Introduced in 1963, Loony Links was a simple construction toy from Kohner. Reflecting the company’s early experimentation with plastic manufacturing, it is notable as one of the first products Kohner produced using moulded plastic parts and marked a transitional moment in the company’s manufacturing process.
Originally made entirely of wood, Loony Links evolved into a hybrid of wood and plastic before becoming all plastic.
Marketed for boys and girls aged 3 to 8, Loony Links was positioned as both educational and fun. The sets encouraged open-ended play by allowing children to assemble a wide range of figures, including people, animals, and birds. Sets included a variety of snap-together parts moulded in bright colours such as yellow, blue, and red. While the components varied per set, typical components included boy and girl heads, animal and bird heads, matching bodies, arms, hands, feet, and hats.
The back of the box played an important role in the play experience, featuring illustrated examples of different character configurations designed to inspire young builders. Loony Links was issued in several set configurations, with known piece counts of 30, 38, 42, and 50.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
Complete sets with intact boxes, especially earlier wood or mixed-material versions, are of particular interest to collectors documenting that era in toy manufacturing.
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