Auburn Flexible Building Bricks

From the Brady Toy Collection

Courtesy WorthPoint.com

While discussing my Christmas Day blog post with a co-worker, we got into a discussion about various toys we had as kids. Lincoln Logs were a favorite that we both had, as they provided hours of creative entertainment. (Do kids still play with Lincoln Logs?)

Another 'construction-type' toy that I remember – and still have, for that matter (although I haven't played with it recently) is the set of Auburn Flexible Building Bricks shown above and at right. As depicted on the package, the set included lots of small rubber interlocking bricks, as well as windows, doors and roof sections.

I wonder how many kids became architects as a result of playing with them?

Unfortunately, although my siblings and I played with these bricks a lot, I don't remember ever having enough materials to actually complete the house in progress. Plus, I could never figure out how to construct the roof.

Strangely enough, a few years ago I was watching an old Gumby episode ("Lion Drive") on videotape and in the background was the very same set of these building bricks!

A few moments later, the camera panned the whole room and provided an even better shot of the container (below).

Anyway, today when I dumped out the contents of the container onto a table to take a look, I noticed some plastic palm tree fronds mixed in with the bricks – from our Marx Flintstone Play Set. I guess we were pretty sloppy and mixed all these various sets together.

No wonder I could never finish a brick house – the bricks I needed were probably serving as Fred Flintstone's barbeque pit!

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For more information about the Auburn Rubber Company, the people who manufactured these bricks, click here.