The exciting history of the manufacture of toy forts and castles in western Europe throughout the turbulent nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This book provides detailed information on who made these castles, palaces, and fortresses, when, where, and how, and with what materials. The author focuses especially on manufacturers in Germany and Great Britain, but covers Denmark, Belgium, and France as well and describes the fascinating story of the industry's rise and demise. Company histories show how these manufacturers, often successive generations of families, dealt with the enormous economic and political obstacles of the times. Organized spreadsheets with serial numbers, dates, dimensions, and distinctive features of products will satisfy the curiosities of toy collectors.

The Swedish toy industry has long produced vast quantities of colorful, quality wooden items that reflect Scandinavian design and craft traditions. This superbly illustrated book, including specially commissioned photography, looks at over 200 years of Swedish toys, from historic dollhouses to the latest designs for children. Featuring rattles, full-size rocking horses, dollhouses, and building blocks to skis, sleds, and tabletop games with intricate moving parts, Swedish Wooden Toys also addresses images of Swedish childhood, the role of the beloved red Dala horse in the creation of national identity, the vibrant tradition of educational toys, and the challenges of maintaining craft manufacturing in an era of global mass-production. Published in association with the Bard Graduate Center Exhibition Schedule: Paris, Musée des Arts Décoratifs (06/18/14-01/11/15) Bard Graduate Center March 2015 Stockholm Summer 2015

The forts and castles of Ghana form a unique memorial to a precolonial period when representatives of European trading companies bartered as equals with African merchants. It was a colourful episode of world history spanning four centuries, from the fifteenth century Portuguese voyages of discovery to the beginings of the imperial epoch. This books traces the history of more than fifty forts, castles and trading posts built on Ghana's coasts by various European nations. Each entry is accompanied by a descriptive guide and black and white illustrations. Albert van Dantzig, originally from Holland, has lived in Ghana since 1963 and is the senior lecturer in history at the University of Ghana, he is the author of two previous books; The Dutch Participation in the Slave Trade and The Dutch on the Guinea Coast, 1680-1740.

Bringing chivalry back into our modern-day world, this book shows us how to inspire today's generation of young boys to pursue honor, courage, and compassion. In an age when respect and honor seem like distant and antiquated relics, how can we equip boys to pursue valor and courageously put the needs of others before their own? This book helps parents to inspire their boys by captivating their imagination and honoring their love for adventure. Heather Haupt explores how knights historically lived out various aspects of the knights' Code of Chivalry, as depicted in the French epic Song of Roland, and how boys can embody these same ideals now. When we issue the challenge and give boys the reasons why it is worth pursuing, we step forward on an incredible journey towards raising the kind of boys who, just like the knights of old, make an impact in their world now and for the rest of their lives.

Brief text and labeled illustrations discuss the history and architecture of several forts and castles, focusing on the protection they afforded and mechanisms used in siege against them.

Four children find a magic way to go back into the time of Ivanhoe and Robin Hood.