It may have risen to state-side popularity in the psychedelic sixties, but did you know that the Etch-A-Sketch first appeared in France during the late 1950s? Created by Frenchman Arthur Granjean, who dubbed it "L'Ecran Magique," the toy also cropped up in England under the name "DoodleMaster Magic Screen."

But it wasn't until the shake-and-erase drawing toy was unveiled at the 1959 International Toy Fair in Nuremburg, Germany that it became known as the Etch-A-Sketch. The Ohio Toy Company gave the toy its new moniker, after buying the rights to the nifty invention.

It was first marketed in the United States in July 1960. And even at 40-something, the magically magnetic plaything shows no signs of wear and tear. With very few revisions since its debut, the Etch-A-Sketch has been a constant source of art and entertainment for generations. In 1998, it took its rightful place as an inductee to The National Toy Hall of Fame.With several contests seeking Etch-A-Sketch artists and many galleries exhibiting the unique designs of master Sketchers, the toy seems to reinvent itself faster than you can shake-and-erase.