Life-sized “toys” to appear around Tryon

Published 9:00 pm Monday, July 27, 2015

Traffic was backed up on Chestnut St. Thursday as volunteers from The Tryon Toymakers and the Lanier Library installed a larger than life replica of a toy giraffe named Bob. Bob is “in residence” through September to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Tryon Toymakers and the 125th anniversary of the Lanier Library. The mastermind of the project is Karl Schwartz of the Tryon Toymakers.

Bob, the 12-foot life-size giraffe wearing reading glasses is now installed on the Chestnut Street side of the Lanier Library.

The artist and woodworker who made it happen is Karl Schwarz, a member of Tryon Arts and Crafts School and the Toymaker committee. Karl was inspired by an original Tryon Toy Maker 12-inch giraffe owned by Harry Goodheart of Tryon Fine Books.

Many more toy replicas will be appearing around town very soon, though hardly as large as Bob, they have been “adopted” by various businesses and non-profits to be seen in anticipation of Tryon Toy Story Weekend on September 26 and 27. The events and images of that weekend are part of the Grand Opening of the Tryon Historical Museum slated to take place on Saturday, September 26.

The additional toy replicas are being constructed by John Gargiulo, Fred Herres, and Barney Eiserloh and painted by Bob Neely, Pam Herres and others. Each of the toys will be on display through the month of September and slated to be auctioned to the highest bidder at the Tryon Toy Story fundraiser event at The Tryon Fine Arts Center on Sunday, September 27.

As part of the weekend activities, a scavenger hunt is planned for children and adults to walk about the town and visit the various toys in their temporary locations and to mark their spots on a card to get prizes for the number of toys they have visited.

Anyone wishing to volunteer to help with Tryon Toy Story weekend should contact Christine Mariotti at 828-859-8392 or cmariotti@windstream.net.

– Submitted by Christine Mariotti