As everyone hopefully knows now, the iconic Creative Playthings design, the red ball-equipped Hobby Horse, was not designed by Philip Johnson, and the Philip Johnson who didn't design it was the creative director of Creative Playthings, not the feisty, whoring architect. No, the Hobby Horse was originally called "Rocking Beauty," and it was designed by longtime CP employee Gloria Caranica, who has been denied the design world credit she deserves for decades--until DWR got busted for knocking off the horse, and the ensuing legal battle brought Caranica's role to light.
But it turns out that's not the only horsey scandal in Creative Playthings' stable. While everyone's been heaping praise on Rocking Beauty, history has kept her ugly stablemate locked away, never to be spoken of in public.
Until now. A funky-looking misfit of a Creative Playthings Hobby Horse is for sale on eBay right now. It's a traditional horse with some circular things slapped on its head. Perhaps the nicest thing that can be said about it is that it's made from nice wood and appears to be in excellent condition. When you mention it's unplayed with, it bursts out into tears.
And while Rocking Beauty can bring up to $1,500 for a pristine vintage example, and $400-600 on eBay, Rocking Ugly is sitting at $9.99 with no bids and a day and a half to go before they take her out back and shoot her.
Vintage Creative Playthings Rocking Hobby Horse Toy, opening bid $9.99 +s/h, auction ends Oct. 22 [ebay]
Community Playthings FTW
oy, now I'm mocking the humbly religious. It's like saying, "Dude check out that ugly chick over there!" And he goes, "Dude, that's my sister!"