Whoa. If you're a fan of the Creative Playthings, but you don't dig your kid playing with pre-chewed toys, I suggest you introduce yourself to Clem 60637 in Chicago. He's an eBay seller who just put up five vintage CP toys in incredible, new or near-new condition. Gorgeous stuff, and they all end Nov. 30th:
These puzzle-shaped Wood Acrobats are cut out of single pieces of hardwood and fit together in a variety of configurations. The '67 catalogue says they're "similar to their German counterparts, known to generations of children throughout the world." Well, they're new to me. [starting bid: $10 + 8 s/h. update: they were withdrawn, lost/broken, it says.]
There's also a complete set of plastic interlocking acrobats called Whimsicals which click onto each other and onto a wooden balancing rod. I remember having a bucket of these things as a kid, but no flagpole. [one bid so far, $15 + 8 s/h. sold for $106 w/shipping]
If you like this sort of thing, this looks like the sort of thing you'll like: a fine-looking barn and a giant set of painted, molded plastic farm animals. Extremely unchewed. [starting bid: $15 + $8 s/h, sold for $69 w/shipping, seems a little high]
Likewise, a beautiful kitchen set of Creative Plaything's trademark routed-out, wood block doll house furniture. [starting $12, + $8 s/h, sold for $84 w/shipping, seems really high]
And the piece de resistance [for me, anyway]: this pristine-looking wooden steam shovel. If only it had the 6-inch tall steamroller and dump truck that originally made the set... Or maybe they're just further back in whatever magically preserved pre-school supply warehouse Clem is sourcing from... [update: sold for a mindblowing $164 w/s&h. Must be Christmas, wow.]
just fyi: will be listing a used Creative Playthings wooden Steam Shovel this week on ebay - has been in storage since our daughter used it in the 70's - one lever needs some tlc - also the old cool wooden cash register -