One of my photo assignments was to create a typology, so I decided to do so with part of our dream pet collection.
I love the origin of these adorable velveteen animal friends.
Per Wikipedia, these miniature stuffed animals, made of velveteen and filled with Willow sawdust were manufactured in Japan beginning in 1957 by Japanese toy designers Tochigi Mongi and Tomy for R. Dakin & Co. The manufacturer surprised Dakin by using these little toys as packing material for a shipment of battery operated toy trains. Which Dakin had ordered. That same day The president of Dakin, Roger Dakin placed an order by cable to Japan for 25 dozen of the little velveteen toys, by the end of the day he changed his order to 300 dozen. By 1961 Dream Pets were being designed by Dakin's Senior toy designer Virginia Kemp in the United States. The toys became popular, and by the end of 1979 there were over 2000 different characters.
However, I must admit that the 'duck' on the very bottom-right row is not a dream pet after-all but was much too awesome not to be showcased. This celebrity has traveled from 1940s Italy. He goes by the name Donald and starred in The Three Caballeros :)
Adios amigos!
