{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1224100"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1224100/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1224100","accessionNumber":"B.257-2010","objectType":"Ball","titles":[{"title":"Alpha Toy","type":"manufacturer's title"}],"summaryDescription":"This soft ball, made from cotton plush with a soft stuffing, was produced by J.K. Farnell & Co. Ltd. in the late 1930s or early 1940s as part of their 'Alpha Toys' range. It was owned by four sisters, and was played with by them as babies and young children. It originally made a chiming sound when rolled or thrown, although the bell mechanism no longer works. Farnell began making soft toys at the end of the Nineteenth century, and are credited with making the first British teddy bear about 1905. The tradename 'Alpha' was used from the early 1920s onwards.","physicalDescription":"Soft toy ball, made from 3 panels of light blue and 6 panels of pink cotton plush, alternately stitched together. The ball is stuffed with a soft material, and is slightly flattened at the top and bottom. A mechanism can be felt inside, which would originally have made a ringing sound, although this is no longer working. The makers label is stitched onto one of the pink panels.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"J. K. Farnell & Co Ltd","id":"A10383"},"association":{"text":"manufacturer","id":"x33306"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"cotton plush","id":"x47969"}],"techniques":[{"text":"stitched","id":"AAT53660"},{"text":"stuffed","id":"AAT231130"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Cotton plush, cut, stitched together and stuffed with soft material","categories":[{"text":"Soft toys","id":"THES274376"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"YVA","id":"THES48593"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES343649"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"ball","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1940","earliest":"1935-01-01","latest":"1944-12-31"},"association":{"text":"manufactured","id":"x29350"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs C L Archer","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Circumference","value":"40","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'A FARNELL / ALPHA TOY / MADE IN ENGLAND'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Blue embroidered text on a white label, manufacturers label, sewn onto one of the pink panels"}],"objectHistory":"This ball was produced for babies and young children to play with. It was manufactured by J.K. Farnell, an early British manufacturer of teddy bears and soft toys, based in London. The ball is part of the 'Alpha Toys' range, a tradename which was used from the early 1920s onwards. This particular object dates from the late 1930s or early 1940s. It would originally have made a ringing sound when rolled or shaken, although the bell mechanism within the stuffing is now broken.","historicalContext":"This ball was purchased in the late 1930s or early 1940s and belonged to four sisters, Rebeckah (b. Dedham, 24 June 1937), Lucy (b. Dedham, 16 May 1939), Alice (b. Little Bromley, 1 June 1941) and Laura (b. Little Bromley 26 Jan 1945). It is not clear if the ball was bought for the oldest child, and then subsequently handed down, or if it was first bought for a younger child. The children lived with their mother and father, an architect, in Suffolk, first in Dedham, then near Colchester before returning again to Dedham. Lucy remembers the ball as being one of several home-made stuffed animals and passed-on toys that she and her sisters played with when they were young.","briefDescription":"Ball, soft toy, plush cotton, made by J. K. Farnell & Co. Ltd. as part of their 'Alpha Toys' range, London, ca. 1940.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Mass produced","id":"THES48863"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["B.257-2010"],"accessionNumberNum":"257","accessionNumberPrefix":"B","accessionYear":2010,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-03","recordCreationDate":"2011-06-30","availableToBook":false}}