This was a kit sold for children 12 and up, which let them create metal soldiers and other figures. The kit included a crucible, a heating unit, and lead ingots that you would melt in the crucible, to then pour the molten lead into molds.
I assume you could then paint the resulting figures, if you wanted.
Here is a photo showing those components. The crucible and electric heater are on the right. I suppose(?) you would file or trim away the flashing and pour-funnel from the final cast figure, but this photo shows the result straight out of the molds.
Ages 12 and up.
And 50 years later, we got Trump.
Don’t forget lead gasoline of course!
Seriously, though. A lot of what’s wrong with US politics is traceable to leaded gasoline exposure in childhood. It hit the Boomers worst – while earlier generations had grown up with leaded gas, they had less of it because cars weren’t as popular and widespread back then. Generations after the Boomers had the benefit of leaded gas being phased out and banned. But the Boomers grew up during peak leaded gas times, when we were still using it in every car and there were more cars being driven more than ever before.
Seriously … look at the symptoms of childhood lead exposure, especially as it relates to the victims when they begin to age. It’s like a perfect checklist of modern conservatism.