Very old toys

[tlsnrt]

Hi:

I have a couple of very old toys that I have kept mainly for sentimental reasons, but I have very little storage space and I think I would like to give them away now.
Some of them don't work anymore (rusty etc.). I don't think anyone would want them if I would post them. However, I would hate to just dispose of them and to think they would end in a landfill. I would probably still keep them in that case, but I would like to ask if anyone would have other suggestions? (i.e. maybe there is some place that fixes old toys and finds a new home for them, for instance?)

Thank you very much for your help!

[propellor]

could you give a bit more info about them, might be able to get them working for you, as for professional repairers i wouldnt know but if you do find one they will probably be expensive

[unapam]

Hi, what kind of old toys are they? Many people use these as a design feature, a vignette of old toys on display. I might be interested in giving them a new home or my sister owns an old schoolhouse and is always looking for child related items to decorate it. Sounds like they could fit the bill. If you decide to give them away I would love to have them. They would be appreciated and admired again by many if so.

[summersun]

Hi ,


If by any slim chance you have any fisher price toys in there, i would very happily give them a new home especially if you have a dolls house and furniture, heres hoping


many thanks
summersun

[Bawnie]

Hi there, if you've a Jack in the Box I'd love it, if not is there a Children's Museum anywhere that would appreciate them and put them on display i wonder!! Thank you. Siobhan.

[Philomena6196]

I am sure there are lots of collectors, maybe you could google vintage toy collectors, get a display case for your home and keep them or send them for auction? Not for the money but at lease you know they are going to someone that really wants them!


Or if they are not too large you could put them in a time capsule out your back garden :-)

[johncol]

my dad collects old music boxes and restores them if you need any advice, that is if you have any ;)

[tlsnrt]

Thank you very much for all your replies!

You have given me some good ideas!

The toys are not valuable (other than their sentimental value), nor could they be considered antiques or anything like that.

The main toy that I had in mind when I posted my original message consists of a puppy and a rabbit in a basket, holding a bone and a carrot. When it used to work, they would "eat" the bone and the carrot, and then they would give each other a quick kiss. Apparently it used to be my favourite toy as a baby :) The metal mechanism on the back is rusty now, so it doesn't work anymore.

The other toys are a couple of handmade stuffed animals. They all need a good cleaning, as they've been in storage for years. I wouldn't put any of them in the washing machine, but I will investigate if there are laundry shops that could do this type of work.

And I will think about all your suggestions! Thank you very much!

[propellor]

If you can remove the mechanism from the toy and strip it try submerging the parts in a rust penetrating fluid for a week or so (auto factors) and then with a fine wire brush tak off the surface rust. with this done start polishing out the pitted metal and reassemble. its very time consuming to do, but very satisfying if it works although chances are if this toy is clockwork the spring will be shot as this is tempered steel and when it rusts too badly it loses its springyness(sorry for the highly technical words;-)).
as for the stuffed toys I rejuvenated a couple of my sisters a while back for my neice using, wait for it, car upholstery cleaner! the foamy type that has a brush built into the cap, theres a guy on fairyhouse market will sell you a can for a fiver hope this helps.

jim

[tlsnrt]

Thank you very much for the details about how to clean the toys! I will try that!!