On The Curious Victorian Phenomenon of Exactingly Produced Miniature Butcher Shops, Collector's Weekly, 2012

PETA would never approve: This grisly 1840 doll-sized butcher shop with miniature animal carcasses and a floor covered in sawdust and blood would be shockingly graphic to our modern sensibilities. After all, here in the 21st century, we like to remain cheerfully oblivious about where our meat products come from.

But in Victorian times, such detailed model butcher shops were not uncommon, says Sarah Louise Wood, a curator at the Museum of Childhood at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The real question is: Why exactly do such things exist?
--Baby’s First Butcher Shop, Circa 1900, Collector's Weekly, Lisa Hix

Find out more by about this forgotten art by reading the entirety of "Baby’s First Butcher Shop, Circa 1900"  on the Collector's Weekly website by clicking here.

All images drawn from the Collector's Weekly website. You can see larger copies by clicking on images, and find out more by clicking here.

Anatomy Puzzle, 20th Century?

"Rare Old Wood Ethnic Folk Art Childs Anatomy Puzzle." Via Anonymous Works.

Kikkerland Design Anatomical 3D Puzzles

The enigmatic Kikkerland Design has produced a slew of 3D puzzles of anatomical models (is that the way to word it?), among other odd and intriguing things. I think I want the horse...

Check out the complete Kikkerland collection here. Visit their website here.

Oh! Just heard from the Kikkerland folks themselves, who have informed me about places in NYC where you can purchase these puzzles: MXYPLYZYK, EXIT 9 and what is possibly my favorite place in the world (and where I spend much of my time as a volunteer)--the American Museum of Natural History.

More Japanese Anatomical Toys!

Via Ektopia:Gotochi Dissection Animals--miniature animal models with edible anatomical details called out (see convenient chart on back). Also available: Monkeys and Bears. See Giant Robot for purchasing.

See recent post for more anatomical toys from Japan.

Skeleton Man Light-up Coin-Operated Amusement

From an upcoming auction at Live Auctioneers:

Skeleton Man Light-up Coin-Operated Cabinet 71'' T x 42'' H x 16'' D. 1930s generic display cabinet with six porcelain light fixtures inside and a glass front door. The figure inside is a medical composition display piece for showing lungs, heart and other organs of the human body along with six more modern Halloween masks and an assortment of rubber spiders, lizards, stink bugs, centipedes, and a skull on a stick. Unique

Unique? To say the least. Thanks so much to Mark Rowley for sending this along!

Japanese Anatomical Toys

Minature Japanese Anatomical Toys! As seen on Boing Boing today. Find out more about them here.