Abbatt Toys: Modern Toys for Modern Children

Alan Power is a historian who is author of over 20 books. In this book he pieces together the story of Abbatt toys. Abbatt toys was founded in 1932 by a young couple and their business rapidly became known and recognised as the chief maker and outlet in Britain for simple, robust toys in bright colours. Their business idea had been informed by European travel and contemporary ideas about the importance of children's play.

Over the next 40 years, Paul and Marjorie Abbatt, took their business forward and had a shop in London which was designed by Ernö Goldfinger.

In this book Powers describes the Abbatt's attitude to designing toys in that they expected the toy to be played with upside down; that you couldn't be prescriptive about how a child will pick up and play with an object. In the catalogues they produced for their range of toys the Abbatts weren't just trying to sell the product, they were trying to get the adults to think about how they can play and engage with their children via the toys.They thought that play was work and vice versa.

The Abbatt's employed talented designers and artists to bring their products to life and Powers tells the story of the company from start to finish in this book. The legacy of Abbatt toys informed the firms that followed in their footsteps; most obviously Galt Toys and the Early Learning Centre.

Paperback. 144 pages.

Measurements:

21cm x 21cm x 1.4cm

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