Table | chair:Table and Chairs

In the mid- and late-1800s, many American manufacturers used cast iron to make a variety of toys, including vehicles, stoves, and dollhouse furniture, like this table and chair set from Arcade Manufacturing Company. Toy makers favored cast iron because the United States had rich deposits of iron ore, coal, and limestone-three crucial materials in the production of usable iron-and because they could use molds to form the iron, thus streamlining the production process. Cast-iron toys remained in production until World War II, when manufacturers dedicated their time and materials to the war effort.