Toys with Lead

XRF test results for antique Blue Willow style Transor Ware Japanese porcelain child’s tea set

October 22, 2022May 17, 2024

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama,…

XRF test results for porcelain child’s tea set purchased at a Cracker Barrel store in 2022

October 19, 2022May 17, 2024

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama,…

c. 1989 Flexibear Flexiblocks plastic toy: 1,735 ppm Lead. 90 ppm & up is considered unsafe/illegal in modern toys.

February 24, 2020March 22, 2020

Introduction (for those new to this website): Tamara Rubin is an independent advocate for consumer goods safety. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children. She began testing consumer goods for toxicants in 2009 and was the parent-advocate responsible for finding Lead in the popular fidget spinner toys in 2017. Tamara uses XRF testing (a scientific…

Green shooter marble (Marble King brand, previously sold & marketed as Lead-free): 1,375 ppm Lead (+ Cadmium too).

February 10, 2020March 26, 2021

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Above photos shows a small Marble King brand green-swirl “cat’s eye” marble (randomly positive for 175 ppm Lead) next to a large Marble King brand green-swirl “cat’s eye” shooter (randomly positive for 1375 ppm Lead). Please note the level of Lead is not dependent on the size of the marble. – Photos by Avi B….

1986 Dor Mei Toys Spinosaurus: 5,341 ppm Lead. 90 ppm and up is considered illegal and unsafe for toys made today.

August 30, 2019August 30, 2019

The amount of Lead that is considered unsafe and illegal in a modern item manufactured for use by children today is anything 90 ppm or higher in the paint or coating or anything 100 ppm or higher in the substrate. As a result of the high levels of Lead found in this 1986 “Dor Mei”…

Another reason to avoid vintage toys – 1985 Imperial Toys T-Rex: 7,872 ppm Lead. This would be illegal if made today.

August 30, 2019December 26, 2021

4 Comments

The amount of Lead that is considered unsafe and illegal in a modern item manufactured for use by children today is anything 90 ppm or higher in the paint or coating or anything 100 ppm or higher in the substrate. As a result of the high levels of Lead found in this 1985 “Imperial Toys”…

Another reason to avoid vintage toys — toy triceratops: 6,298 ppm Lead. This would be illegal if made today.

August 30, 2019July 13, 2023

3 Comments

Introduction (for those new to this website): Tamara Rubin is a federal-award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children, her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005. Since 2009 Tamara has been using XRF testing (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)…

Dear Natural Baby Mama readers who have questions about XRF testing, please read this.

August 7, 2019December 29, 2023

6 Comments

I have written this in response to a lot of questions I get from readers who follow the blogger Natural Baby Mama. Since I get the same questions and concerns “on the regular,” I thought I would address all of the concerns that have come up here, in one article. Please do take the time to read…

Larami Toys brachiosaurus toy dinosaur: 2,213 ppm Lead, 2,721 ppm Antimony. This toy would be illegal if made today.

April 18, 2019April 18, 2019

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Scroll down to see additional images, including picture of Dino next to Lego-guy for size! The amount of Lead that is considered unsafe and illegal in a modern item manufactured for use by children today is anything 90 ppm or higher in the paint or coating or anything 100 ppm or higher in the substrate….

Avi’s 8th Grade Science Class Experiment: “How does the elemental composition of glass marbles affect their color?”

March 27, 2019June 18, 2019

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Photos by Avi B. Rubin, age 14 (8th grade science, Sellwood Middle School) Below each marble image is the full XRF test result for that particular color (& style) marble. These marbles are all from the manufacturer Marble King. Important points to note: A Niton XL3T XRF instrument was used for this testing. All testing…

And the winner is…. Click here to see the full XRF test results for the vintage Fisher Price Garage!

December 7, 2018

5 Comments

The other day we had a little contest… who could guess the closest Lead reading (in ppm) for what the highest Lead level on this vintage Fisher Price toy garage / downtown set would be? THE ANSWER: The highest Lead level was 1,959 ppm (in the yellow plastic) and the winner (with a guess of…

Giant Blue Glass Marble: 60 ppm Cadmium, 366 ppm Arsenic

November 11, 2018December 28, 2023

2 Comments

This is a newer (c. 2015) large translucent blue glass marble with an iridescent rainbow finish. Given the nature of the way most colored glass is commonly produced, many marbles (and especially those with iridescent finishes) do have at least some level of detectable toxicants when tested with an XRF instrument. Some actually have quite…

Reminder: A Thomas the Tank Engine wooden toy was recalled in June 2007. Do you still have these trains at home?

September 9, 2018February 28, 2024

27 Comments

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama,…

#AskTamara: Do Glass Dragon Tears Have Lead? (Aka: Squashed Marbles, Glass Drops or Mancala Stones?)

August 13, 2018March 12, 2020

6 Comments

#AskTamara Question: Do dragon tears have lead? Answer: Some do and some do not. Given the nature of the way most colored glass is commonly produced, many dragon tears do have at least some lead, and some have quite high amounts of lead — at levels considered dangerous for children by current/modern regulatory standards. [Even…

#Leaded: Vintage/Antique Glass Marbles, Yellow and White Swirl

June 17, 2018June 17, 2018

1 Comment

Yellow and White Swirled Glass Vintage Marble: 2,364 ppm Lead! The amount of lead that is considered toxic in the substrate of a newly manufactured item intended for use by children is anything 100 ppm lead or higher. Tested in 2014 with an XRF instrument. Year of manufacture and brand: unknown. Once I learned that even…

#Leaded: Glass Pokeman Marble, c. 2013

June 17, 2018June 17, 2018

Pokeman Marble. Tested with an XRF instrument in 2013. Apprx 36,000 ppm lead (on the “painted” design). The amount of lead considered toxic (and therefore illegal) in a newly manufactured item intended for children (after 2010) is anything with paint or coating testing positive for lead at 90 ppm or higher. I don’t know what…

#Leaded: Vintage Fisher Price Motor Boat Toy (c. 1970?)

June 11, 2018

2 Comments

Vintage Fisher Price Motor Boat Toy. Tested with an XRF instrument: Green Plastic Arsenic (As): 113 +/- 23 ppm Yellow Plastic Cadmium (Cd): 1992 +/- 41 ppm White Plastic Lead (Pb): 148 +/- 11 ppm Most plastic vintage Fisher Price toys are positive for some level of lead, cadmium or arsenic. There is no place…

#Leaded: Vintage Fisher Price “Count” Doll,

March 9, 2018March 9, 2018

Vintage Fisher Price Sesame Street “Count” Doll. Green body: 764 +/- 27 ppm lead. Black hair: 30 +/- 6 ppm lead. Face: 15 +/- 7 ppm lead. – Thanks for reading! Tamara Check out the test results of more things I have tested here: https://tamararubin.com/2018/01/index/

Child’s toy China Tea Set, Victoria’s Garden: 20,600 ppm Lead

December 24, 2017May 17, 2024

Victoria’s Garden toy China Tea Set: 20,600 ppm Lead (Lemon included to show size!) For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her…

#Cadmium: Vintage 1940s Nancy Ann Storybook Doll, Princess/ Bride

December 16, 2017July 13, 2023

2 Comments

Introduction (for those new to this website): Tamara Rubin is a federal-award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children, her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005. Since 2009 Tamara has been using XRF testing (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)…

Vintage Queen Of Hearts Nancy Ann Storybook Doll, c. 1940: 6,255 ppm Lead (90 is unsafe for kids)

December 16, 2017July 13, 2023

Introduction (for those new to this website): Tamara Rubin is a federal-award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children, her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005. Since 2009 Tamara has been using XRF testing (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)…

#Leaded: Vintage Plastic Fisher Price Lady With Blue Dress & Yellow Hair

December 16, 2017September 30, 2018

This little vintage Fisher Price lady is positive for lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic. Her yellow hair came in at 4,723 +/- 97 ppm lead, 69 +/-13 ppm cadmium and 166 +/- 54 ppm arsenic. Her face was positive for 472 +/- 23 ppm lead, 118 +/- 13 ppm cadmium and 13 +/- 7 mercury….

#Leaded: Vintage Fisher Price Little People Man With Yellow Hat

December 16, 2017September 30, 2018

This vintage Fisher Price man tested positive for lead, cadmium and arsenic. His Blue plastic body was positive for lead at 106 +/- 11 ppm. His yellow hat is positive for lead at 3,213 +/- 71 ppm, cadmium at 23 +/- 12 ppm, and arsenic at 186 +/- 43 ppm. The configuration of the toy…

#Leaded: Vintage Fisher Price Little People

December 16, 2017September 30, 2018

These vintage little people are positive for lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd.) Click on each of the links below to see the readings for the specific little person. Plastic lady with blue dress & yellow hair. Plastic boy in orange. Man with yellow hat. Plastic lady with white hair. Tested with…