The project in motion

As part of the ongoing activities of the Toy Story project, a new visit was carried out to the Civil Parish of Alfena, with the aim of deepening knowledge about its toy collection, an important expression of the region’s industrial and cultural heritage.

The visit was marked by the strong support and availability of the Parish team, whose collaboration has been essential for the development of the research and for the valorisation of this collection.

The programme also included a return to the Oficina do Brinquedo, where qualitative interviews were conducted within the sociological approach of the project, contributing valuable insights into the social and productive contexts of traditional toys.

This initiative reinforces the importance of local institutions in preserving and promoting the memory of toys in the region.

Between 23 and 25 March, the Sociology and History team carried out another stage of fieldwork, this time in Valongo, gathering valuable contributions to the ongoing research.

A highlight of the visit was participation in a toy workshop at the current Bruplast factory, heir to the JAJ (José Augusto Júnior) tradition, where hybrid pieces — small stoves and sewing machines — combining plastic and tinplate were produced.

Interviews were also conducted with individuals connected to the producer Armindo Moreira Lopes, providing deeper insight into his trajectory through qualitative research methods.

The visit also included the Oficina do Brinquedo Tradicional Português, reinforcing the importance of this industrial and cultural heritage in Valongo.

The team would like to express its gratitude to the Câmara Municipal de Valongo, the Oficina do Brinquedo Tradicional Português, and all interviewees for their support and collaboration. 

As part of its ongoing research activities, the sociology team has been conducting in-depth interviews with members of the tinplate toy collecting community. In January, an interview with a prominent collector provided valuable insights through direct access to the collection and the narratives surrounding practices of collecting, preserving, and valuing tinplate toys. This fieldwork contributes to a deeper sociocultural understanding of the phenomenon under study. 

Three students from NOVA FCT and FCUL are currently contributing to this project through their master's theses (2025-2026):

• Preserving Movement: A Tool for Classifying and Conserving Historic Toys Based on the Study of Their Mechanisms by Natacha Jesus EXPLORE FURTHER

• Optimization of X-ray Techniques for the Characterization of Tinplate Toys by Leonor Rodrigues, EXPLORE FURTHER

• Decorative Coatings on Tinplate Toys: Technical Study, Materials, and Conservation of Portuguese Toys (1920–1960) by Ângela Martins, EXPLORE FURTHER