Few toy boxes show off the art of commercial illustration around the pre and post-war era better than those for Bayko, a bakelite construction system for children to assemble quite detailed model buildings. Begun in the early 1930s, Bayko was a popular toy and only faltered when new owners Meccano stopped supporting it in the 1960s. The box label here has a lovely painted image of two children (a girl and a boy, showing the gender neutral ideal of the toy) with an oversize image of a detached house they have built. It probably dates from the late 1930s, although the firm kept some of their box designs going for many years. This all sits on top of a book of plans, which was given away inside many of the sets.
The front page of the plans book is shown here, with the same building, this time set in an idealised landscape by the sea. All the text is also hand painted. I found the empty box and booklet for a couple of pounds at a flea market.
Made from bakelite pieces, which slotted between metal rods fixed into a base board, the toy was very robust and still inspires collectors and builders today, 50 years after it finished being made. As well as the basic sets, children could buy smaller conversion kits which added more possibilities to each set.
If you’ve never experienced this system, sets can be picked up online for much less than todays Lego sets, and can be huge fun. Pre-war sets are rarer and can fetch a couple of hundred pounds, but below is the leaflet from one of these. I particularly like the art deco logo design and some of the roof shapes. The advert above shows the later 1960s look.
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