Darth Tater and Little Miss No-Name

I took the photo above at the the Strong National Museum of Play. I like Dave Huth's comment in Flickr: "Ah, the sinister Darth Tater. How he threatens our souls!"

As we browsed the National Toy Hall of Fame (which is inside the Strong museum), I tried to remember if I still had any toys from my childhood and was horrified to realize that I didn't. Even Jeff has his Flatmouse.



I remember a teddy bear I named John, whose limbs started disintegrating. I bandaged him up and gave him a crutch, but then what happened? I loved John dearly; why can't I remember? Were my childhood affections that fickle?

I wasn't really into Barbies, though I did have a Casey (Barbie's tomboy friend). My sister and I had a fight when we were little, and I was furious when she drew on Casey's legs with permanent magic marker. That's the ONLY bad thing that I remember Ruth ever doing to me in childhood, however, whereas I did all kinds of horrible things to her and her belongings, so I figure I probably deserved that Casey mutilation.



Some of the toys in the museum struck me as pretty creepy, but I suppose kids can get attached to pretty much anything. Like a doll called "Little Miss No-Name: The Doll With The Tear", dressed in a patched burlap dress and barefoot:



When her right arm was extended, it looks like she is begging for money. The doll was designed by Deet D'Andrade.

Apparently Hasbro launched Little Miss No-Name in 1965 but discontinued it soon after (I guess sad burlap-clad dolls couldn't compete with glamour Barbies). Out of curiosity, I did a search on eBay and was surprised to find lots of Little Miss No-Names available for relatively cheap, though many with their tears missing...probably removed by children hoping to cheer her up.

What about the rest of you? Do you still have any toys from your childhood? Which was your favourite? (or least favourite)



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