The Birth of Polly Pocket (1989-2000) Polly Pocket was born out of a clever design concept that aimed to merge portability with imaginative play. The idea came from Chris Wiggs in 1983, who created the original Polly Pocket as a compact, portable dollhouse. Wiggs, a British inventor, designed it forRead More →
The History of Chess 1.1 Origins and Early Development Chess is one of the oldest known games, with origins tracing back over 1,500 years. The earliest precursor to modern chess is believed to be Chaturanga, a game that emerged in India during the Gupta Empire around the 6th century. Chaturanga, whichRead More →
The Origins and Evolution of Whoopee! Magazine The Birth of a British Classic Whoopee! Magazine first hit the newsstands on March 9, 1974, as a weekly British comic anthology published by IPC Magazines Ltd. The early 1970s was a golden era for British comics, with many successful titles such as TheRead More →
The Origins and Evolution of Goebel Figurines 1.1 The Founding of Goebel The Goebel company, officially known as Franz Goebel & Co., was founded in 1871 by Franz Detleff Goebel and his son William in Oeslau, Germany. Initially, the company produced marbles and slates but quickly shifted to ceramics, includingRead More →
Origins and Early Growth (1940-1960s) McDonald’s was founded by Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California, in 1940. Initially, it was a drive-in restaurant, but in 1948, the brothers revamped their business to focus on a simplified menu of nine items, including their famous 15-cent hamburger. This new “SpeedeeRead More →
The Birth and Evolution of Barbie The story of Barbie begins with Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, Inc., who was inspired by her daughter Barbara’s fascination with paper dolls. Noticing that Barbara preferred to give her dolls adult roles, Handler realised there was a gap in the market for aRead More →
Origins in the United Kingdom Car boot sales, a quintessentially British phenomenon, have their roots in the United Kingdom during the 1970s. The concept originated from the idea of selling unwanted household items from the boot (or trunk) of a car. This practice was inspired by traditional flea markets andRead More →
History of Cash’s Silk Woven Pictures Origins and Development The history of Cash’s silk woven pictures dates back to the mid-19th century, with the establishment of the firm J. & J. Cash in Coventry, England, in 1846. Founded by Joseph Cash and his brother John, the company initially specialised inRead More →
Origins of Transformers by Hasbro The history of Transformers by Hasbro traces back to the early 1980s, marked by a collaboration between Japanese toy company Takara Tomy and American toy giant Hasbro. Takara had developed a toy line called Diaclone, featuring transforming robots that could change from vehicles to humanoidRead More →
Origins of Auction Houses Auction houses have a rich history dating back thousands of years. The concept of auctions can be traced to ancient Greece, where they were used to sell goods, property etc. The Romans also conducted auctions for a variety of purposes, including the sale of assets seizedRead More →