History's Best Selling Toys of 1950

Make way for the hits of 1950! This remarkable era stood as a testament to the rock-and-roll & jukebox era and the march of first-rate toys. Crowd-pleasers such as Silly Putty shared the spotlight with mega-bestsellers Water Balloon and Schleich. Brought to you by top-notch makers from industry leaders like Peter Hodgson and Edgar Ellington, these trailblazing products became sensational mainstays in post-war American homes and earned a permanent place in cultural lore. Check out the complete rank-ordered ledger below to relive the finest releases of the year.

1. Silly Putty

   Released in 1950 by Peter Hodgson

   On February 1, 1950, the world of toys was introduced to a bizarre and fascinating substance at the American International Toy Fair in New York. Marketing consultant Peter Hodgson presented a peculiar bouncing putty, an accidental byproduct of World War II research, as a novelty toy. Initially met with skepticism by most buyers, its debut on this date marks the pivotal moment when a scientific curiosity officially entered the consumer market. Hodgson, who saw potential where others saw a useless material, packaged the goo in plastic eggs and branded it 'Silly Putty.' This launch represented a gamble on the appeal of open-ended, non-traditional play in the booming post-war American economy, setting the stage for an unexpected cultural phenomenon.

2. Water Balloon

   Released in 1950 by Edgar Ellington

   On August 29, 1950, a simple yet revolutionary idea was formally submitted to the U.S. Patent Office, forever changing the landscape of summer fun. On this day, inventor Edgar Ellington filed his patent for a 'water grenade,' a concept that would become universally known as the water balloon. Ellington's invention wasn't a complex toy with intricate mechanics; it was a brilliantly simple solution for creating a sealable, water-filled projectile designed for pure, unadulterated fun. This patent filing marks the official birth of a backyard staple, transforming a moment of inventive inspiration into a low-cost, high-excitement activity for generations of children and adults enjoying a hot summer day.

3. Schleich

   Released in 1950 by Schleich GmbH, Friedrich Schleich

   Schleich, a name synonymous with exquisitely crafted figurines, has been a beloved fixture in toy boxes for decades. While the company's roots trace back to 1935, it truly began its journey into children's imaginations with the introduction of its first toy figurines in the 1950s. Initially diversifying with popular comic characters, Schleich gradually evolved into the iconic brand recognized today for its realistic animal and fantasy figures. This pivot to detailed, hand-painted models captured the hearts of countless children worldwide, establishing Schleich not just as a toy maker, but as a purveyor of miniature worlds waiting to be explored, encouraging boundless creativity and a connection to nature.