André Cassagnes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
André Cassagnes
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| Born | September 23, 1926 |
| Died | January 16, 2013 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | French |
| Known for | Etch A Sketch |
André Cassagnes (born September 23, 1926 – died January 16, 2013) was a French inventor. He was also an electrician, a toy maker, and a designer of kites. Cassagnes is most famous for inventing the Etch A Sketch. This popular drawing toy has been made since 2016 by Spin Master. Before that, the Ohio Art Company made it.
Contents
Early Life and the Big Idea
André Cassagnes was born near Paris, France, on September 23, 1926. His parents owned a bakery. As a teenager, André worked there. But he was allergic to flour. This meant he had to find a different job.
He became an electrician for a company called Lincrusta. This company made covers for picture frames. They used a special aluminum powder for these covers.
How the Etch A Sketch Was Born
One day, André was installing a light switch plate. The plate was wrapped in a clear plastic cover. He took off the cover and wrote on it with a pencil. He quickly saw that his drawing appeared on the other side of the plastic.
This discovery gave him an idea. Cassagnes started working on his new invention. This led to the very first Etch A Sketch. He called his invention L'Ecran Magique. This means "the Magic Screen" in French.
The Magic Screen Goes Public
The toy was first shown in 1959. This happened at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair. The fair was in Nuremberg, Germany. Later, Cassagnes worked with an American company. This was the Ohio Art Company. Together, they made the Etch A Sketch into the toy we know today.
The Ohio Art Company launched the Etch A Sketch in the United States. This happened during the 1960 holiday season.
More Inventions and Hobbies
André Cassagnes was also a well-known kite designer. He was an inventor in France. Designing kites was his main job, but it was also his hobby. In the 1980s, he focused on making unique kites. These kites could be put together in different ways.
A magazine called Kite Lines wrote about him in 1992. They called him "the most famous kitemaker in France." He also invented other mechanical games. One was called the Teleguide. It helped guide metal cars onto a track. Another was the SkeDoodle. This toy let users draw pictures on a globe-shaped screen.
Later Life
André Cassagnes passed away in a suburb of Paris. He died on January 16, 2013. He was 86 years old. The Toy Industry Association (TIA) shared this news. He was survived by his wife, Renée, and their three children.
See also
In Spanish: André Cassagnes para niños
