What is National Rubber Ducky Day?
Rubber Ducky Day is January 13th in the United States, according to a 1973 Sesame Street calendar, Rubber Duckie's Birthday is January 13th, so around the world it's National Rubber Ducky Day. Duckie, a friend of Ernie and Big Bird, made his debut in a February 1970 episode.
The rubber ducky (also spelled duckie) has come a long way from his first idea as a chew toy for children. Although the source of the first rubber ducky is uncertain, many rubber molded toys came about when rubber manufacturing began in the late 1800s. They made a variety of toys ranging from dolls to various animal shapes, including the rubber duck.
Landon Smart Lawrence was the first patent for a rubber duck toy in 1928. The toy was so heavy that it returned to an upright position when it tipped it back to an upright position that it had not. The patent's illustration was of a duck.
Rubber was a valuable commodity during World Wars I and II. Rationing became compulsory, and rubber duckies were being made in vinyl and plastic by the 1940s with the introduction of plastic.
Many animal figures were sculptured by Russian Sculptor Peter Ganine, who sculpted many animal figures. He later developed and patented One, a duck, into a floating toy that closely mimics the rubber ducky we're familiar with today. He's a duck.
