Drawing board | activity set:Wooly Willy

The Smethport Specialty Co. of Smethport, Pennsylvania, developed "Wooly Willy" in the early 1950s, and the toy has sold by the millions, essentially unchanged, for 50 years. The toy consists of a drawing of a male face under a plastic covering that traps iron dust. A magnetic stylus allows you to move the iron dust to "draw" hair, whiskers, eyebrows, and other facial hair. This particular example of "Wooly Willy" dates from 1974, but it is virtually identical to the 1950s version and to the product that is sold today.