Alphabet Nursery Blocks were originally developed in 17th Century England.
In
1693, the philosopher John Locke, made the statement that “dice and
playthings, with the letters on them to teach children the alphabet by
playing” would make learning to read a more enjoyable experience.
A
century and a quarter later, Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel, the originator
of the kindergarten system, introduced geometric solids carved from
wood. Known as Froebel “gifts” they soon led to alphabet blocks.
By
1820, alphabet blocks were manufactured in New York. The first
large-scale production of blocks was initiated in the Williamsburg area
of Brooklyn by S.L. Hill, who patented hi paper-on-wood spelling blocks
in 1858.
By the 1880’s, The Embossing Company of Albany, New
York patented “ornamenting wood”, a patent related to painting or
coloring a block surface prior to the embossing process and then adding
another color after embossing to create multi-colored blocks. In 19th
–Century America, these toys became a staple of schools and nurseries
and sold for only a few cents.
The tradition of ABC Blocks
continues to this day. In 2003, “The Toy Hall of Fame” at the Strong
Museum, inducted ABC Blocks into their collection, granting it the
title of one of America’s toys of national significance.
