According to a 1973 Sesame Street calendar, Rubber Duckie’s Birthday is January 13th, so around the country it’s National Rubber Ducky Day! This friend of Ernie and Big Bird, Duckie made his debut in a February 1970 episode. Fun fact: the Belknap Mill Society's "birthday" is February 1971! It seems the rubber ducky and the Belknap Mill were meant to connect!
The rubber ducky (also spelled duckie) has come a long way from his first concept as a chew toy for children. While the origin of the first rubber ducky is uncertain, many rubber molded toys from dolls to those in various animal shapes came about when rubber manufacturing developed in the late 1800s. During World Wars I and II, rubber was a valuable commodity which was rationed, and by the 1940s with the advent of plastic, the rubber ducky began being produced in vinyl and plastic.
The earliest patent for a rubber duck toy was patented in 1928 by Landon Smart Lawrence. His design was for a bath toy which was weighted and when tipped would return to its upright position. The sketch included with the patent was that of a duck. Russian Sculptor Peter Ganine sculpted many animal figures. One, a duck, he later designed and patented it into a floating toy which closely resembles the rubber ducky we have become familiar with today. Sales of the iconic yellow rubber ducky we’ve come to know today soared in Britain in 2001. Why? A British Tabloid, The Sun, reported Queen Elizabeth II had a rubber duck in her bathroom that wore an inflatable crown.
The rubber ducky became a Toy Hall of Fame inductee in 2013.
The Belknap Mill is celebrating National Rubber Ducky Day with a Riverside Duck Derby Early "Duck" SALE! In 2018, we SOLD OUT of ducks before the race began. To ensure that everyone has a chance to adopt a duck in 2019, ducks will be on sale on Sunday, January 13th from 12:00am-11:55pm. Help us sell 100 ducks on this day
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