Antonio Vitali
Encyclopedia
Antonio Vitali was a Swiss toy
designer and maker known for creating handmade
wooden toys. In addition to his own workshop in Zurich
, Switzerland
, he also had a long relationship as toy designer with the U.S. toy company, Creative Playthings
.
, and at the Bauhaus-inspired Zurich
School of the Applied Arts (Kunstgewerbeschule) in the late-1920's. After living the Bohemian artist's life and studying at private art academies in Paris
in the 30's, he moved back to Bern, Switzerland
to enter the Swiss army. During this time, he migrated from the life of a sculptor to that of a professional photographer. It was only in 1938 that Vitali revisited his dream of living independently as a sculptor. The outbreak of the Second World War caused Vitali to be drafted into the Swiss Army; however, he was fortunate as he was able to serve near his home in Gütighausen, guarding the bridge over the river Thur
. This dark cloud did reveal a silver lining as this left him with enough time to design furniture for a local carpenter's shop, as well as make toys for his own children. As a result of a chance encounter with the owner of a workshop in Zurich, "Werkstube Zurich," He was offered a job, and in 1942, Vitali moved with his small family to Zurich. At the Werkstube, he did not earn enough money to support his family and decided to turn his hobby into a job, designing and producing toys.
When asked what really motivated him to develop toys, Vitali said, "I became a father at a young age and wanted to buy my children their first toys The squeaky, mostly horrible looking rubber animals and celluloid rattles that were sold at that time did not satisfy me. Anyhow, money was a commodity lacking to a young starving sculptor. I was handy and so I started making my own toys." Although adults found his toys not realistic enough, he observed that children were completely enthralled and fascinated by his creations. His abstract figures challenged children's imagination.
In 1944, Vitali opened his workshop and store in the old town of Zurich at Neumarkt 4. He primarily worked with Larch wood from the Engadin area of Switzerland. His first efforts included furniture
, pull ducks, wooden trains, barns and doll cradles. This was the beginning of the Vitali legacy of producing hand carved, carefully rounded toys that evolved from his observation of how his own children play. After the end of the war, he formed a business relationship with Switzerlands' most important toy store, Franz Carl Weber (FCW). The relationship with FCW eventually ended as Vitali realized that his toys sold better in toy stores and crafts stores where customers could be properly advised and were willing to pay a bit more for a high quality, hand-crafted product. As a result, he formed a business relationship with the toy specialist, Pastorini and the Swiss national crafts store, "Heimatwerk". His strategy proved to be a success and his toys became a critical and financial success. He was especially honored that the Bauhaus master, Johannes Itten, found his toys to be a perfect balance of contemporary and futuristic design. As a result of his toys being highlighted by the Swiss artist and architect Max Bill, in the book "FORM" about contemporary design the American toy producer Creative Playthings
discovered him. The relationship with Creative Playthings
opened new mass-production possibilities. However, Vitali wanted to differentiate the beautiful yet mass-produced wooden toys from his own studio creations and suggested that the toys be called "Playforms" for the U.S. market. This was in 1954 and the beginning of Antonio Vitali's international reputation of creating toys that are of the highest quality of craftsmanship that are inspired by and for children and lastly, toys that are meant to be heirlooms for generations.
"Good Educational toys stimulate the child towards creative play. In play, the child immerses itself in a dream world created by its own fantasy. In play, the child makes its experiences and stimulates its thoughts to help it understand what happens in its environment. The child lives first in an emotional world, with its desires, delights, and dislikes. There are two types of thinking: the creative imaginary and the observing logical. Both are stimulated in child's play. Good toys have to contain the possibility for the child to develop emotionally and intellectually."
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
designer and maker known for creating handmade
Handmade
Handmade may refer to:* Handmade , 2003* Handmade , 2010* HandMade Films, George Harrison's production company* Rhino Handmade, a record label-See also:...
wooden toys. In addition to his own workshop in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, he also had a long relationship as toy designer with the U.S. toy company, Creative Playthings
Creative Playthings
Creative Playthings was an educational toy store and catalogue that was established by Frank and Theresa Caplan in 1945. The goal of Creative Playthings was to provide simple and beautifully designed toys to promote a child’s creativity and imagination....
.
Biography
Antonio Vitali was born in 1909 to middle class Italian & Swiss parents. He studied under the well-known Swiss sculptor, Otto MünchOtto Münch
Otto Münch was a German artist.The bronze doors of the Grossmünster in Zürich, Switzerland, are considered to be his most important work. The reliefs on the south portal, showing Reformation scenes and other images of the history of the Grossmünster, were created in 1935–1938...
, and at the Bauhaus-inspired Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
School of the Applied Arts (Kunstgewerbeschule) in the late-1920's. After living the Bohemian artist's life and studying at private art academies in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in the 30's, he moved back to Bern, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
to enter the Swiss army. During this time, he migrated from the life of a sculptor to that of a professional photographer. It was only in 1938 that Vitali revisited his dream of living independently as a sculptor. The outbreak of the Second World War caused Vitali to be drafted into the Swiss Army; however, he was fortunate as he was able to serve near his home in Gütighausen, guarding the bridge over the river Thur
Thur
Thur may refer to:*Thur River , a river in Alsace, France*Thur River , a river in East Switzerland* Thursday, as an abbreviation...
. This dark cloud did reveal a silver lining as this left him with enough time to design furniture for a local carpenter's shop, as well as make toys for his own children. As a result of a chance encounter with the owner of a workshop in Zurich, "Werkstube Zurich," He was offered a job, and in 1942, Vitali moved with his small family to Zurich. At the Werkstube, he did not earn enough money to support his family and decided to turn his hobby into a job, designing and producing toys.
When asked what really motivated him to develop toys, Vitali said, "I became a father at a young age and wanted to buy my children their first toys The squeaky, mostly horrible looking rubber animals and celluloid rattles that were sold at that time did not satisfy me. Anyhow, money was a commodity lacking to a young starving sculptor. I was handy and so I started making my own toys." Although adults found his toys not realistic enough, he observed that children were completely enthralled and fascinated by his creations. His abstract figures challenged children's imagination.
In 1944, Vitali opened his workshop and store in the old town of Zurich at Neumarkt 4. He primarily worked with Larch wood from the Engadin area of Switzerland. His first efforts included furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
, pull ducks, wooden trains, barns and doll cradles. This was the beginning of the Vitali legacy of producing hand carved, carefully rounded toys that evolved from his observation of how his own children play. After the end of the war, he formed a business relationship with Switzerlands' most important toy store, Franz Carl Weber (FCW). The relationship with FCW eventually ended as Vitali realized that his toys sold better in toy stores and crafts stores where customers could be properly advised and were willing to pay a bit more for a high quality, hand-crafted product. As a result, he formed a business relationship with the toy specialist, Pastorini and the Swiss national crafts store, "Heimatwerk". His strategy proved to be a success and his toys became a critical and financial success. He was especially honored that the Bauhaus master, Johannes Itten, found his toys to be a perfect balance of contemporary and futuristic design. As a result of his toys being highlighted by the Swiss artist and architect Max Bill, in the book "FORM" about contemporary design the American toy producer Creative Playthings
Creative Playthings
Creative Playthings was an educational toy store and catalogue that was established by Frank and Theresa Caplan in 1945. The goal of Creative Playthings was to provide simple and beautifully designed toys to promote a child’s creativity and imagination....
discovered him. The relationship with Creative Playthings
Creative Playthings
Creative Playthings was an educational toy store and catalogue that was established by Frank and Theresa Caplan in 1945. The goal of Creative Playthings was to provide simple and beautifully designed toys to promote a child’s creativity and imagination....
opened new mass-production possibilities. However, Vitali wanted to differentiate the beautiful yet mass-produced wooden toys from his own studio creations and suggested that the toys be called "Playforms" for the U.S. market. This was in 1954 and the beginning of Antonio Vitali's international reputation of creating toys that are of the highest quality of craftsmanship that are inspired by and for children and lastly, toys that are meant to be heirlooms for generations.
"Good Educational toys stimulate the child towards creative play. In play, the child immerses itself in a dream world created by its own fantasy. In play, the child makes its experiences and stimulates its thoughts to help it understand what happens in its environment. The child lives first in an emotional world, with its desires, delights, and dislikes. There are two types of thinking: the creative imaginary and the observing logical. Both are stimulated in child's play. Good toys have to contain the possibility for the child to develop emotionally and intellectually."