History of Rubber Ducks
The origin of rubber ducks is unknown as well as the idea and inspiration for their manufacturing. However, considering that they are made of rubber the history of rubber ducks is inevitably connected with the emergence of rubber and first rubber factories in the early 19th century. The first rubber ducks were made of harder rubber and did not feature a squeaker , while today's best known and most popular yellow rubber duck in a sitting pose was made popular by Jim Henson's Sesame Street's character Ernie in the 1970's. Ernie frequently spoke to his rubber duck and carried it with him, while the song “Rubber Duckie” Ernie sung on Sesame Street reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970.
Since the 1970's yellow rubber ducks became one of the most desirable children's toys throughout the world, while manufacturers today offer a great variety of different sizes, shapes, designs and colors of rubber ducks. However, already for some period rubber ducks are not only serving as children's floating toys but also an object of collection. The 2006 Guinness World Records also enlisted the world's largest rubber ducks collection which numbered 2,583 unique rubber ducks.
Besides children and few rubber ducks enthusiasts who collect the toys, over the years rubber ducks became also a popular bathroom decoration for many adults worldwide, while the Sun, British tabloid newspaper “put a smile on millions of faces” when it published in 2001 that British Queen Elizabeth II has a rubber duck in her bathroom.