By Edward Mobley’s rubber squeak toys were some of the first children’s toys created with safety in mind in the 1950’s.
Companies manufacturing children’s toys prior to then held little consideration for children’s safety. Following the post-war baby boom, the rise in demand for children’s products urged manufacturers to improve toy safety completely.
Edward Mobley was at the forefront of this movement. His creations featured hazard free components such as non-toxic dyes. Throughout 12 years, Mobley sculpted each character’s original designs himself and had created over 300 sculptures.
Today, many of his beloved creations are on display in an exhibit at The MUZEO Museum in Anaheim.
“Back in the day, safety for kids wasn’t the primary thing that people thought about,” said Don Lane, the MUZEO’s Director of Operations. “I think Edward Mobley wanted to make sure that all these toys that he created were safe for kids to play with.”
Every character Edward Mobley created held a unique name, with ‘Buster’ the bear, ‘Rags’ the shaggy dog and ‘Stripes’ the friendly tiger pictured on Sept. 19.
Photo Credit: Jamie R. Austria
This consideration for children’s safety was just one detail that helped these toys to stand out.
Each character was uniquely colored to fit the audience of the country it was sold in, with each squeak toy hand spray-painted in factories. The variety of colors between characters helped the toys appear more whimsical in comparison to others.
Kate Hart, the owner and caretaker of this collection, is a lover of all things Edward Mobley. Her discovery of his work and the start of her collection all began on a fateful day at a swap-meet.
Hart, welcoming a new baby at the time, had just sold her taxidermy collection and was looking for something new to begin collecting.
“We went to the swap-meet and I found this really dirty, disgusting little elephant for a dollar,” Hart said. “That same day I found another one that was covered in brown sludge.”
“I threw them in our kitchen sink and I started washing them. One was pink and one was blue, and I was hooked,” Hart said.
Over the span of 12 years, Mobley created toys for Arrow Molded Products and Sun Rubber Company. Three of these original, unpainted sculptures are on display at the MUZEO Rubber Menagerie exhibit, pictured on Sept. 19. Photo Credit: Jamie R. Austria
With this new love for squeak toys born, Hart then began looking at online sites like eBay for more.
Discovering more than she was expecting, she continued scavenging swap meets like the Long Beach Antique Market for other Mobley creations. There, she found cats, dogs, bunnies, bears and tigers among the most popular characters from his designs.
As Hart’s love for the toys and creations grew, she eventually began to send letters and calls to the Mobley family.
It wasn’t until 2015, after months of reaching out, that one of her calls was answered.
Though this initial telephone call was brief, only lasting a few sentences, Hart said that it did not put her off.
A few more unanswered calls later, Hart eventually had the chance to explain who she was and her love for Edward Mobley’s work. She discovered the person on the other end to be his son.
Hart and Mobley’s son spoke on the phone for around three hours, discussing all things Edward Mobley. Eventually the call ended with Hart scheduling a flight to Ohio to see the remains of Mobley’s work.
The trip, though a bit spontaneous, ended with Hart visiting the warehouse where Mobley’s designs were stored, then eventually leaving with over 300 boxes of Mobley’s work.
“We literally loaded everything into a pod,” Hart said. “I gave this man my life savings in cash. We signed a contract really fast and the pod just boop boop booped on its way to California.”
After pulling off every collector’s dream, Hart wanted to share this collection with others. She first began posting the pieces onto Etsy to share and find others who loved Mobley’s work as well.
The Rubber Menagerie exhibit featured children’s furniture designed by Edward Mobley at The MUZEO Museum on Sept. 19. Mobley designed colorful furnishings for kids including coat racks, laundry hampers and toy boxes. Photo Credit: Jamie R. Austria
“I’m very all about sharing. I’ve sold his original sculpts, I’ve traded original sculpts, I’ve given away original work by him,” Hart said. “I see this as something that doesn’t belong to anyone but him and he’s passed away so let’s just make him be seen as the artist that he deserves to be seen as.”
Hart continues to share her collection of Mobley’s work with others, posting images to social media and even inviting those who reach out to see the pieces for themselves at her shop.
A part of Hart’s collection is now on display until Oct. 27 in the Rubber Menagerie exhibit at The MUZEO Museum.
