Toy Tractors and Farm Toys made in Argentina
Topic: Toy Museum, News
Toy Tractors and Farm Toys made in Argentina.


See Toy Tractor Photo Gallery:


Toy Tractors made in Argentina

Argentina's toys alike our real life tractors are unique. For its
avant-garde position within the Latin American concert all rural related
industry has been in Argentina very powerful. Those magnificent toys -as all
toys which are a reflection of real life- represented the local unique
tractor versions as much as the traditional standard international models.
During the boom of the argentine toys' industry in the 50s most of the
tractor toys were made in tin and plastic, for its market was mainly the
lower classes in the fields and small cities. Psychologists and Sociologists
have proven right the theory which expresses the importance of toys related
to the environment children are growing in. Their learning and social
qualities have had, throughout history, a profound impact in our development
as social beings.
Therefore the massiveness of tractor toys made out of cheap materials was a
logic turn for the Argentine toy industry. These low quality mass produced
items were very popular up till the 70s when all sorts of new and improved
toys entered the mass consumption market.
All the same, it was back in the 60s when an Argentinean toy pioneer
designed what would become the diamond of Argentine tractor toys: the Buby
Fiat 700s CONCORD. This rare example was manufactured by the Buby company on
request of the Argentinean firm Fiat Concord. This outstanding scale
reproduction of the company's tractor was brilliantly achieved. Such was the
quality of the item that Fiat Concord "socially presented" the model at one
of the firm's most important commercial events.
This was Buby's chance to enter the rural-industrial field with its
wonderful items. But due to the company's negative to Buby's intention of
using that casting to produce its rural line, this was the first and last
attempt for a tractor collection. That's why when collectors find its 1038
reference number on commercial lists they cannot get hold of the item. For
this was a very small production item not massively commercialized.
Therefore, no doubt about it, to own one of these rare and beautiful Buby
examples is the top of the top for any tractor/farm toys' collector.

On the other hand, talking about rare tractor toys there's Sigomec line.
This firm shows a broader list of tractors. All of which could be found
anywhere in the Argentine field. This are tin and plastic items, quite a bit
larger than the Buby diecast, but all the same very interesting and valuable
to the collector who knows. Among the many important examples, Sigomec
delighted its audience with an extraordinary example of the locally produced
Tractor Pampa.

This toy trend is still very powerful in our country. Such is the importance
that John Deere has launched its own toy tractors-field equipment line. Big
scale reproductions of their machinery. The excellence within the quality of
these items is unquestionable, alike their real size machines. following the
company slogan "I would never sell something in which I didn't put the best
of me".

For these are just some examples of what, without a doubt, is an amazing
facet of the Argentine toy industry, and because there's so little
information about other rare and not so rare toys, at the moment I'm working
on a research project to recover these amazing models from the dark. The key
is in the way toys and their history perfectly complement each other.
At the same time, I find of great interest the new turn within the Argentine
tractor production. These are incredible and unique examples of an industry
that's growing together with its consumers, and it's adapting its products
to the regional market's needs. And before we blink there's going to be a
toy tractor new line (such as the John Deere one) expressing this turn. When
that happens I'll be there to witness it and tell you about it.



Email: The Buenos Aires Toy
Museum,Bob Frassinetti.
The Buenos Aires
Toy Museum,Argentina.

Bob Frassinetti. Copyright 2005. Roberto Dario Frassinetti.

Strawberry Shortcake, Frutillitas made in Argentina
Topic: Toy Museum, News
The Buenos Aires Toy Musuem, see: Toy Museum


Strawberry Shortcake, known in Argentina as Frutillitas, is the name of a female doll popular as well as album and trading cards, these where made only in Argentina (?)with children of all countries. The doll consists of a girl whose hair is colored strawberry red and has been perfumed to smell like strawberries. This character has been very popular among girls, specially during the 1980s.As much as in the USA as in Argentina. The 1980s Strawberry Shortcake frenzy led to the production of thousands of products, including, of course, dolls, video games, sticker albums, clothes, video movies and many more. In addition, there is a cartoon based on the doll.

See the Photo Gallery:


Strawberry Shortcake, Frutillitas made in Argentina


When you purchase an item at the Buenos Aires Toy Museum all profits are invested in the development of the Museum. When buying a toy from the toy
museum you're not only buying a bit of the Histroy of Argentina, but also contributing to the conservation of vintage and antiques toys,
and to furthering the museum's research project on Argentine toy industries and
to rescue valuable items for forget and the pass of time. Thank you for
helping us to keep on developing this fantastic project!

The Buenos Aires Toy Museum Team.

Email Bob Frassinetti at the BA Toy
Museum.
The Buenos Aires Toy
Museum,Argentina.

Bob Frassinetti. Copyright 2005. Roberto Dario Frassinetti.

Glass, made in Argentina. Part II
Topic: Glass made in Argentina
Glass, made in Argentina. Part II

Berazategui- Buenos Aires, the city of Glass. Art Galss, Carnival Glass, colletible glass.


See Photo Gallery on Carnival Galass:


Carnival Glass Argentina



For nearly two centuries Argentina was one of Latin America's most
industrialized countries together with Brazil and Mexico. The industries
within the country were strategically located in the fluvial littoral coast
covering the provinces of Santa Fe, a bit of Cordoba and specially Buenos
Aires. Within the province of Buenos Aires, the industrial pole was located
in what's known as the Southern Greater Buenos Aires, running from the city
of Avellaneda to Quilmes. This area grew and developed greatly uptill the
late 70s and early 90s when it's light began to go off. It became cheaper to
import than to produce in the country, hence the thousands of industries
within the area began to close their doors. And what up till then was a
trademark industry became nothing but a good memory. Notwithstanding that,
some industries remained, some others that had shut down their production
were re opened by their workers.
It's important to point out the historical, cultural and social value of the
Argentine Glass industry. Located in Berazategui in the southern area of the
Grater Buenos Aires, this industry developed outstandingly throughout the
late 1880s up to the present, producing avant-garde items artistically and
massively too. To illustrate the importance and meaning of our words it's
Cristales Rigolleau's legacy in terms of production and history to which we'
re going to refer as follows.
Back in 1882 there was not even one company that produced glass jars in the
country, and the importation terms were guided by extremely high standards,
making it impossible to achieve to small and medium conserve producers and
many other industries in need of these sort of containers. There had been
small and medium glass items producers who had gone bankruptcy, leaving many
warehouses abandoned including all the machinery left behind.
It was Leon Rigolleau the man of the hour. He bought all those warehouses
including the machines and leftovers, and began to produce glass jars in a
location nearby downtown BA. The company was christened La Nacional- the
National-. Soon they expanded as Mr. Rigolleau's nephew Gaston Fourvel
Rigolleau enters the business. The foremost important decision taken by the
Rigolleau family, a turning point within the national glass industry, was to
bring from France and Belgium specialized glass artisans to work with them .
In 1908 Cristalerias Rigolleau SA relocates in Berazategui, preserving the
downtown building as headquarter offices. It was then when a gifted Belgium
artisan arrived to Argentina to work at Rigolleau. Mr J.L. Humier was
Rigolleau's Artisan in chief. This was a family craft, so soon, several
members of the Humier family were to be running the day to day work at
Rigolleau.

Rigolleau soon became South America's most important crystal making company,
and one of the world's greatest. At the same time Rigolleau's prestige grew
all over the world, the company began to grow in terms of quantity
production, and to industrialize and mechanize more and more the productive
process. However, unlike the general trend, Rigolleau preserved an Artistic
Section of fully hand crafted high quality, great design items. Many of
these items were taken to world wide museums for their innovative design and
precious technique.

The broad and varied production lines within Rigolleau beheld: carnival
glass figurines and ashtrays, glass china, fluorecent lights tubes,
insulators, lab ware and many more items created using diverse techniques
such as : floating, kilnforming, glass soldering, bending, stretching,
laminating, fusing, casting, pouring, blowing and pressing among the most
relevant ones.

Rigolleau's products are nowadays still part of millions of Argentinean's
daily lives as well as highly appreciated collectibles all over the world
for their quality and design these items are coveted possessions to all
those who appreciate the product of a perfectly done work.




Email Bob Frassinetti.
The Buenos Aires Art
Dealer,Argentina.

Bob Frassinetti. Copyright 2005. Roberto Dario Frassinetti.

Glass, Argentina
Topic: Glass made in Argentina
Ancient Techniques in a modern world : Glass made in Argentina. Part I.




The development in terms of production in these modern days is unquestionable. We, as humanity are now capable of producing anything men has ever dreamt of at amounts that are even to imagine. Billions of billions of all sort of items are daily produced, all looking alike, all mass produced by outstanding machines invented by someone with a very bright mind. All look-alike mass produced - mass consumed items... What ever happened to our beloved craftsman or woman? To those unique kinds of objects that suited our personality?

I believe those craftsmen and women became artists or artisans, and those unique items are now antiques...



But the modern world development has some weird and interesting turns down here in Argentina. One of the country's most important glass and crystal firms during the 60s and 70s went bankruptcy during the 90s. Over 1500 employees were left without a job, and one of the Glass industry Titans had gone down. When the owner shut down the lights for the last time and closed the front doors with an immense lock it seemed it was Cristalux's end had come, there were not going to be any more Durex items produced again. A broad set of vintage 1970s glass production machinery was locked down, and the magic maker worker was left out. The business had began to sink during the late 70s and 80s when it was impossible for these products to compete with foreign mass produced glass items. These workers were not regular workers, they were artisans according to our former definition. They were craftsmen and women who knew all about the art of making glass... Such a huge human capital could not be appreciated back then by their employer... But all those workers knew much more, so they gathered together and began to work out a plan to recover their beloved plant. They worked on a detailed plan to recuperate and put back to work this plant, went to the justice, and finally a couple of years ago they were granted the permission by Judge Matilde Ballestrini.

Filled with exitement, emotion and curiosity, 100 former Cristalux workers walked through the main entrance to their factory. It was something that words cannot describe...

They have jointly decided they wouldn't retake the former brand, this is our industry now, ours as Argentineans, so it should be called Argentinean industry, plain, simple, deep and powerful, said one of the workers... and so it did. On the bottom part of each item it reads: industria argentina.



As they turned on the power, and every sector of the plant enlighted and machines began to warm up they gathered together in front of the supply room... It's were the magic begins... These crafts wen and women, knowers of secrets and magicians of glass, mix in secret proportions sand, minerals and grained crystals, glass production has began!


Email Bob Frassinetti.
The Buenos Aires Art
Dealer,Argentina.

Bob Frassinetti. Copyright 2005. Roberto Dario Frassinetti.

Glass and Porcelain Insulators made in Argentina,photo gallery
Topic: Insulators
Glass and Porcelain Insulators made in Argentina.

Welcome to Glass Insulators made in Argentina. Glass Insulators made in Argentina


As well as Porcelain Insulators made or found in Argentina,see Photo Album.
Porcelain Insulators made in Argentina

Ever wanted to hunt Insulators in the wild, down in Argentina? Contact me .......


Email Bob Frassinetti.
The Buenos Aires Art
Dealer,Argentina.

Bob Frassinetti. Copyright 2005. Roberto Dario Frassinetti.