Thursday, December 5, 2013
An Amazing Dutch Story
(Special Edition)
This wonderful story (post) began yesterday, when I received an e-mail from 1stdibs with the title 1stdibs welcomes the Scandinavian designers. I had discovered this unbelievable website a while back, and wrote about a great American store by the name of Radio-Guy.
Naturally, I did a search for toys exclusively for the Scandinavian merchants, and I was attracted to a very simple but beautifully designed toy. SInce there were only 1 or 2 of these brand name toys on 1stdibs, I decided to do a search on the net, and found many "hits". A few more search entries, and I had found several promising leads. I sent one request out to an online gallery for quality vintage furniture, specialized in Dutch modern furniture, by the name of MidMod-Design. There I found more of today's toys, and permission from the store owner, but the story is more complex than that.
Mr. Etienne Feijns, the owner of this wonderful store, wrote me back. Not only did he give me his permission to use his photos, but he sent along an most-interesting biography and narrative about the toys, the toy designer, and the company who made the toys (Ado). He also sent me a photo of the designer and his son.
I've added verbatim the written material that Etienne sent to me. There are a few minor translation errors, but the story is most heart-warming and unique. A sanatorium is a type of hospital that is for patients with breathing problems.
"Occupational TherapyThe sanatorium ( nursing ) Berg en Bosch settled in 1920 in the ' sanctuary ' on the outskirts of Apeldoorn . Lung Patients spent many months at rest by .When they were eventually restored the transition to working life they fell heavily . In order for this transition to prepare the patient for the sanatorium has developed a modern method of treatment : occupational therapy . One of the activities that were carried out by the patients, the production of wooden toys . This toy was named ' ado ' , an acronym standing for ' labor byincapacitated . In 1962 it was renamed 'ADO ' Different Efficient Indestructible ' design.The main attraction takes the toy to his design . Ko Verzuu dropped in the design of cars, trains , blocks, dollhouse furniture and games inspired by the great designers of De Stijl . Verzuu chose his toy designs bright colors and sleek shapes . Berg en Bosch is therefore in the twenties something created that is unique in culture, history . The toy was for sale in the better toy stores in the Netherlands, Metz & Co and the Bijenkorf.
Ko Verzuu (1901 - 1971) was a former construction supervisor in the city of Utrecht , who led the ADO workshops, which was made from 1925 to 1933 wooden toys : cars , furniture , building blocks , trains , dolls beds . He was the designer of the so coveted toy . He had immersed himself in art and architecture and developed a strong preference for the abstract lines and bright colors , which can also be found in the followers of De Stijl . This group of architects and artists were between 1917 and the early thirties active , they made abstract art in the primary colors red , blue and yellow. The dollhouse furniture ADO are strongly inspired by the clean lines and colors that the architect Gerrit Rietveld used . Verzuu tested the quality of his toys from his own team kids. The toy was better in almost all toy stores in the Netherlands and Metz & Co . and the Bijenkorf sale .In 1933 moved Regained Constitution ( the organization that ADO had started ) with clinic and workshops from Apeldoorn to Bilthoven . The ADO toys were made here for years until 1950, when the social workplace ADO from a loss-making was converted . Into a business enterprise At the same time reduced the demand for wooden toys . Metal toy cars and trains were a favorite . In 1962 , ADO was for the symbolic sum of one guilder sold to the sheltered workshop in Zeist , the meaning of the three capital letters turned into separately. Effective . Indestructible. Less than two years ago, had the Sheltered Zeist production stop . ADO is now a sought-after collector's item , a collector's item ."
Ko Verzuu (1901 - 1971) was a former construction supervisor in the city of Utrecht , who led the ADO workshops, which was made from 1925 to 1933 wooden toys : cars , furniture , building blocks , trains , dolls beds . He was the designer of the so coveted toy . He had immersed himself in art and architecture and developed a strong preference for the abstract lines and bright colors , which can also be found in the followers of De Stijl . This group of architects and artists were between 1917 and the early thirties active , they made abstract art in the primary colors red , blue and yellow. The dollhouse furniture ADO are strongly inspired by the clean lines and colors that the architect Gerrit Rietveld used . Verzuu tested the quality of his toys from his own team kids. The toy was better in almost all toy stores in the Netherlands and Metz & Co . and the Bijenkorf sale .In 1933 moved Regained Constitution ( the organization that ADO had started ) with clinic and workshops from Apeldoorn to Bilthoven . The ADO toys were made here for years until 1950, when the social workplace ADO from a loss-making was converted . Into a business enterprise At the same time reduced the demand for wooden toys . Metal toy cars and trains were a favorite . In 1962 , ADO was for the symbolic sum of one guilder sold to the sheltered workshop in Zeist , the meaning of the three capital letters turned into separately. Effective . Indestructible. Less than two years ago, had the Sheltered Zeist production stop . ADO is now a sought-after collector's item , a collector's item ."
* Courtesy of Mr. Etienne Feijns
When I find more time, I will try and search for more information on the designer of the ADO toys - Mr. Ko Verzuu. Below is a photo of Ko with his son (1939) that Etienne sent me.
(please do not copy)
When I first went to visit Etienne's website, I was immediately attracted to the sell-designed website, then the great photography, and then the thorough written descriptions for each item of merchandise. I decided just to whiten the background, but left the photography intact. The composition of the photos and the occasional "dab" of colour make for simple but excellent images.
and you could say that for the website, the other Dutch merchandise, and of course the great ADO toys.
The light fixture image is Etienne's opening page on his website.
You can see how easy it is to maneuver through the site, and how visually dynamic the page is .
The above screen-capture is the opening kids (children's) page. You can see the quality of the design, the photography, and the arrangement of the photos in this montage.
You can see the Ado logo on the front of the truck
This truck and would be great to play with. It can be loaded, and I like the way the sides of the trailer can be unlatched and turned down.
As usual, I will return in the future, to Etienne's website to write another post. However, I just had to post this "special edition" today. I wanted to share it today and not wait. Of course, I'll have to work extra hard to "catch up" for tomorrow's post.
Thanks for dropping by for a visit,
and have a great part of the day or night,
wherever you may be.
Stacey
toysearcher@gmail.com
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