Object of the Month – May 2010
Menasha Corporation’s doll furniture experiment
Like many other businesses, the Menasha Woodenware Company (predecessor of Menasha Corporation) saw its business slump during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The company responded by expanding its product line to new items, including wooden toy or dollhouse furniture.
Menasha Woodenware made toy furniture in two different scales: one inch to a foot and 1 1/2 inches to a foot. The products were sold under the “Tyke Toys” trade name.Many of the pieces featured turned legs, which aids in its identification. They even made toy bathroom fixtures of wood, including a toilet, pedestal sink, and bathtub complete with tile enclosure.
Menasha furniture is very rare because the company only manufactured it for a short time. Our examples, donated by the Menasha Corporation, will be on display in the Octagon House Museum through the summer.