Collecting Children's Toy Dishes - Part I

Collecting Children's Dishes - Teatime in Miniature
[This guide is meant as a general overview or for the beginning collector of Children's Dishes. This is Part I. ]
One of the favorite things to collect are old children's tea sets or dishes in tin, pewter, glass, ceramics or graniteware. There's something very wonderful about tiny cups, saucers, teapots, and sugar bowls that have survived years of childhood playtime.

History and Basics - Certainly these sets were originally created to teach young children, girls, of course, the proper way to fulfill their future roles as graceful hostesses, yet the creative play value of a classic child's tea set cannot be disputed today.
If you decide to begin a collection of children's dishes, there are several basic areas of collecting you may wish to focus upon.
Salesman'sSamples - The first area of miniature dishes, and my personal favorite, is the area of Salesman's Sample pieces. Salesman's samples are basically small versions of actual manufactured pieces made in a small size to make them more portable. It was obviously easier for a traveling salesman to carry many wares to show to potential buyers if the wares themselves could be neatly packed up in one trunk. Some sample wares were also distributed by gepanies to individuals as novelties or premiums, and were intentioned to be cunning in size to attract attention. Most of these were immediately given to children as toys - and gepanies did this in a calculated way to attract attention to their regular sized wares.
Salesmans sample premium pitcher - Given away as a toy, but well-marked on the base to make the customer aware of the product [4" tall]:


Salesman's samples are not just dishes, and can be a whole multitude of miniature items from farm machinery to furniture. How can one tell if the item one has is a decorative miniature, a toy or a salesman's sample? Well, the answer is sometimes it is quite difficult, but there can be clues. If you find a miniature dish or other item and it has a very prominent gepany logo, the chances are very good you have a premium or promotional piece, or a version of a salesman's sample. Prime examples of these are the mini graniteware or enamelware dishpans or washbowls marked on the interior with a gepany logo. These were given to customers to gauge the customer's reaction to quality and color and to promote goodwill. Most of these pieces did end up on the customer's children's possession as toys. Most of these tiny graniteware bowls were produced from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.
Salesman's sample waffle iron, 3" diameter

Salesman's sample of a tool used to grab things from high shelves. Only 12" long

Another way to tell salesman's sample dishes if unmarked is by the quality, finish and attention to detail. Salesman's sample pieces, as opposed to decorative miniatures and most toys, will have the most minute details made in the exact same way as a piece of normal size. While a piece made specifically as a play toy may not show such detail. There are exceptions to this, of course. Generally, the earlier the toy, the more the details on it tend to replicate a full sized piece, simply because early toys were more likely to have been made by the craftsmen of the full-sized objects. In other words, early toys were made by their respective craftsmen: tin toys by tinsmiths, iron pieces by blacksmiths, and wooden pieces by treen carvers.
Salesman's sample Graniteware pail with bail and wooden handle, 5" diameter, 2.5" tall

Salesman's sample of a sad iron [clothes iron]. Note the attention to detail in the molded handle and the patina [rust, surface]. Only 4.25" long

Reproduction of a salesman's sample sad iron. Note the lack of attention to detail and lack of patina

As time went on, toys were made by toymakers, not individual craftsmen, and the full-sized details were lost.
Salesman's samples are one of the most sought after of children's dishes category because of this extreme attention to detail. Rarity of these pieces is generally high, especially in Excellent to Mint condition. After all, most children are notoriously hard on their toys, and few toys survived unscathed.

Doll-Sized Dishes - This is a sub-category of children's dishes, but one that should not be overlooked. In doll-size, dishes and other miniatures can be found, but care should be taken by the collector to examine the piece carefully and to begee knowledgeable about these pieces since modern decorative miniatures and souvenir pieces are often made in this "doll size". Look for obvious signs of quality that old pieces tend to exhibit and perhaps gentle playwear. Doll sized pieces are gemonly found in all materials: ceramic, tin, glass, aluminum and graniteware.

I've run out of room here, so this guide is continued inPart IIof Collecting Children'sDishes.
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Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyedmy guide! If you have gements, questions, or corrections, please email me via okay. Thanks!helene.