Bizarre and Unusual Toys

1. Titanic Inflatable Slide (Late 90s/Early 2000s) In bad taste, several companies produced giant inflatable slides shaped like the sinking Titanic. To reach the top, children climbed up the deck, and to exit, they slid down the "severed" half of the ship—essentially reenacting a maritime tragedy for fun at birthday parties and carnivals. Are you aware of these in any way?

2. Long before waterproof plastics, inventors used clockwork gears and heavy cork to make dolls "swim." This French-made doll featured a heavy metal mechanism inside a torso made of cork and wood. When wound up, her arms and legs would flap in a jerky, somewhat haunting motion. Because they were made of metal and wood, they often eventually rotted or sank. Are you acquainted with these?

3. Furry Freddy (1960s) In an era where smoking was much more socially accepted, "Furry Freddy" was a battery-operated monkey that did more than just bang symbols. He would actually blow real smoke rings. Kids would place a lit cigarette (or a specialized smoking pellet) into his mouth, and the internal mechanism would puff it out. Do you know about these?

4. Frozen Charlotte Dolls (1800s) These were small, unjointed porcelain dolls that were popular in the 19th century. They were named after a folk ballad about a girl named Charlotte who froze to death because she refused to wrap up warm for a sleigh ride. The dolls were often baked into Christmas puddings or cakes as a surprise, essentially serving as a macabre "prize" inside your dessert. Did you know about these?