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Polly Pocket Toys

A small toy that took the world by storm

From: Museum & Art Swindon

Polly Pocket is a small clamshell toy house designed by Chris Wright in 1983. It has many different designs, all houses with small moveable figures that fit into the house. 

 

Snowwhite play house (Pete Melsom) – The famous Snow White’s playhouse, produced by Blurbird and licenced to Mattel. Polly pocket toys.

Bluebird Toys

Bluebird Toys was launched in 1980, it came close to making a profit in its first year and within three years had a turnover of £3.4 million.

The company was initially known for its big, brightly coloured toys, like the Big Yellow Teapot, Big Red Fun Bus and Big Jumbo Fun Plane.  When profits dipped at the end of the 1980s, the company licenced the Polly Pocket range which returned them to success.  The Polly Pocket range grew to 87% of the company’s sales and it was estimated that three-quarters of Britain’s two million three to eight year-old girls owned one. 

Partnerships with Disney brought the company to the attention of American toy giant Mattel who bought the company in 1998, moving production to their existing factories in the USA.

Might Max – After the success of Polly Pocket there was a push for something that would appeal to young boys. The answer was Mighty Max, an adventuring boy facing monsters. Image: Pete Melsom.
Might Max – After the success of Polly Pocket there was a push for something that would appeal to young boys. The answer was Mighty Max, an adventuring boy facing monsters. Image: Pete Melsom.

Links to the region

Torquil Norman set up the Bluebird toy company in the Cheney Manor estate in Swindon. The Big Yellow teapot was a massive success, with 60,000 being made in the town during 1987.

A large version of the pocket sized Polly Pocket was Lucy Locket, the large heart shaped case had a carrying handle. Lucy Locket. Image: Pete Melsom
A large version of the pocket sized Polly Pocket was Lucy Locket, the large heart shaped case had a carrying handle. Lucy Locket. Image: Pete Melsom

Curators Insights

Chosen by Joshua from Swindon Academy. Bluebird toys was a symbol of a changing Swindon, with the move from large industrial manufacturing in the railway works to specialist smaller scale production. The scale of success propelled them to rapid national success. The real change was licencing the rights to produce a version of Polly Pocket based on Snow White and the Seven Dwarf’s, which they then allowed US giant Mattel to make versions in the states. The commercial success promoted Mattel to buy the company. A great success for the company owners, but not so great for the Swindon employees when manufacturing moved elsewhere. 
 

 

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