Figure | doll:Bell Tinkler

In addition to the well-known construction sets it introduced in 1914, the maker of Tinkertoys also produced a number of other playthings, most all made of wood and designed to spark children's imaginations and help them learn. In 1919 the Toy Tinkers of Evanston began offering bead dolls, figures made of wooden beads strung to together and painted in eye-catching colors. The bead dolls included Tom Tinker, Belle Tinker, Gym Tinker, Bunny Tinker, Lanky Tinker, Tinker Rabbit, Siren Tinker, and others. Available in the 1920s and 1930s, the bead dolls were discontinued in the 1940s when the company decided to concentrate solely on the production of Tinkertoy construction sets.