This day in history….Etch-a-Sketch Introduced

Etch a SketchEtch a Sketch is a mechanical drawing toy invented by Frenchman Andre Cassagnes and subsequently manufactured by the Ohio Art Company.

sketch.1-pixabayAn Etch a Sketch has a thick, flat gray screen in a red plastic frame. There are two knobs on the front of the frame in the lower corners: the left knob moves the stylus horizontally and the right one moves it vertically. Twisting the knobs moves a stylus that displaces aluminum powder on the back of the screen, leaving a solid line: a lineographic image. It’s easy to change the drawing by simply shaking the screen.

The Etch a sketch was introduced near the peak of the Baby Boom this day in 1960 for $2.99. It went on to sell 600,000 units that year and is one of the best-known toys of that era. In 1998, it was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, NY. In 2003, the Toy Industry Association named Etch a Sketch to its Century of Toys list, a roll call commemorating the 100 most memorable and most creative toys of the 20th Century. You can still purchase an Etch a Sketch from Target, though not for the original price. (from Wikipedia and me)

If you’ve never had one, you’ve been deprived.






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