In 1960, Ohio Art Company launched a new toy for Christmas called the Etch A Sketch. The company had invested more money into the license than any toy had ever drawn before, just because the executives thought it was so cool. Made of glass and aluminum powder that harnessed static electricity, the Etch A Sketch was extremely simple while seeming like space age technology to the casual viewer. They sold 600,000 units that Christmas season. Now 65 years later, Etch A Sketch is a classic that's just as alluring. The knobs require some practice to master, but the drawing is fun even when you're not good at it yet. And if you mess up, one shake lets you start over. Plus, they are almost indestructible.
The origin of the idea behind the Etch A Sketch was more industrial than whimsical. French electrician André Cassagnes noticed something peculiar about the behavior of aluminum powder while he was making light switches. Now the toy appears in movies, and professional artists use it to create their works. Read how the Etch A Sketch was developed, and then became the toy every child craved for the next 65 years, at Smithsonian.
(Image credit: Etcha)
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Buddy the elf did a better job.
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