The first Russian nevаlyashka (roly-poly) toys appeared in the early 19th century. They were also called van’ka-vstan’ka (‘Ivan-get-up’). The toys were carved from wood, most often pine, linden, or aspen. Then they were machined, decorated with bright paints and lacquered. In the Russian Empire, the Nizhny Novgorod governorate became the center of nevalyashka production.
The design of the toys varied depending on the region it was made in, leading to the establishment of several distinct styles: Gorodets, Fedoseyevo, Semyonov, and others. Gorodets nevаlyashkas were known for their flower patterns; Fedoseyevo tumblers were first painted in one color and then decorated with ornaments; Semyonov toys had drawings of dots, knots of ribbons, and berries. Nevаlyashkas usually looked like a richly dressed merchant, a colorful skomorokh (East Slavic harlequin), or a girl on a ball.
The main element of the toy is a weight. When a nevalyashka is rocked or pushed in different directions, the weight returns it to the original position specified by the design. In the olden days, a small bell was placed inside the nevаlyashka, which produced a light melodic ring when the toy wobbled. Later the bell was replaced with a cylinder with a small metal disk inside.
The nevаlyashka was a popular toy throughout several generations of Soviet children. The toys were treated with care and often passed on by inheritance.
In Kotovsk, the first samples of nevаlyashka were produced at the Tambov Gunpowder Plant in 1956. At that time, the activities of the enterprise were confidential, and it was called the Plastmass Plant. There, toys were made together with gunpowder and charges. It took three years to start mass production, so the first wagonloads filled with nevаlyashkas left the plant only in 1959. Antonina Ryazanova, who used to work there, recalled the following,
The design of the toys varied depending on the region it was made in, leading to the establishment of several distinct styles: Gorodets, Fedoseyevo, Semyonov, and others. Gorodets nevаlyashkas were known for their flower patterns; Fedoseyevo tumblers were first painted in one color and then decorated with ornaments; Semyonov toys had drawings of dots, knots of ribbons, and berries. Nevаlyashkas usually looked like a richly dressed merchant, a colorful skomorokh (East Slavic harlequin), or a girl on a ball.
The main element of the toy is a weight. When a nevalyashka is rocked or pushed in different directions, the weight returns it to the original position specified by the design. In the olden days, a small bell was placed inside the nevаlyashka, which produced a light melodic ring when the toy wobbled. Later the bell was replaced with a cylinder with a small metal disk inside.
The nevаlyashka was a popular toy throughout several generations of Soviet children. The toys were treated with care and often passed on by inheritance.
In Kotovsk, the first samples of nevаlyashka were produced at the Tambov Gunpowder Plant in 1956. At that time, the activities of the enterprise were confidential, and it was called the Plastmass Plant. There, toys were made together with gunpowder and charges. It took three years to start mass production, so the first wagonloads filled with nevаlyashkas left the plant only in 1959. Antonina Ryazanova, who used to work there, recalled the following,
