Democratization of the furniture

The Denver-based company teamed up with publisher Scott Foresman, the company that holds the license to Dick and Jane.

The collection, dubbed the Pickett Fence Series, features 18 different, hand-painted pieces, including beds, bookcases, table and chair sets and vintage metal school desks, and the initial rollout highlights 58 images from 1940s and 1950s books. The vintage pieces are limited editions and came from the Denver school system.

The furniture, from the Little Colorado line, is made of pine with medium-density fiberboard tops for easy painting. Color palettes and designs are reminiscent of the 1940s and 1950s.

“The concept to integrate Dick and Jane came to me as I was thumbing through my father’s collection from the ’30s,” said Jayme Mansfield, owner and president of Piggy Toes.

Sanrio’s Hello Kitty, a fixture for 30 years, continues to be a hot commodity.

A desk and chair set is priced to retail for about $500, and the vintage school table with four chairs will retail for $1,800. Toddler beds will retail at $500.

Manhattan Toy is bringing the Dr. Seuss’ characters to life with a new line of plush toys, including puppets. Two years to develop, characters include Horton, the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, Thidwick, the big-hearted moose, and Gertrude McFuzz.

“We took the time to make sure that our designs interpreted these classic characters in all of their wondrous, quirky, humorous glory,” said Mike Klein, vice president of sales and marketing for the toy maker. “We are working with literary treasures here, so we took great pains and pleasure in getting them right.”

Universal Studios is revitalizing Curious George in celebration of his 60th birthday with a barrage of promotions and new licensees, including Applause for a new plush and collectible line.

The mischievous monkey’s likeness will find its way onto plush toys in a variety of sizes, mugs, figurines, picture frames, snow globes, character banks and other items manufactured by Applause’s Dakin division. The product line, geared toward specialty and mass market retailers, will hit store shelves in April.

The creation of authors Margaret and H.A. Rey, Curious George was born from a line of educational children’s books.

The licensing agreement spans three years, and includes Universal’s other popular properties like Chilly Willy the penguin, and Woody Woodpecker.

“Applause understands the value of Curious George, and the role he plays in the lives of children,” said Tim Rothwell, senior vice president of merchandising and marketing. “We selected Applause because of their outstanding quality and attention to detail.”