Silly Putty

Silly Putty is a branded silicone-based novelty toy whose unusual physical behavior made it one of the best-known American toys of the twentieth century. Depending on how force is applied and how long it is left undisturbed, the material can behave like a soft elastic solid, a bouncing object, or a slowly flowing liquid. It can stretch under gradual force, snap when pulled or struck quickly, bounce when dropped, form a puddle over time, and adhere to some surfaces. Earlier newspaper inks also allowed it to lift and transfer images, which users could then distort by stretching the putty. The material originated during World War II research into synthetic substitutes for natural rubber. Wartime disruption and rationing had restricted access to rubber, which was needed for tires, aircraft and vehicle components, rafts, boots, gas masks, and other military goods. James Wright, a Scottish-born inventor working for General Electric in New Haven, Connecticut, experimented with silicone oil and boric acid in 1943 and produced a bouncy, viscoelastic compound. The invention is historically disputed: Earl Warrick of Dow Corning and his colleague Rob Roy McGregor also developed a similar material independently, and Warrick maintained that his work predated Wright's. The compound was not an adequate general-purpose rubber replacement, but its entertaining properties eventually gave it a commercial future. The product became a toy after toy-store owner Ruth Fallgatter encountered the substance in 1949 and discussed it with marketing consultant Peter C. L. Hodgson. Fallgatter sold it in a clear case but chose not to continue with the product. Hodgson recognized its potential, borrowed money to acquire a batch, divided it into small portions, and packaged it in plastic eggs. He named the product Silly Putty. Initial sales were weak, but a favorable mention in The New Yorker generated exceptionally rapid demand, reportedly producing sales of more than 250,000 eggs in three days. Production was temporarily threatened in 1951 when silicone was rationed during the Korean War, but resumed after restrictions were lifted. The product was first promoted largely to adults, although children between six and twelve became its principal customers by the middle of the 1950s. In 1957, Hodgson produced an early televised Silly Putty commercial for The Howdy Doody Show. The brand expanded internationally in 1961 and became popular in Europe and the Soviet Union. Apollo 8 astronauts carried it into lunar orbit in 1968, where its adhesive qualities helped secure tools in weightlessness. Following Hodgson's death in 1976, Binney & Smith, the company associated with Crayola, acquired the rights in 1977. Crayola LLC later became the brand owner. Silly Putty is generally sold as a small portion, traditionally 13 grams, inside an egg-shaped plastic container. The original product was coral-colored, while later versions included multiple colors, metallic finishes, and glow-in-the-dark variants. The brand has also supported uses beyond play, including hand rehabilitation, stress relief, cleaning small amounts of lint or dirt, hobby modeling, and educational demonstrations of viscoelasticity. Related putty products from other manufacturers may offer different resistance levels, magnetic behavior, iridescence, or larger quantities, but Silly Putty remains the trademarked brand associated with the original egg-packaged novelty putty.

Silly Putty emerged from wartime materials research rather than from a conventional toy-design program. During World War II, the United States faced severe pressure on supplies of natural rubber after Japan's expansion into major rubber-producing regions of the Pacific. Rubber was essential to military and civilian equipment, and the American government supported research into synthetic substitutes. In 1943, James Wright, working for General Electric in Connecticut, experimented with silicone oil and boric acid. The resulting material was soft, resilient, bouncy, and capable of flowing slowly while resisting rapid deformation. It did not meet the practical requirements of a broad rubber replacement, but its unusual behavior attracted attention. The origin story is not entirely uncontested. Earl Warrick, a researcher at Dow Corning, and colleague Rob Roy McGregor independently produced a comparable silicone-based compound. Warrick later argued that his work preceded Wright's, while Crayola's account credits Wright with the first invention of Silly Putty's precursor. The competing accounts reflect parallel wartime research rather than a simple, universally accepted invention record. The compound remained commercially unexploited until 1949, when Ruth Fallgatter, a toy-store owner, encountered it and consulted marketing adviser Peter C. L. Hodgson. Fallgatter displayed the material in a clear case, but did not continue selling it. Hodgson believed the putty could succeed as an inexpensive novelty. Although he was heavily in debt, he borrowed $147, bought a quantity of the material, divided it into approximately one-ounce portions, and placed them in plastic eggs. He named the product Silly Putty. The launch was initially disappointing. A mention in The New Yorker, however, created a dramatic sales surge, with more than 250,000 eggs reportedly sold in three days. The new business then encountered a serious supply problem when silicone became subject to rationing during the Korean War in 1951. Production recovered when the restriction ended the following year. Silly Putty was initially marketed primarily to adults, but by 1955 its principal customers were children. Hodgson expanded its visibility through television, including a 1957 commercial aired during The Howdy Doody Show. International growth followed in 1961, when the product entered markets in Europe and the Soviet Union. Its cultural profile was further strengthened in 1968 when Apollo 8 astronauts carried Silly Putty into lunar orbit. The toy's adhesive and deformable qualities made it useful for holding tools in place in a weightless environment, while the space connection gave the brand an enduring association with science and exploration. Hodgson died in 1976. In 1977, Binney & Smith, the manufacturer best known for Crayola products, acquired the rights to Silly Putty. The brand subsequently became part of Crayola LLC's portfolio. It continued to be sold in its recognizable egg-shaped package, while the range expanded beyond the original coral color to include glow-in-the-dark, metallic, and other colored versions. The product also developed secondary uses in occupational therapy, stress relief, cleaning, model making, and demonstrations of non-Newtonian and viscoelastic behavior. Silly Putty's importance rests on the combination of a memorable package, simple instructions, low price, and genuinely distinctive material science. It is a trademarked brand, while other companies sell related putties under different names. More than 300 million eggs had reportedly been sold since the product's introduction by 2009, and the brand had become a recognized part of American toy history.

• 2001

  National Toy Hall of Fame induction

  [1]Silly Puttyen.wikipedia.org

  Silly Putty was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.

• 1977

  Binney & Smith acquires the rights

  [1]Silly Puttyen.wikipedia.org

  Following Hodgson's death, Binney & Smith acquired the rights to the brand.

• 1968

  Carried into lunar orbit

  [1]Silly Puttyen.wikipedia.org

  Apollo 8 astronauts took Silly Putty into lunar orbit and used it to help secure tools in weightlessness.

• 1961

  International expansion

  [1]Silly Puttyen.wikipedia.org

  Silly Putty entered international markets and became popular in Europe and the Soviet Union.

• 1957

  Television advertising begins

  [1]Silly Puttyen.wikipedia.org

  Hodgson produced an early Silly Putty television commercial for The Howdy Doody Show.

• 1951

  Silicone rationing disrupts production

  [1]Silly Puttyen.wikipedia.org

  Korean War-era restrictions on silicone temporarily threatened the young product's supply.

• 1950

  Silly Putty launches in plastic eggs

  [1]Silly Puttyen.wikipedia.org

  Hodgson packaged portions of the putty in egg-shaped plastic containers and introduced the Silly Putty name.

• 1949

  The compound is recognized as a possible toy

  [1]Silly Puttyen.wikipedia.org

  Toy retailer Ruth Fallgatter and marketing consultant Peter C. L. Hodgson explored selling the material as a novelty product.

• 1943

  A silicone-based putty is developed during rubber-substitute research

  [1]Silly Puttyen.wikipedia.org

  James Wright produced a bouncy silicone-and-boric-acid compound while working on a potential synthetic rubber substitute for wartime use.

A classic, playful, science-oriented novelty toy combining tactile entertainment with distinctive material behavior.

• Novelty putty · 1950

  Classic Silly Putty

  The core product is a small portion of silicone-based viscoelastic putty traditionally sold in an egg-shaped plastic container. It stretches under gradual force, snaps under sudden stress, bounces when dropped, and slowly flows when left alone. Its classic coral color and ability to pick up and distort some printed images established the brand's identity.

• Novelty putty variants

  Colored and specialty Silly Putty

  The brand has been offered in colors and finishes beyond the original coral formulation, including glow-in-the-dark and metallic versions. These variants preserve the tactile and elastic play pattern while adding visual effects that broaden the product's appeal as a collectible or novelty gift.

• 1957Howdy Doody television commercial

  United States

  Silly Putty was promoted through an early television commercial aired during The Howdy Doody Show, helping move the product from an adult novelty toward a children's toy.

  Outcome. Television exposure supported the product's transition to a predominantly child-focused customer base.

  Source

• 1977

  Transfer of brand rights to Binney & SmithM&A

  Background

  Peter Hodgson died in 1976 after developing Silly Putty into an established toy brand.

  Action taken

  Binney & Smith acquired the rights to Silly Putty and later managed it through the Crayola business.

  Aftermath

  The brand continued under the ownership associated with Crayola and expanded into additional colors and specialty versions.

  Source

• 1950

  Package the putty in egg-shaped containersProduct launch

  Background

  After earlier interest in the material did not lead to a sustained retail product, Peter Hodgson pursued a low-cost novelty format.

  Action taken

  He divided the putty into small portions, placed them in plastic eggs, and marketed them under the name Silly Putty.

  Aftermath

  The package became one of the brand's most recognizable features and supported rapid sales after favorable press coverage.

  Source

1. 1Silly Puttyen.wikipedia.org