About the Author
My Inspiration
Before the internet, retail catalogs were the only way for kids to learn about the new and exciting toys coming to a store near them.
Every fall, companies like Sears and JCPenney would mail their holiday "Wish Book" catalogs to homes across the country. The retailers hired photographers who set up elaborate displays resulting in beautiful images showcasing the toys. Kids would spend hours studying the pages, staring at the toys, and working on their holiday wish lists with the hope that a few of the items would make it into their homes later that year. The appropriately named "Wish Book" title says it all.
The Toy Collectors Wish Book series is inspired by and pays homage to the classic holiday wish book catalogs that many of us flipped through as children and hold fond memories of.
The Beginning
Wayne A. Scheiner started the Retro Toy Quest Museum of Vintage Toys in the fall of 2018 as a series of high-resolution images posted on social media. The popularity of the posts, featuring photos of classic toys from the ‘80s, led to the creation of the Retro Toy Quest Museum. Initially conceived as a traditional, physical museum prior to the 2020 pandemic, Retro Toy Quest evolved into a virtual, on-line experience. The website switched gears to a single-page printed format, which quickly became popular, attracting collectors and nostalgia seekers, creating a demand for more content.
After a few years of promoting his work on-line and at conventions, the project quickly began to evolve. As the popularity for Wayne’s content grew, the request to turn his work and content into a book format, became a reality in the fall of 2022. In November of that year, Wayne began development of publication project, originally intended to be a magazine style format. As the project progressed, it became evident that the format would be more successful as a volume series book, but keeping the look and feel of a Magazine, would help better engage the reader, encouraging repeat customers.
Behind the Scenes
When chapter production finally begins, it usually starts with the dramatic hero diorama image, which takes roughly one to two weeks to achieve. I have several different terrain platforms pre-set at all times however, I enjoy discovering and interchanging new creative techniques to improve upon this process. The hero dioramas are photographed in my studio, and creatively exhibiting the collection is undoubtedly my favorite part. Using a combination of my photography, design, and extensive Photoshop skills, I create a life-like visual diorama in a single image that is the foundational anchor of each chapter. What a great way to play with all of these wonderful toys while sharing my passion for documenting vintage toys with the world!
The Kickstarter
The Kickstarter campaign, performed very well right out of the gate. During the five weeks the campaign was live, we were able to gauge public interest, confirming the world was ready for this new innovative concept, of creatively documenting in detail, the golden age of Toys!
906 backers pledged $58,665 to help bring this project to life.
The Book Series
The Toy Collectors Wish Book mission is to provide visually rich, entertaining content to nostalgia seekers looking to reminisce about the toys of their childhood and educational content for those looking to learn about the golden age of toys.
This photographic guidebook combines the style of the classic holiday wish book with a modern collectors guide. Each chapter is thematically dressed with a beautiful signature image featuring the toy line, has individual product photos with detailed parts and accessories breakdowns, and tells the history of each line through the lens of the pop culture events of the time. The Toy Collectors Wish Book will be your go-to reference guide for research, an aspirational wish list for your personal collection or your “collection in a book,” if you love the toys but lack the space.
With this encyclopedic book series, toy enthusiasts have a go-to resource to reference toy lines of the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and more—from those based on blockbuster films, to ones inspired by more obscure television shows. We invite readers to join us, on our QUEST FOR RETRO TOYS!
