Two Card Displays of Japanese Toy Watches
- Japan: n. p., 1960
Japan: n. p., 1960. Near fine.. Charming and complete pair of display boards of toy Japanese watches, produced during the post-occupation economic boom — in fab 60s style. By the 1960s, the "Made in Japan" stamp had become ubiquitous in the Western market, with the band Deep Purple even riffing on it in the title of a 1972 live album. After the end of post-WWII occupation, Japan poured money into industrial infrastructure to get its economy back on its feet; with this investment, their GDP soared, setting them up to be the economic powerhouse they are today.
This pair of toy watch display boards doubly reflects the breadth of Japanese goods imported into the US in this period: both in the realm of toys (as here) but also the watches to which these toys allude (Seiko, etc.). The watches themselves, each clearly marked "Japan" or "Made in Japan," were likely intended to be sold at dime-store registers. These examples are uncommonly complete. Two boards. 14'' x 7.5'' (rectangle); 11'' x 10'' (pocket watch). Two color pictorial card displays, one rectangular and one in the shape of a pocket watch. Each with 12 toy watches held down by flaps: rectangle board with two face styles (six with black faces, six with white) and black bands, pocket watch board with three face styles (four with black faces, four with white faces, four with gold faces) and metallic bands. Plastic faces of several watches a bit cracked. Rectangle board with faint soil, a bit of foxing. Bright.
This pair of toy watch display boards doubly reflects the breadth of Japanese goods imported into the US in this period: both in the realm of toys (as here) but also the watches to which these toys allude (Seiko, etc.). The watches themselves, each clearly marked "Japan" or "Made in Japan," were likely intended to be sold at dime-store registers. These examples are uncommonly complete. Two boards. 14'' x 7.5'' (rectangle); 11'' x 10'' (pocket watch). Two color pictorial card displays, one rectangular and one in the shape of a pocket watch. Each with 12 toy watches held down by flaps: rectangle board with two face styles (six with black faces, six with white) and black bands, pocket watch board with three face styles (four with black faces, four with white faces, four with gold faces) and metallic bands. Plastic faces of several watches a bit cracked. Rectangle board with faint soil, a bit of foxing. Bright.