27/1975-1

Toys & Games

Set of wooden toy building bricks covered with transfer-printed paper which form the roof of a cathedral, and didactic blocks decorated with the alphabet, biblical passages and illustrations, in their original box, inscribed, 'Reed's New Cathedral Filled With Sunday Blocks and Books', thought to date c.1860-1900.

toy
toy building bricks

27/1975-1

1860-1900 (manufactured)

Victorian (1837-1901)
Twentieth century (1900-1999)

paper
wood

transfer printed
joined
glued

Wooden toy building bricks covered with transfer printed paper. The blocks are in their original wooden box with a lid, which is labelled 'Reed's New Cathedral Filled With Sunday Blocks and Books', and is decorated with a representation of the exterior of a cathedral including stonework, stained-glass windows, and apses. The box forms the base of a cathedral, while the blocks constitute the roof. The set includes sixteen blocks which form the roof and tower of the cathedral, a Holy Bible and a Prayer Book, each in 2 pieces with a front and back cover and text inside. There is a smaller brown wooden Bible, not covered in paper, with a red cross on the front. The set also includes didactic wooden blocks decorated with the alphabet, Biblical passages and illustrations from the story of Noah and the Ark.

The blocks forming the roof include two rectangular panels decorated with scallop patterns in red, blue and yellow, two triangular gables decorated with stonework and a stained-glass window surmounted by a gothic arch; three blocks of triangular cross-section with angled ends, the upright ends decorated with three stained-glass windows, the other two sides with scallop patterns in red, blue and yellow; three carved wooden chimney pieces which sit on the gables; two long thin panels decorated with red and gold; one rectangular block; one cuboid decorated with stained-glass windows, rustication and stonework; one cube with four round pillars, one at each corner, also decorated with stained-glass windows, rustication and stonework; one pyramidal block representing the steeple.

Height: 12cm
Width: 25cm
Depth: 19.5cm
Width: 22cm
Height: 10cm
Depth: 0.5cm
Height: 5.8cm
Width: 6.5cm
Depth: 8cm
Height: 8cm
Width: 14.5cm
Height: 2.5cm
Width: 9.3cm
Height: 10cm
Width: 4.7cm
Height: 8.3cm
Height: 6.5cm
Width: 5.3cm
Width: 3.8cm
Height: 14.2
Height: 5.7cm
Width: 3.3cm
Height: 2.2cm
Width: 7.3cm
Depth: 5.5cm

toys
Leisure and entertainment

Caption for Advent Calendar, Day 15:

Though a child’s toy, these building bricks from around 1860-1900 have a strong religious and teaching purpose. The building blocks form a cathedral, and other blocks are printed with images of biblical stories and the letters of the alphabet.

Label text from the catalogue of the exhibition Medievalist Visions King's College London (30 January - 22 May 2013):

Reed's New cathedral filled with Sunday blocks and books. ca 1860-1900
The Geffrye, Museum of the Home, London
27/1975-1

The Gothic is depicted here in all the garish colours of a children's toy. This model cathedral mixes devotion with learning and 'fun'. Inside the wooden box that forms the base of the cathedral are packed wooden 'Sunday blocks' (so called because their Biblical subject matter made them suitable to play with on Sundays) depicting animals from Noah's Ark, letters of the alphabet and Biblical passages. A tiny wooden Bible and prayer book, that open to reveal text, are also included as well as the blocks that can be used to build the cathedral's roof. The building incorporates fashionable Gothic features, for example in its arched windows.