $1.39
Description Dolls with real human hair that cry and sleep.
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Dolls House With All Furniture
Price: $1.77
Description Complete Dolls House and Furniture for 7 rooms. Has more than 40 pieces of furniture for kitchen, living room, master bedroom, guest bedroom and bathroom.
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Lincoln Logs
Price: 89 cents
Description Build your very own log cabin with Lincoln Logs, 53 logs are included in this set.
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Home Movie Projector
Price: $4.69
Description Home Movie Projector improved design to stop film burning. Home movies available include Mickey and Minnie, Tom Mix, Buster Keaton, Buck Rogers, Charlie Chaplin and many more for just 27 cents each.
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Pedal Cars
Price: From $3.89
Description Choice of 3 sturdy Pedal Cars starting at the basic sturdy red racer for $3.89 up to the super modern 46 inch car which includes electric lights, padded seat, horn, ball bearing steering gear for $13.95.
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Flying Balsa Wood Plane
Price: 59 cents
Description Flying Balsa Wood Plane, strong elastic band to wind up and makes it fly, when it crashes it falls to pieces but you can just put it back together and do it again.
Other example years Toys
From The 1920's
Columbia 3 Wheel Velocipedes
Price: From $8.98Columbia 3 Wheel Velocipedes ( Tricycle ), features include bicycle bell, adjustable handle bars, padded leather saddle with coil springs, tubular steel frame, ball bearing wheels and bicycle spokes. Through to the late 50s the word Velocipede / Bicycle or Bike were used to describe human-powered vehicles with one or more wheels it very much depended on who the manufacturer was, towards the late 1950's Tricycle and Bike / Bicycle were used much more in advertising and now it would be hard to find an add for a Velocipede.
From The 1950's
Vintage 1950s Pepsi Cola TruckPrice $1.59
Plastic replica of the latest model of Pepsi Cola delivery truck. Body has two shelves, holding six miniature dummy plastic cases of Pepsi Cola with molded-in bottles. Pepsi Cola markings on top of truck, also the familiar Pepsi Cola bottle cap at rear and sides.
From The 1980's
Transformers Optimus Prime
Transformers Optimus PrimeManufacturer: Hasbro
Price: $26.99
Standing ten inches tall, Optimus Prime returns as Powermaster! Use the engine key to transform cab of truck into Optimus Prime, and change trailer into battle station with four powerful weapons. Then combine the trailer and cab into the ultimate transformation: Super Optimus Prime! Includes TechSpecs decoder, label sheet, and instructions.
From The 1990's
Vintage Nintendo Game Boy Compact Video Game System
Vintage Nintendo Game Boy Compact Video Game SystemManufacturer: Nintendo
Price: $89.99
A hand-held version of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Features Tetris Game Pack, LCD dot-matrix game screen, and digital stereo sound with earphones for private play. Video Link cable hook-up allows two Game Boy systems to go head-to-head.