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	Vol.7, No 21, October 5, 1999
	Toy Story Photos and story by Cristian Vera Aleman Daily Forty-Niner Little boats, wooden and metal cars, flying machines, fire engines, electric trains, iron banks and soldiers are just a few of the items in Ralph Tomlinson's diverse toy collection. "Now I'm having all the toys I didn't have when I was I child," said the 71-year-old Newport Beach resident. When Tomlinson was a youngster, he usually got all clothes and no toys as presents for Christmas. His collection of about 2,000 toys includes exclusive worldwide pieces from the early 1900s. They are mainly American toys, and most of them are displayed and organized in glass cabinets, which give his home the appearance and feel of a real museum.  The retired businessman and contractor has an antique toy collection worth hundreds to thousands of dollars, but he doesn't do it for economic purposes. He just loves toys and started collecting them a few decades ago.  "Toys are like art -- they imitate life," Tomlinson said.  ìWhen a prominent airplane was designed, toy makers would make an exact replica of it." One of his most unusual toys was made in 1860. Of unknown origin, it represents a flying boat that was one of the earliest attempts by toy makers to simulate flight, according to Tomlinson.  Another unusual item and one of Tomlinsonís favorite pieces is a Japanese toy makerís large detailed model of a race car that won the 1952 Indianapolis 500. One of his main objectives is to keep toys operational no matter how old they are, Tomlinson said.  Although he prefers to buy original toys in optimum condition, he enjoys working in his garage workshop, restoring pieces that suffer from years of neglect.  "If they don't work when I get them, they do when Iím through," he said. Tomlinson has traveled far and wide looking for toys, especially to the East Coast, where the majority of the well-known and prestigious toy collectors are located.  He is a member of Antique Toy Collectors of America, which he considers the most prestigious group dedicated to the hobby. Looking to the future, Tomlinson said he wonít give or split up his collection among family members. "In the future, I want to put my toys in an auction or sell them as a collection," Tomlinson said. He said this will help to prevent any kind of family disputes.		A unique piece, a plane with working parachute, is now worth five times what Tomlinson paid originally for the toy.                                                                       LBSU returns to first Picnic celebrates 50 years of CSULB history Education funding first, report says Crime Log Three women killed on Long Beach freeway Toy story Raise CSULB standard Gun makers not responsible for crime 'I want Snoop on campus' Reznor returns to familiar territory with new album UCSB snaps losing streak 49ers split again Fall 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE
Forty-Niner Publications, Department of Journalism, California State University, Long Beach ©1999 All rights reserved.