Designed in 1952, the Eames Little Toy was the table-top variation of the full size Eames 'The Toy' that had been released in the previous year. This smaller version of The Toy had the same number of panels and the same principles of building regular or irregular constructions to the imagination of the user.
As they were smaller, the durable plastic coated paper of the full size 'The Toy' were replaced with toughened colored cardboard panels and the dowel rods of the original replaced with wire frames in order to hold the constructions together without the need for extra fiddly pieces.
The purpose of the 'Little Toy' by Eames was to serve various needs. Firstly it addressed the need for the considerable space required in using the full size The Toy which had a fairly large footprint. Secondly it was devised so that it could be used in conjunction with other toys, for an enriched playing experience for the child.
Just like with the original version, the Eames Little Toy's instructions not only gave direction on what to do but also gave numerous examples of some of the possibilities of what to make.
The Eames Little Toy was manufactured by Tigrett Enterprises of Kansas, the same maker as the full size version. It ran from 1952 through to 1961 when it was discontinued.
| Height | 9.375" | 23.81 cm |
| Width | 9.375" | 23.81 cm |
| Depth | 1.375" | 3.49 cm |
The box of the Little Toy contained; 4 colored cardboard squares, 4 colored cardboard triangles, 8 wire frames (4 square and 4 triangle), fixings and instructions.
Unlike 'The Toy' the Little Toy comes in a flat box for packaging but uses the same look
Vintage 1953 newspaper advert for 'The Playhouse' featuring the Eames Little Toy
Side view of the packaging box of The Little Toy showing the Tigrett Logo
The instructions of the Eames Little Toy with examples and characters