Gift idea: Supreme Court justice figures
The Marx Toy Company was an extremely popular toy company in the United States in the early-to-mid-twentieth century. Its toy collection included a series of the presidents of the United States. These little figures, just under 3 inches high, are a nice little toy for political junkies everywhere.
But what if you want other historical political figures? Or supreme court justices? Enter Patric Verrone. (For background, see this 2009 Wired interview here.) Mr. Verrone has developed a number of Marx-like historical figures, including a remarkable feat: every justice in the history of the Supreme Court of the United States.
Marx figures: George Washington, James Madison, Calvin Coolidge; Verrone figures: James Wilson, Elbridge Gerry, Joseph Story, Robert Jackson.
The Verrone figurines are in a similar style to the Marx figures. Each figure is just under 3 inches in height and includes a gold-colored base with name. My collection is above: three Marx presidents; three Supreme Court justices; and Elbridge Gerry, Governor of Massachusetts, James Madison's vice president, staunch anti-federalist, and the inspiration for the name and styling of this blog.
Mr. Verrone includes baseball cards with a brief biographical sketch of each justice. (For instance, I didn't know that Justice Story argued Fletcher v. Peck in the United States Supreme Court.)
For a loved one with a penchant for history or law, I would highly recommend these little toys as a holiday gift. They look great on my desk, and they serve as an inspiration when reading or writing.
Disclosure: I have received no financial benefit, direct or indirect, for this post.