Celluloid collection

The plastics industry exists thanks, in part, to John Wesley Hyatt who, in 1868, created Celluloid, the first thermoplastic material. Today, products made of Celluloid are relatively rare, but one of the best collections can be found at the National Plastics Center & Museum in Leominster, MA. The display, consisting of animals, combs, dolls, hair ornaments, and toys, is part of a larger private collection owned by Keith Lauer (pictured), the museum’s curator. Most of the toys shown here were produced by the Leominster-based Viscoloid Co. during the 1940s and 1950s.