Treasure Box Toys unique, quality toys, musical instruments and art supplies

FOLKMANIS® Puppets—Travels of the Imagination are Timeless!

Conceived as a “cottage industry” business in Watertown, MA., in the late 1960’s and nurtured among the street vendors lining Berkeley’s famed Telegraph Avenue, Folkmanis® Puppets are the expression of Judy Folkmanis’ active imagination, sewing wizardry, and love of nature.

Creating her first animal puppets to entertain her own children, Judy was astounded when her unsung, but cuddly, creations began attracting a growing group of paying customers. Most often these were other parents who sought high play value from their toy purchases and an appreciation of the natural world for their children.

Joined in the burgeoning endeavor in 1976 by her Ph.D. husband Atis—who happily abandoned a career in biochemistry for pattern-cutting—the couple realized that launching a menagerie of carefully detailed and realistic animal puppets was their “right livelihood.” They hired several seamstresses and never looked back.

Still headquartered in Emeryville, California, today, Folkmanis® Inc. has grown to become the premier manufacturer of plush puppets worldwide. Folkmanis® offers over 200 of the most heartwarming and realistically designed creatures—both exotic and familiar—on the market today. And, after 30 years, Folkmanis®, Inc. is still a family business. Judy and Atis oversee both the creative and operations sides to ensure that the quality and love of the natural world they wish to convey through their toys remains true to their original vision.

Honors and Awards - Among the most celebrated of toys, Folkmanis® Puppets are consistently awarded excellent marks by such independent toy evaluators as Dr. Toy, Parents’ Choice and Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, and win the country’s top toy awards.
To view awards go to: http://www.folkmanis.com/pressannc.htm
To see recommended books that will enhance your child’s play with the puppets go: http://www.folkmanis.com/booklist.htm

Care and Handling of Your Folkmanis® Puppets:
Did you ever feel somewhat droopy following a long car trip? After several days in a stuffy box, your puppets may appear a little travel-weary. To freshen them up, Folkmanis recommends a shake-out and thorough grooming with a wire or coarse-bristled brush. By brushing with – rather than against – the fabric grain, you’ll quickly restore the quality and realism of the animal’s fur.

BUT NOTE THIS WARNING: a strong brush is no friend to the eyes and ears of an animal. Both can be scratched and damaged if care is not taken to avoid these sensitive areas. You can maintain your puppets' appearance by brushing whenever they need a touch up. Animals with long plush also enjoy a nice fluffing once in awhile.

Washing recommendations - Cleaning Recommendations for Folkmanis Puppets:

Furry Plush Puppets: (Sheepdog, Horse, Timber Wolf, etc.)
DO NOT PUT IN WASHER OR DRYER! This will destroy your puppet. Furry plush puppets are surface-washable only. Do not submerge the puppet in water. Use lukewarm water and sponge with Woolite® or other mild laundry detergent to wet and lather fur. Rinse surface with sponge. Be careful not to wring or twist the puppet, or you may end up with lumpy stuffing. Dry by gently squeezing between towels, or hanging from clothesline to drip-dry. After it’s dry, brush with wire dog brush to fluff the fur. When brushing face, be careful to avoid scratching the eyes or pulling out the threads in ears, nose, or mouth areas.

Velour Plush Puppets: (Ladybug, Dragon, Large Pig, etc.)
DO NOT PUT IN WASHER OR DRYER! With the larger velour puppets; surface-wash with a sponge, mild detergent and lukewarm water. The smaller velour glove puppets can actually be submerged in lukewarm water to wash. Do not wring or twist puppet. To dry the puppet, gently squeeze between towels or drip-dry from clothesline. Do not brush the velour puppets.

HABA® belongs to a group of companies, The HABA® Family. Each of the family members can rely on the large pedagogical experience, technical knowledge and production facilities of the group, either in the field of equipping nurseries, in designing toys and games or in organizing special events. Everything they do is aimed at children of 0 to 7 years of age.

Habermaass Company was founded in 1938 and is the real industrial operation in The HABA® Family. The Habermaass product range, with the brand name HABA® is very diversified. From various toys and games to furniture for kids and teenagers to kindergarten furniture. The range of products includes now more than 600 items. Habermaass constant goal is to develop products not only of remarkable design but also durable enough to provide pleasure for generations and is orientated towards the standards that make up a good toy:

Playing - First of all playing should be fun, not only for a little while but over along period of time as well. A good toy allows a lot of freedom for a child's fantasy and creativity. The children themselves are giving them the best ideas and suggestions, which they then transform with all of their experience.

Quality - A good toy is a child's companion for along time. Therefore they constantly pay heed to a careful production and an accurate workmanship of their toys.

Material - Maple and beech-wood are their mainly used materials. They are convinced that these pleasant natural materials, transformed in a design of plain colours and shape, are most suitable for toys, a useful combination of material and product being the basic requirements.

Safety - The safety of a toy is a self-evident demand. All of their products meet the requirements of the American Standards Consumer Safety Specification on Toy Safety ASTM F 963, as well as European Safety-Standards for toys.

In order to guarantee constant quality levels all their business processes and procedures, from product design right through to shipment and delivery, have been structured and standardized in accordance with the quality manual. In 1996 they were awarded the QM certificate DIN EN ISO 9001 for the first time for this quality management system and they have successfully passed all quality audits since.

In addition Habermaass is the first toy producer to have passed the audit for ecological friendliness. The company is deeply committed to actively pursuing further environment protection throughout every stage of production. Internationally, HABA® represents the family in the field of toys & games and nursery furniture. Their international presence has allowed them to develop products for their customer’s abroad and support their trade partners in various countries. This has made HABA® a well-known and reliable international partner, dealing with customers all over the world. They’ve been on the kids‘ side from the beginning. In 1938 working for children was already at the heart of their company philosophy. This hasn't changed. They have now been developing toys and furniture for children and kindergartens for more than 60 years. Playing is an elementary learning process for children: by touching, listening, seeing, combining, experiencing and comprehending they playfully discover their social surroundings. But what is just as important is that children enjoy playing with their toys and blissfully unaware of how this fosters their development.

Environmental protection is an integrated component of HABA® group policy. They use wood first and foremost for the manufacture of their products, as wood is naturally free of harmful substances. It is a sustainable raw material and thus ecologically harmless. Their careful workmanship makes sure no harmful substances are added. In the production of furniture and toys no tropical woods, but mainly indigenous woods are used, such as beech and maple. The material wood imposes a very high standard of quality in workmanship, combining craftsmen‘s traditions with modern technology. The same applies to all their products: attention to detail makes them something quite special! Right from the first idea up to the final product, their toys and furniture come from the town of Bad Rodach in Bavaria, Germany. Using wood and being inspired by children, they never run out of innovative ideas to convince customers with products of outstanding quality and original designs.

But it is not only in their use of materials, but also in their use of energy and the preservation of their natural surroundings, that thoughts on environmental protection play an important role for them. With this functional environmental management system the entire HABA® Family meets the requirements of the DIN EN ISO 14001 environmental standard. In addition, they were also certified to the EC Eco audit (EMAS) ordinance in August 1999.

We hope you have enjoyed your introduction to HABA® toys and games, and that you’ll enjoy browsing their list of wonderful children’s products. And remember, if you are looking for a HABA® product that you don’t see here, please contact us, and we’ll order it for you.

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The block specialist for America’s children!

Creators of the Master Builder Block System, the T. C. Timber® Company was founded in 1936 in Upstate New York under the name Skaneateles Handicrafters. They became T.C. Timber® following their acquisition by the German company Habermaass in 1980. T.C. Timber® is recognized as a world-class manufacturer of wooden blocks and toys. These are made from North American hardwoods with top quality workmanship.

Most of their products are designed by their Design-Department at the Habermaass Studios in Bad Rodach, Germany. This gives them the international European Flair of the products. The experience of this group makes their products well accepted for the retail and the school market. Together with some license ideas they are getting to be the block specialist for children of all ages.

Outstanding quality, original design and innovative ideas; these three concepts are the major ingredients of T.C. Timber’s® recipe for success in the American market. They make T.C. Timber® stand out from ordinary toys and games. They are also the exclusive importer of high quality HABA®, TOGU and Spielstabil products for the US toy and gift market.

Children enjoy playing with their toys, blissfully unaware of how this fosters their development. Their educational materials support teachers in daycare centers, kindergarten and beyond as well as parents at home working with their children to help them learn and develop.

Their many awards and their reputation in the toy and educational materials
industries demonstrate that the design, innovation and selection of their products are widely accepted and withstand the test of time and the challenge of children’s play.

The Käthe Kruse® Doll Studio is the oldest German doll company that is still existing and working in the traditional way. Käthe Kruse sensed the secret of her success when designing her first doll. It was Christmas 1905 and it was for her eldest daughter Mimerle. Käthe Kruse took potatoes, warm sand and a towel and made this huggable and lovable doll. She knew that “dolls had to be huggable and warm, that is the whole point of having a doll.”

Five years later Käthe Kruse dolls were an instant success at an exhibit in Berlin called “Home Made Toys” Her new career as a doll maker was launched. With the help of one painter and five sewers, her hand made doll production was in full swing. Her living room became workshop and shipping department all at once.

Today in Donauwoerth, one hundred years later, the same principles of craftsmanship still applies. The dolls are made with as much love and delicate detail as ever: hand painted faces, hand knotted real hair wigs, unique clothing designs, create warmth and naturally charming looks. These dolls are loved by millions of children and doll collectors worldwide.

Handwork, simplicity of design, integrity, and an aversion to gimmicks and fads has always been and will always be the foundation on which the Käthe Kruse® Doll Company was built. (“Handwork, I have never left this principle and I never will. The hand follows the heart. Only the hand can create what the hand returns to the heart.” Käthe Kruse 1905). This Käthe Kruse® philosophy embraces hugging, touching, feeling, listening, splashing, delighting, laughing loving. Children’s needs are their focus.

Each doll and item of doll clothing is made by hand and takes from 16 to 36 hours to make. During that time, it will pass through the hands of 8 to 10 craftspeople and artists. Four checks for quality control are made on every doll before it is shipped. Each crafts person is carefully trained to perform his or her job. It can take up to four years to just learn how to paint a doll’s face.

Because of the care that goes into making each doll, very few are made each year. Each and every doll, piece of doll clothing and (as far as possible) accessory is made by hand. Many of the doll clothes have embroidery, crochet or knitting: all carefully done by hand, not duplicated by machines. Each of the reindeer-hair-stuffed bodies is hand stuffed by one worker. This is the only way to achieve perfect symmetry of the limbs.

The human hair of the wigs is individually hand knotted into the wig cap. Käthe Kruse® is the only doll company that does so today. Hand knotting gives a more natural look as well as locking in the hair so that it can withstand brushing and restyling (for these dolls are still made with children in mind.) Today, this technique is used only for motion picture television stars and Käthe Kruse® dolls!!

Each doll’s face (and where necessary the hair) is painted by hand. This is why each doll is an individual with its own charm and expression.

The clothing is always a natural fiber. Cool, crisp cotton; rough, course lines; fine, soft silks. The fabrics are meant to be handled and enjoyed. The clothing may be hand washed in lukewarm water with mild soap.

Käthe Kruse® dolls are made to be loved by anyone who loves dolls, both children and adults alike. Many of the dolls are stuffed with reindeer hair. Reindeer hair is used to help keep the bodies in the original shape, after being loved for many generations.

Käthe Kruse® is pleased to introduce to you a very special treasury of inspired dolls to celebrate their 100-year history. From classic and traditional to playful and modern, they are sure that one of them will be a perfect doll for you or for that very special child in your life. Käthe Kruse® is dedicated to make children’s eyes shine.

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Waldorf Dolls

In 1999 the German Waldorf School Fellowship granted the Käthe Kruse® Puppen GmbH the necessary license to manufacture their version of Waldorf dolls using the highly protected Waldorf name. Today, only Käthe Kruse® is allowed the market the original Waldorf dolls. Käthe Kruse® Waldorf dolls are one of the company’s most loved and sought after products. They are the sole and exclusive supplier of Waldorf dolls and soft toys to Waldorf Schools in Europe and the United States.

The Käthe Kruse® Waldorf dolls are carefully handcrafted and are made of natural materials, such as wool, cotton stockinet, and quartz sand. They are designed with simplicity in mind to encourage your child to develop his or her imagination. The warmth of the wool, cotton or reindeer hair tempt children to place them in their arms, to pamper, to love, to cuddle, to hold the doll, and therefore to develop and stimulate a child’s fantasy and imagination.

The simple faces allow the child to give it a “soul”. In addition, if you share the special qualities, and the amount of time and care that went into making this doll, you are encouraging your child to treat his or her doll with respect and kindness, which are important interpersonal skills.

Be careful you may fall in love with them yourself and have a hard time giving the doll away!! If you're unfamiliar with this style of doll, they may seem unusual at first, but once you have one, you'll never go back to common plastic.

CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Waldorf dolls are all made of natural materials. Wool is a wonderful natural material that needs special care. Käthe Kruse® recommends that all their Waldorf dolls be washed with a mild wool soap (i.e. Woolite®) and air dried flat.

This is one more reason to give a special Käthe Kruse® gift to someone that you love.

The Lauri® Company is located in Avon, Maine, USA. Lauri® teaching toys are superior in developing eye-hand coordination and fine motor control. In the beginning they were used only in schools, but now they are as likely to be used in a living room as they are in a classroom.

Lauri® carries something for all ages 2 years and up.

Colourful crepe rubber puzzles, and sorters. The toddler tote is perfect for early learners. It stands out with a variety of activities. Original Lauri® crepe rubber puzzles present vital developmental tools in bright, soft and washable puzzles. Kids feel special achievement when each piece fits snugly. Lauri® crepe rubber puzzles are colorful, durable rubber that will not warp, crease or tear. The textures simply feel good, they are washable and quiet too! These puzzles can be used on the table top or the on the floor. They will also last from child to child.

The 8 ¼” x 11 ½” puzzles are designed with children 3-6 yrs in mind. The big puzzle measures measure 11 ½” x 17”, and is designed for older children, 5 yrs and up. Both sizes come with assembly pattern and storage tray.

Well-made wooden toys are naturally beautiful to the touch. The Selecta® design team has years of hard-won experience in producing toys that are unique in their form, their pictures, as well as their function. A natural beauty can be found in well-made wooden toys. The Selecta® design team has years of hard-won experience in producing toys that are unique in their form, their pictures, as well as their function.

Wood comes to life in the hands of the Selecta® experts. The wood structures convey sensory experiences while enhancing child development. A refined finish to the wood surfaces enhances the value of the best wooden toys. Since wood is a completely natural material, you don't have to worry if your child puts it into his or her mouth. Safe, water-soluble varnishes are used to emphasize the unique natural beauty of the wood Selecta® chooses for each wooden toy. A special heat transfer printing process gives the pictures their particularly endearing look. An additional beeswax finish is then applied to all surfaces. This gives the sealed surface of Selecta® toys a soft and smooth - almost velvety - touch. Furthermore the warm wood tones are made even lovelier through the beeswax.

Well-made wooden toys are completely safe to play with and will last a long time. The making of their products involves 32 years of experience entwined with tradition. Specialists ideally use this knowledge to achieve quality results. Selecta’s® high quality standards go beyond the American Standard safety requirements. In developing their own quality standards and adding more control stops, Selecta® has made sure that only safe toys reach the hands of children. A continuous international exchange of experiences guarantees that research of new ideas and possibilities flows into production, making toys even safer and a greater pleasure to play with. Well-made wooden toys are both beautiful and educational.

Advice from highly qualified from education professionals plays a major part in Selecta's product development, including product tests within families and kindergartens. Before a new Selecta® toy reaches final production, suggestions voiced by these professionals have been taken into account. Selecta® started producing wooden toys and games for kindergartens over 30 years ago. All the know-how and techniques experienced throughout this time have gone into the development of each toy and game Selecta® produces today. They communicate with people all over the world to integrate their ideas and experience into their products.

Philip graduated Cum Laude from the UCLA School of Music, where he took special interest in ethno-musicology, which gave him a background in music from various cultures. This exposure to composers and musicians from around the world has had a striking impact on his compositions.

As a classically trained composer-pianist, Philip has an award winning background in musical soundtracks for television including, "That Was Happy Life", which won recognition as Best Documentary Short in the American Indian Film Festival, 1993.

Sarah’s Silks believe in the magic of creative play!

Their playsilks, dress-ups, canopies, and playthings are natural fiber toys that stimulate a child’s imagination, and capture the magical soul that lives in young children. Children love to dressup with these beautifully dyed cloths! With an inspiring palette of playsilks, children will spend many hours exploring their limitless imaginations.

In business since 1994, the story of their toy-making business is a deeply personal one. Their oldest son Josh was in need of many dress-up options as he loved to play pretend. He required lots of pieces of beautifully colored, non-itchy fabric for his games. They found that the options in toy stores were limited and so they began to dye their own silk squares for him to play with, eventually bringing them to market. For over 13 years, they have been offering a wide selection of natural fiber dress-ups and toys to stores all over the world and, ultimately, providing families like theirs with beautiful, creative toys.

They chose silk as it is a natural fiber and renewable resource. Silk is an ancient product of China. Their silks are hand-hemmed in a small village near Shanghai which they have visited. The seamstresses are in their homes, often sitting in doorways, as their children play nearby. In addition, many of their products are sewn, ironed and packaged by women working in their homes in Sonoma County, CA. Their dyes are non-toxic and the silks are easily hand-washed.

At Sarah’s Silks, they are dedicated to helping create a better world through imaginative play. They believe that simple, open-ended toys are best for growing minds. Developing inner creativity at a young age leads to higher levels of creative thinking in adulthood. When children’s inner creative life is nurtured, they grow into more well-rounded, stronger, and creative contributing members of our society, eager to bring their gifts to the world. They are dedicated to simple, unique and beautiful toys for all of the children of the world. Through their work, they are reminded of the infinite possibilities of play.

They offer quality playsilks, toys and dress-ups for boys and girls between the ages of 3-10, that ignite the imagination, and capture the magical soul that lives in young children.

Their own three children are their inspiration, product testers, and models.

Signifies the Unification of Singing, Dancing and Playing

Located in Langenthal, Switzerland Choroi Instruments have stimulated a new style of playing for over thirty years. Since it's beginnings is the 1960's, composers musicians and teachers who had been looking for new ways to stimulate individual musical activity and to deepen the awareness of the sense of hearing have found what they were looking for in Choroi Instruments..

Choroi Instruments stimulate a new style of playing. The flutes encourage a flowing and natural fingering, the bowed instruments a “breathing” bowing technique, the harps and lyres a “fluid pacing”, and the percussion instruments a sensitive touch.

Through this quality of movement the outward instrumental tone can arise from the player’s inner gesture. It is as if the hidden soul of the wood, the metal, or the rawhide drum skin is made to sound. Through elements of their design, and the natural materials used in their construction, the instruments allow players to experience matter and space in a new musical way.

Choroi means moving, singing, playing and listening together—music as an immediate expression of life through elementary means, but also through professional-level instruments.

Choroi instruments are equally suitable for young and old, for beginner and expert, for amateur and professional.
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Give your children the gift
of learning to work
with their hands!

Established in 1971, Harrisville Designs is a small, family owned and operated business, known by fiber artists throughout the world for its fine yarns and floor looms. It is that expertise and knowledge that has gone into the design and creation of their children's products, which were developed in response to a growing demand from parents and educators who wanted children to experience the joy and developmental benefits of working with their hands. They make beautiful Weaving, Knitting, Rug Hooking, Needlepoint, Crocheting, and Felting Kits using their own 100% natural yarns and fleece.

Woolen yarn has been spun in the water-powered, brick mill town of Harrisville since 1794. This small village is nestled in the Monadnock Highlands of southwestern New Hampshire and is the only industrial community of the early 19th Century that still survives in America in its original form. In 1977, the Department of Interior designated Harrisville a National Historic Landmark.

The last surviving woolen mill in Harrisville closed in 1970 when the fashion world turned, temporarily, to synthetic double-knit fabrics. Harrisville Designs was established in 1971 with a goal of preserving the textile heritage and economic vitality that had sustained the village for almost two hundred years. Beginning with a line of high quality woolen handweaving yarns, they soon branched out into handweaving looms and equipment. In the late 1980' they developed the first of their Friendly Loom Products to introduce children to the joys of working with their hands.

Camden Rose is a collective voice of designers, artists, teachers, musicians, craftspeople, and parents who choose to bring about a better future for our children. They design and manufacture simple, elegant, unique wooden and textile toys.

Natural materials, USA "green" and Fair Trade manufacturing highlight their ”leave no footprint philosophy.

The appeal of organic design is only partially visual; the true experience is primarily tactile. True organic design is always in touch with its surroundings. Our studio is situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan, just a few miles from the Huron River. Some forms typical to this life-sphere are:

the lively currents of the water,

the rhythmical forms of the sand on the beach,

the fluid lines of a waving river,

and, the dense comfort of the tree canopy.

Starting with the foundational design of the grown-up world and then miniaturizing to the scale of a child’s world, our items assist in the creativity of the imaginations – a place where free-thinkers are born.

Dear Friends,
2007 is our 40th birthday and we have so much to celebrate!

My father started Guidecraft in 1964 in a small woodshop, producing 10 items. I purchased the company in 1995 and have continued to develop the line, which now includes over 160 educational toys and furnishings. Our size has changed, but our mission remains the same; stay true to the tradition of smart, beautifully crafted wood products, which allow children's minds and imaginations room to truly wonder and grow.

As we turn 40, we see that our best contributions lie in this commitment to continue doing what we do best, while always giving our loyal customers what they have come to expect; expert quality, excellent service and an ever growing collection of creativity inspiring products for children. Our playful furniture is a wonderful new extension of our line and we are delighted to present it to you.

As I watch the next generation of Fein's play with Guidecraft products I eagerly invite you and the children in our lives to join in the fun, learning and excitement.

Thank you for your interest and enthusiasm; we are working hard to earn your new and continued loyalty.

Jason L. Fein,
President

Since 1925, the Dutch family De Ruiter produced leather satchels under the brand name: ' Ruitertassen '. Through time, due to quality and professional devotion, they expended with Ruitertassen a worldwide reputation. Meanwhile, these activities have been taken over by a Belgian investor which founded in November 2003 a new partnership for this purpose: 'BVBA New Europartners'.

In January 2006, LSP Belgium, for many years producer of bags and leather goods, added the complete production and logistics of Ruitertassen to his organization and operates from his warehouse in Belgium to do the worldwide distribution.

Besides the classic Ruitertassen, new products are developed and are divided in several series according to their style and function. It's our intention to adapt these series periodical with new quality products that will follow the more than 75 years old Ruitertassen reputation of quality and originality.

Today, Ruitertassen are sold in Benelux, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Japan, The United Arab Emirates and the Unites States of America. Continuously we are searching for local agents and distributor’s which take care of the sales and product distribution.