Charles Crandall's 1880's District School Set Jointed Wooden Toy Figures

Jointed District School figures made by Charles Crandall. There are 13 figures (12 people and Mary's lamb) along with the teacher's desk, 8 books, and 9 grooved bases. Overall, the condition is great considering the age of the pieces! (140 years +) Some of the grooved bases have missing bits and few figures have a broken foot or a missing hand. One boy in the chair is missing bottom back of chair, it still stands but not as stable.

Box and graphics are nice, a few nicks out of the two bottom corners. I marked up the more obvious issues, please see photos for additional specifics. This is very scarce example of this educational toy which can be found in the collection of the Shelburne Museum in Burlington, VT. It all does not fit in the box. Crandall was a 19th-century toy maker and inventor who worked in Pennsylvania and New York. Crandall started as a youngster in his father's woodworking and furniture business.

When his father died in 1849, he took over the factory. He was just 16 years old. Eventually, Crandall transformed the operation to making toys exclusively. Crandall applied fastening techniques he learned in carpentry to the wooden toys he invented. The tongue-and-groove joint, for example, replaced nails in the first building blocks he made.

Other tongue-and-groove toys soon followed. Crandall combined the novelty in woodworking technology with the whimsy of a kid at play, which led to some pretty fanciful toys.

Should you have a question, or need more pictures, etc.