The first Schylling toy: a mechanical flying bird imported from France, similar to the one Harvard grad and Massachusetts resident Jack Schylling spotted in Harvard Square. He founded the Rowley-based company in 1975 and though a lot has changed in those decades — today, along with continuing to import toys, half of Schylling's shelves are stocked with originals designed in-house — one thing has stayed the same. Timeless, retro-inspired toys with a nostalgic feel have stayed Schylling's specialty, from Jack in the Boxes to porcelain tea sets to collectors' tin toys.