Above: Find unique, handmade wooden toys at Tucker Woodshop toys. Photograph by Inga Hendrickson.
NO PAINT, NO PLASTIC, NO BATTERIES, NO STAIN. That is Edmund Tucker’s mantra as he cuts, carves, sands, and polishes an array of common and exotic woods to create Tucker Woodshop toys. Although his three kids serve as official product testers, these playthings aren’t just for children. His articulated, gender-neutral dolls ($260), daring double-sided puzzles, and rainbow of magic wands will enchant even the most grinchy among us. “These are toys the way they used to be made—one at a time, by hand, and finished with all-natural mineral oil and beeswax,” he says. “I love making the dolls the most. It’s really gratifying to walk to the workshop, choose the wood, and have them come to life in my hands.”