Something to note about tin toy cars and the real auto:

An interesting fact among tin toys and particularly tin cars is that many of today's real automobiles use components manufactured by a few of these surviving manufacturers! Who would have ever expected growing up with toy cars is likeness to some of these companies who started out making them?

Over 150 recognized names are listed but many other manufactures have been left out. Excluded are makers of pressed steel toys such as Buddy L, Doepke, Sturditoys and Tonka as they are not really considered light gauge tin cars.

Much of the following information is from various documentations by collectors and other websites of similar toy interest. If you would like to research more, much can be found in many of the toy publications and museums. Of utmost importance is to freely share the knowledge and history of toys and to help cultivate the interest of new and old collectors alike. We appreciate all who have helped and provided the histories in brief and we urge participation by other collectors.

AC Gilbert

• USA

A.C. Gilbert was an accomplished individual, being a medical doctor, magician and a gold medal winner in the 1908 Olympics. The AC Gilbert Company produced and distributed a wide range of toys, some of their own and of other manufacturers. Recognized as the most creative inspiring toys were the Erector Set in 1913 and the acquisition of American Flyer trains in 1937. The earliest known tin vehicles by the company was a U.S. Mail and Ambulance in 1914. The company struggled in the early 1960's and sold off the Erector name to Meccano (not of England, but of Meccano,SA of France). In 1966, Lionel acquired all of American Flyer. However, having a long history with Sears, Roebuck and Co. marketing their products, 1965 was a success with the James Bond series of toys, produced in Japan and under license agreements with Glidrose Productions, Ltd..
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AC Williams

• Founded 1886 by Adam Clark Williams
• Chagrin Falls, Ohio / USA

Toy production actually started in 1893 after a fire made the company move to Ravenna, Ohio USA. They were largely known for cast iron cars and trucks, but a few tin vehicles were produced and very scarce today. The company ended toy production in 1938.
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Alps Shoji Ltd.

• Founded 1948
• Tokyo / Japan

Alps Shoji Ltd., is best known by their mountainous logotype. They were a top tier builder of both battery and mechanical toys throughout the postwar period.

Alps appears to have abandoned toy making in the early 1970's during a transition to consumer and industrial electronics, which they continue to manufacture to this day.
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Arnold

• Founded 1906
• Germany

Founder: Karl Arnold
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Asahi

• Founded 1950
• Tokyo / Japan

Best known by their Santa Claus logotype, Asahi was a major postwar builder of mechanical and battery-operated toys, with particular emphasis on scale-like models of then contemporary vehicles.

Asahi's disposition remains unclear to this day. Also identified as "ATC" on many toys.
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Bandai

• Founded 1950
• Tokyo / Japan

A powerhouse of Japanese toy making, Bandai thrives to this day as Japan's largest and most successful toy maker.

During the postwar period, Bandai specialized in vehicle toys, dominating that segment of the industry for more than twenty years. Also known as 'B' Sign of Quality, toys.
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Bing

• Founded 1863 (toy making in 1880)
• Nuremberg / Germany

Brothers Ignaz and Adolf Bing began the manufacture of metal objects for the home and kitchen. In 1880 they began to make their first toys: success was enormous and in a few years the factory became the most important for toy production in the world. Before the first world war, if one counts the various factories and agencies throughout Europe, the company employed nearly 5,000. The company exported all over the world, but above all to America. In fact the 1929 crisis dealt it a fatal blow, and it foundered.

The factory was acquired in 1932 by Karl Bub. This was the end of the largest toy factory that had ever existed in the world.
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Brimtoy

• Founded 1910
• England

Brimtoy manufactured in collaboration with Bing, numerous toy cars. It was absorbed by A. Wells & Company in 1919 and in 1932, became Wells Brimtoy, Ltd.. Production ceased in 1965.
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Bub

• Founded 1851
• Nuremberg / Germany

Another ingenious toy maker from Nuremberg, Karl Bub produced beautiful tin cars and trains. In 1917, when Carette's factory closed, Bub acquired it. Then in 1932, Bub acquired the remaining assets of the then defunct Bing. The company closed altogether in 1960.
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Cardini

• Founded 1922
• Omegna / Italy

Short lived and closed its doors in 1928. It manufactured only 13 types of toys, of them only three cars, one lorry and a large bus with a chocolate company advertisement. The box that that contained each toy, when opened, became a garage, track, hangar, harbor etc., and was illustrated by a famous draftsman of those years, Attilio Mussini.
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Carette

• Founded 1886
• Nuremberg / Germany

Some may consider Carette as a French manufacturer, however this is only half true. George Carette, a French photographer, opened the factory bearing his name in Nuremberg, Germany and in partnership with Paul Josefsthal. In a matter of a few years the company became famous for its cars, steamships and trains. At the Universal Exhibition of 1893, it presented the first electric train.

When the First World War broke out, George Carette returned to France, production ceased and the factory was not to be re-opened. In 1917, Bub acquired the remaining assets of Carette.
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Chad Valley Co. Ltd.

• Founded 1823
• Harborne / England

Producer of many games and toys. Acquired Burnett Ltd (est. 1914) in 1939. Very few tin cars were produced in the early years (pre-WWII), but some of the popular ones were John Cobb type speed record cars and later a truck lithographed with many of its games advertised on it in 1947. The company existed to 1978.
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Chein

• Founded 1903
• New Jersey / USA

Julius Chein's company was known for producing a wide variety of tin toys but not as much for its cars. The few vehicle toys produced including army and commercial trucks, busses, taxi, touring cars and a few racers. They quit making toys in 1979 but are still in business.
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C.I.J. (Compagnie Industrielle de Jouet)

• Founded early 1900's
• France

A small French factory that produced many toys. It reached commercial success with its reproduction of the Alfa Romeo P2 as seen on the Tin Car Garage background. The popular Alfa Romeo P2 toy was sold from 1924 to 1939 and probably would have continued had in not been for Germany's invasion.
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Citroen

• Founded 1923
• France

The French car manufacturing firm produced many toy cars from 1924 to 1936 and the models were faithful reproductions of the full size cars. Andre Citroen's motto was that all children, after having learned to say "Maman" and " Papa" and then "Citroen".
Most amazing is many of these toys have outlived the real cars!
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CKO

• Founded 1910
• Germany

CKO for Georg Kellermann & Company, produced a wide range of toy cars modeled after real ones. It ceased in 1979 but a Chinese manufacturer in the 1990's has reissued some its toy vehicles.
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Courtland

• Founded 1944
• Camden, New Jersey / USA

Walter Reach started out producing die-cut cardboard toys and turned to tin after the war. In 1947 its sales exceeded 1.5 million dollars, had 600 workers and had moved production to Philadelphia. Production ceased in 1954.
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Cragstan

• Founded 1950's
• New York / USA

A New York based toy marketing and distribution firm which specialized in importing mechanical and battery-operated toys from postwar Japan.
Cragstan was likely the creation of toy industry veterans; the name "Cragstan" is believed to be a combined name of the names of the two company's owners.
Cragstan appears to have operated from the late 1950's through to the late 1960's.
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Daiya

• Founded 1950's
• Tokyo / Japan

An important toy maker from Tokyo, active through the postwar period.
Daiya appears to have been most active from the late 1950's through the early 1970's, after which they disappeared from view.
Daiya's current disposition is unknown, but it is presumed to have succumbed to marketplace pressures of the early 1970's period.
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Distler

• Founded 1900
• Nuremberg / Germany

Founder Johan Distler initially manufactured small 'penny toys', but during the 1930's produced larger toy cars in printed tinplate. Their toy car style of reproducing the real ones varied throughout the years but were of high quality. The factory finally closed its in 1962.
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Eberl

• Founded 1900
• Nuremberg / Germany

Hans Eberl was another craftsman who established himself in the surroundings of good company and competition. The Eberl company specialised above all in lavishly finished cars and some being whimsical. They are scarce today as they were back then as most were produced in limited runs. It closed its doors in 1929.
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Elvin

• Japan importer
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Ficher

• Founded 1899
• Nuremberg / Germany

Heinrich Fischer's company was known for producing refined and carefully colored cars. It struggled to keep its doors open during the American depression and through 1931. It ceased and finally closed its doors in 1932.
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F.S.C.

• Italy

Better known as Siro. In the early years they producing detailed lithographed motorcycles and scooters. Today, some of Siro's tin cars share very similar design, if not, exact to some of the 60's and 70's toy cars from Japan. It is not known if the same designs and patterns are from Japanese tooling.
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Martin Fuchs GmbH & Company

• Founded 1919
• Nuremberg / Germany Ceased toy production in 1982.
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Gama

• Founded 1882
• Nuremberg / Germany

Georg Adam Mangold established Gama and was known for producing a variety of metal playthings. Thru GAMA, the company and name Trix was established in 1938, but was previously known as Vereinigte Spielwarenfabrike Andreas Fortner back to 1925. Gama also is widely known for distribution of other makers toys and in 1971, established, TRIX-Mangold (GAMA).
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GeLy

• Founded 1921
• Nuremberg / Germany
Founded by Georg Levy. Closed in 1971
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Gescha

• Founded 1924
• Germany Known as Gbr. Schmid / Gescha. Existed to 1967
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Girard

• Founded 1906
• Girard, Pennsylvania / USA

C.G. Wood established Girard Metal Works by providing tooling and patterns for Marx and other toy companies. In 1931, Marx had controlling interest. Toy production ended in the mid- 1970's and closed in 1980.
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G & K

• Gundka, Brandenburg / Germany Greppert & Kelch
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GOSO

• Founded 1878
• Germany

Christian Gotz and Sohn (Son). Disposition unknown after 1960.
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Gunthermann

• Founded 1826
• Nuremberg / Germany

In its time, one of the most respected toy manufacturers. During the early automotive years, Gunthermann produced accurate reproduction tin toy cars. Also used the SG logo. The factory was destroyed in World War II.
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Haji

• Founded 1951
• Tokyo / Japan

Also known as Mansei Toy Co. Ltd., Haji was a small Tokyo based toy maker that focused mainly on producing toys in the the vehicle category, but occasionally produced other metal toys as well.

Haji is not known to have produced any toys after the 1960's.
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Hess

• Founded 1826
• Nuremberg / Germany

Founded by Mathias Hess, one of the earliest known toy makers. Long before automobiles existed, Hess produced toy trains without rails. Eventually the automobile came and Hess produced high quality toy versions with lead flywheel motors. It is believed production of toys ceased in 1941.
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Hess Amerada Corp.

• Founded 1964

Not to be confused with the pre-war Hess and tin vehicles but known for offering limited series trucks and vehicles as instant collectables. Early on were involved with Marx.
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Horikawa

• Founded 1959
• Tokyo / Japan

One of the most successful of all postwar Japanese toy makers, yet also one of the least respected by collectors.

Horikawa specialized in robot/astronaut battery operated toys with great marketplace success,

Horikawa has survived to this day as a specialty niche builder of vintage style playthings for the collector market.
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Hubley

• Founded 1892
• Lancaster, Pennsylvania / Germany

Founder John Hubley was well known as a producer of cast iron goods including toys. Hubley cast iron and zinc alloy cars have always been favorites by collectors, but few recognize them for their tin cars, such as the Mr. Magoo comical car in 1961. Some may have been imported from Japan and in 1965 was acquired by Gabriel Industries.
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Huki

• Founded 1907
• Nuremberg / Germany

Founded by Hubert Kienberger
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Ichiko

• Founded 1950's
• Tokyo / Japan

A small Japanese toy maker known mainly for it's vehicle toys.

They currently produce a wide range of mechanical / electrical components, but they are presumed to have stopped toy production in the early 1970's.
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Ideal

• Founded 1940's
• New Jersey / USA

Ideal Toy Company was a New Jersey based toy maker during the postwar period

Ideal was known for a wide variety of products in many different categories.

Ideal later merged with Sawyer's ViewMaster, and was ultimately taken over by Tyco, which itself was consumed by Mattel in recent years.

The Ideal brand name is no longer used.
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Imar

• India
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I.N.G.A.P.

• Founded 1919
• Padua / Italy

(Industry National of Automatic Toys, Padua) - A most recognized Italian manufacturer who produced many types of toys including automobiles, animals, trains and military toys. Considered reasonably priced toys, they reached their peak in the 1930's. The factory was bought out by Eurotoys in 1972.
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IY

• Japan

I.Y. Metal Toys
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Jouet

• Founded 1899
• Paris / France

It became JEP in 1929, after the merging of SIF and JdeP (Jouets de Paris). Jouet produced appealing and quite complex toy cars in the 1930's, especially Delage, Rolls Royce, Talbot, Renault, Hispano Suiza and other great marks of the era. In 1965, the factory closed as the owners pursued other interest. The Jouet name is used by a later company les Jouets Montblanc.
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JML

• France
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JNF

• Founded 1920
• Germany

Josef Neuhierl's company produced quality tin cars with clever operating features. Most were modeled after actual production automobiles. Through the years, their were close relationships with Distler produced toys. JNF is now Carrera.
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Kingsbury

• Founded 1886
• Keene, New Hampshire / USA

The Wilkins Toy Company was purchased by Harry T. Kingsbury but he did not change the name until after World War I. Kingsbury produced many types of heavier gauge cars and trucks, but probably survived the depression in the late 1920's by producing the popular speed record cars. They are still in business but ended toy production in 1942.
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Koh -I- Noor Hardtmuth

• Toy manufacturer of Czechoslovakia
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KW

• Founded 1895
• Nuremberg / Germany

Founder - Wilhelm Krauss. Closed in 1938.
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KY

• Toy manufacturer of the Peoples Republic of China
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Lehmann

• Founded 1881
• Brandebourg / Germany

Ernst Paul Lehmann founder, moved to Nuremberg, Germany in 1951. Known for mass producing, clever, simple and sturdy toys. Still in existence under the LGB name and maker of legendary G-scale trains.
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Lincoln International

• 1960's
• Hong Kong

Logo "Empire Made". Their current disposition is unknown.
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Linemar

• Founded 1950's
• New York / USA

Linemar was the import subsidiary of Louis Marx & Co. Louis Marx was an early adopter of overseas manufacturing and distribution relationships and established Linemar to facilitate the importation of mechanical and battery-operated toys from Japan.

Linemar appears to have been in business from the late 1950's through about 1968, when Marx ostensibly disbanded the organization and assumed corporate responsibility for subsequent imported products.
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Lineol

• Germany

Known for producing quality cast and tin toys and in the 1930's, accurately depicted military vehicles.
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Lupor Metal Products

• New York / USA

Produced economical lithographed friction toys. Disposition unknown. Many similarities to the MARX cars in the late 1940's and 1950's.
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Mamod

• Founded ----
• England

Known for quality, large scale toy vehicles on which many were steam powered.
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Marklin

• Founded 1859 (Produced toys as early as 1840)
• Goppingen / Germany

Initially, Theodor Friedrich Marklin produced scale model trains, most spectacular in quality. Marklin acquired other smaller factories in the area, such as R.G.N. and Lutz. They exist to this day with very highest of standards in toy manufacturing.
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M & L

• Founded 1920
• Paris / France

Short lived Martinan & Larnaude (M & L) produced tin toy cars exclusively up to 1933.
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Marusan

• Founded 1947
• Tokyo / Japan

Best known by their circular "SAN" logo type. The Japanese word “Maru” means circle, thus the mark of SAN in a circle. But the word “San” also means three, which refers to the 3 founders of this company in 1947. Circles along with diamonds were popular logo marks for Japanese companies at that time as evidenced by the many marks we see within a circle or diamond.

The roots of this company began in 1923, when Naokichi Ishida founded Ishida Manufacturing, based in the Tawarachou, region of Asakusa, Tokyo. Their primary business was selling optical toys like toy binoculars, and telescopes. The Asakusa area of Tokyo was home to many toy companies. In 1947 Naokichi Ishida’s sons, Haruyasu Ishida and his younger brother Minoru Ishida, and Yasuo Arai founded MARUSAN in the toy industry. Their business also was mainly selling tin toys and optical toys.

In 1950, the company was formally incorporated as MARUSAN SHOTEN LTD. “Shoten” means company or shop. 1968 brought the unexpected bankruptcy of Marusan due to unique circumstances. However, the bankruptcy of Marusan eventually led to the establishment of two companies: In1969 Minoru Ishida, the president of Marusan Shoten Ltd. and Maruzan Co.,Ltd. rebuilt Marusan as Marusan Co., Ltd. At the same time, Koutaro Ishida, who was a director of these companies and a nephew of Minoru Ishida, built a new company named Bullmark along with two other ex-employees of Marusan, Saburo Ishizuki and Yutaka Shibata. During the 1970s, Marusan eventually moved primarily into the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacture) business of producing toys and parts for others as opposed to producing original brand toys. In support of this strategy, they developed small elaborate gearboxes, which were used for many companies’ products, in 1981.

Marusan founder, Minour Ishida died on December 3, 1987 at the age of 72 and Aiko Ishida was appointed president. The following year manufacturing was begun in China. Marusan now remains one of the survivors of the Japanese toy industry and the best news for tin toy collectors is the announcement that Marusan will once again produce tin toy cars.
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Louis Marx & Co.

• Founded 1919
• New York / USA

Marx toys is by far one of the most recognized, respected and popular names among today's antique toy collectors. The founder of the company, Louis Marx, was born in Brooklyn, NY, in 1896. At the age of sixteen, Marx began working for F. J. Strauss Company, a toy manufacturer that produced items for Abraham & Strauss Department Stores. His energy and enthusiasm helped him to become a manager by the time he was twenty.

In 1919, Marx had a falling out with Strauss. Deciding that it was time to venture out on his own, he established Louis Marx & Co., and set up office at 200 Fifth Avenue, in New York City. Marx started his company with virtually nothing. He had no money, machinery, products, patents, or customers, but what he lacked in resources, he more than made up for in seemingly endless energy and determination. He wasted no time and started contracting with manufacturers to produce toys that he designed.

His brother David decided to join him a couple of years later. Louis had the business, designing, and marketing skills, and David was the man behind the operations. The two of them together would grow to be the world's largest toy manufacturer. A significant factor, which contributed to this success came from two policies set in place from the beginning; "Give the customer more toy for less money" and "Quality is not negotiable". By 1921, they were able to start independently producing toys from their own designs.

Louis Marx was not only a genius at designing toys, but also at marketing them. By offering quality at the lowest price possible, Marx became very popular with toy buyers, and he had virtually no need for salesman or advertising. This popularity caused rapid growth, and by the 1930's, despite the Great Depression, he built three new plants. The first and largest was in Erie, Pennsylvania, the second, which produced toy trains, was in Girard, Pennsylvania, and the third, which produced toy cars, was in Glendale, West Virginia. Marx also produced and distributed toys in England from 1937 to 1967. Marx continued to enjoy steady growth until the start of World War II, when the factories converted for the war effort.

After the war, Marx came back as the world's largest manufacturer of toys, producing mechanical toys, model trains, toy guns, cars, ride-ons, play sets, and doll houses.

The company grew even stronger into the "Golden Era" of the 1950's. By 1955, Marx produced over 20% of all the toys sold in the U.S., and had factories in ten different countries, including Japan, with divisions such as Linemar. Marx also distributed toys produced by manufacturers in Germany, including those from Distler. This may have been pushed upon by toy makers of war damaged countries needing a strong re-start and presence in the US. With sales totaling more than $30 million, and over 5000 different products they were easily the largest toy manufacturer in the world. Marx's success story even made the cover of the December 12, 1955 issue of Time Magazine, where Louis Marx was named "The Toy King". It was there he boasted about his annual advertising budget of $312.00, something he took pride in, and rightfully so.


Marx's marketing strategies included mass production and mass marketing through chain stores, reproducing new toys from basic components and repackaging existing products using television or movie tie-ins. Up until 1959, Marx had resisted the use of a newfangled invention called television to promote his products. After reconsidering, he decided to go after the TV market in a big way. His plan was to reach 27 million kids with a massive television ad campaign of toy commercials over a three-month period, strategically placed during the summer holidays. Exposure to this blitz was estimated to exceed one billion. This exposure prompted Marx to create a company mascot, known to many as Magic Marxie. This campaign helped to make Marx even more of a household name.

Marx continued bringing joy to many children (and some adults too!) right up until the 1970's when he decided that, at age 76, it was time to retire. In 1979, after careful negotiation, Louis Marx sold his massive empire to Quaker Oats for $52 million. Just three years later, Quaker turned around and sold the company to England's Dunbee-Combex, who managed to keep the business afloat until they filed for bankruptcy in 1980. American Plastic Equipment of Florida resurrected the Marx name by acquiring the company's assets in 1982, and intellectual rights in 1988. By that time, the value of Marx toys and play sets had skyrocketed in the collector markets, which in turn triggered a demand for the toys to be reissued. In 1995, a new entity, Marx Toy Corporation*, was formed in Sebring, Ohio. The legacy continues as the new company has begun manufacturing from molds built by Marx as well as other prominent toy companies of the past, hoping to revive some of the earlier magic of Marx. Louis Marx died in 1982 at the age of 85, however his memory long remains in what he has left us.
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Masudaya

• Founded 1924
• Tokyo / Japan

The K.K. Masutoku Toy Factory was a venerable Japanese toy maker whose corporate history dates back three quarters of a century.

Masudaya was a leading builder of mechanical and battery operated toys in the post war period, and unlike most of their competitors, has managed to survive to this day.

Masudaya normally identifies their toys using the M-T, or Modern Toys logo.
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Masuo

• Founded 1950's
• Tokyo / Japan

Masuo, also identified as Masuya, was a small Japanese toy maker best known for their mechanical and friction toys marked with an SM or MS logo type.

Little is known of this company's existence after the 1960's.
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Matarazzo

• Argentina

Identification 'M' for Matarazzo of Industria Argentina.
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Mattel

• Founded 1950's
• California

An American toy maker whose roots extend back to the early 1950's in Hawthorne, California.

Mattel was best known for their Barbie and Hot Wheels lines. They are currently based in El Seundo, California, and they are the largest toy maker in the world.
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Meccano

• Liverpool / England

Founder, Frank Hornby originally produced construction sets, leading to toy train sets and in the 1930's automobile kits could be purchased pre-assembled. Its diversity created the successful Dinky brand of small cast vehicles. The Meccano name lives on under the control of Meccano, SA France.
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Metalgraf

• Milan / Italy

Originally produced tin boxes but were better known for producing quality toy Fiat's during the 1920's and heavier gauge trucks and cars.
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M & K

• Muller & Kadeder
• Nuremberg / Germany
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Marchesini

• Founded 1908
• Italy

Produced tin plate cars under the MLB trademark.
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Naito Shoten

• Founded 1960's
• Tokyo / Japan

Naito Shoten toys are generally marked with the brands AN or AHI, and it is believed that they were a division of or worked closely with Nomura. 'Shoten' means shop.
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Noguchi

• Founded 1960's
• Tokyo / Japan

An obscure Japanese toy maker that is also thought to have been a division of Nomura.

Noguchi was also known as N, and they were best known for their limited line of paddle walking wind up robots and astronauts.
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Nomura

• Founded 1940's
• Tokyo / Japan

Nomura, also known at TN, was one of the biggest and most prolific of all postwar Japanese toy makers. Nomura is believed to have built toys from the late 1940's through the 1970's.

Though their current disposition is unknown, it is believed Nomura transformed itself into a manufacturer of other subject matter. Also of note is some of the TN toys have reappeared with Masudaya.
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Ohta (K)

• Founded 1950's
• Tokyo / Japan

Ohta (K) was a small, short lived Tokyo toymaker that created a small collection of playthings under their own brand, mainly during the late 1950's and early 1960's.

Ohta's current disposition is unknown, but it is presumed to have failed during the 1960's shakeout of the Japanese toy industry.
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Paya

• Founded 1906 (First produced toys in 1902)
• Ibi, Alicante / Spain

It was 1902 when Rafael Paya, the local tinsmith, made his first toy. Four years later Rafael's sons Pascual, Emilio, and Vincente built the first toy factory in Spain. By the 1920's Paya's toys were considered the equal of then great and famous toymakers to the north. Not only was Paya quality the equal of Marklin of Germany, but Paya's colors and imprints were graphically more interesting, precise, and bolder. The 1930's, with Raimundo Paya at the helm, was the time of great expansion. This was when the famous Bugatti race car was made. After the war, in 1946, Paya once again started making toys. In 1985, Lino made the decision to remake all of the classic old litho tinplate toys on a very limited basis. The production of each was limited to 5,000 (or less) worldwide. King Juan Carlos is a collector of these works of art!
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PN

• P. Niedermeir Company
• Germany
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Rico

• Spain
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Rossignal

• Founded 1868
• France

Charles Rossignal established the most important toy factory in France. Initially, production centered on trains and low cost toys, but later specialized in cars and Parisian buses. Especially well known is the reproduction of the 1912 Renault limousine, also known as the Taxi de la Marne. Production ended in 1962.
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Rosko

• Founded 1950's
• Tokyo / Japan

An American toy importer, similar to Cragstan, which specialized in importing Japanese mechanical and battery operated toys.

Rosko appears to have been most active from the late 1950's through the late 1960's after which they disappeared from view. They are best known for their logo type "Rosko Tested Toys".
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SNK (Sankei)

• Founded 1950's
• Tokyo / Japan

SNK, also known as Sankei, was a small time Japanese toy maker.
SNK is best known for their copy (in more than one variation) of Zoomer type robots, but they also manufactured toys of other varieties.
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Sanyo

• Founded 1950's
• Tokyo / Japan

A little known Japanese toy maker that thrived during the 1950's and seemingly vanished thereafter. Primarily a builder of penny toys and other cheap playthings, Sanyo diversified into slightly up market playthings during the 1950's.
Their current disposition is unknown, but they are presumed to have gone under by the 1960's.
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Saxo

• Argentina
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Schuco

• Founded 1912
• Nuremberg / Germany

Founded by Heinrich Muller and Herr Schreyer as Schreyer and Co. and then adopted the Schuco name as its trademark. As a model maker with Bing, the famous toymaker, Muller developed a reputation as a man who could both invent the toy as well as the machinery and tooling to build that toy. A powerhouse of toy production from the 1930's to the 1950's. Schuco toys are legendary for their innovative mechanisms and in longevity play worthiness. Later, the company was sold to numerous times to different owners and new reissues are sold today. The reissues are not worth the value of the original Schuco company toys (pre-war and US Zone). Regardless, they are all works of art, are just as good as the original and being limited, are very collectable.
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SFA

• Paris / France

Society of Fabrication and Assembly (Société de Fabrication et d'assemblage) was founded in 1936 in Montreuil, FRANCE, and closed the doors forever in 1960. The company was one of France's major toy manufacturers.
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Showa

• Founded 1950's
• Tokyo / Japan

A small time subcontractor that worked with a variety of builders, most notably Nomura. Showa's mark can be found on many different toys and packages.
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Siro

• Italy

See F.S.C.
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SSS International

• Japan

Also produced toys under the 'H' logo. Not much more is known of them, however they created tin cars with additional vehicles to play with. The caravan series in the 1950's (both large and small scale) and the truck transporter series in the 1960's were popular toys.
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Stock

• Founded early 1900's
• Solingen / Germany

Founder Walter Stock, mainly produced imaginative cheap toys and toy cars. It closed in 1930.
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Strauss

• Founded 1918
• East Rutherford, New Jersey / USA

Ferdinand Strauss, from Alsace, France was a toy importer in the early 1900's. During the World War I embargo of German toys, Strauss began producing his own. Strauss also employed Louis Marx and continued to produce a variety of wind-up toys until 1942.
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SY

• Founded 1960's
• Tokyo / Japan

SY was a little known brand believed to be related to either N or Yoshiya (KO).
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Taiyo

• Tokyo / Japan

Also known as Taijo Kogyo Company
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Technofix

• Founded (toy mfg.) early 1950's
• Nuremberg / Germany

The founder, Gebruder Einfalt, was engaged in German military technology during WW II. After the war, Technofix diverted to tin toy manufacturing. In the late 1950's, vacuum formed plastic took the place of tin and as a result, quality declined and sales dropped. Later, many Technofix toys carried the Ohio Art trademark.
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Tekno

• Founded late 1920's
• Denmark

Originally produced very high quality tin plate vehicles that rivaled the best of Germany's. During the WWII, restrictions had forced Tekno to quite using tin and changed to produce vehicles in diecast. The company ended in 1972.
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Tipp & Co.

• Founded 1912
• Nuremberg / Germany

Founded in 1912, it was acquired by Philip Ullmann in 1919 and was to become famous in the Thirties for its enormous toy cars made of tinplate. Identifiable with its trademark TCO. With the rise of the Nazi's, Ullmann fled to England where he founded Mettoy (1933 to 1983), now known as Corgitoys.
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Tomiyama

• Japan
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Toschi

• Italy

Best known among collectors for producing toy car replicas for the Ferrari factory.
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TPS

• Founded 1956
• Tokyo / Japan

Toplay Ltd, also known as Tokyo Playthings Ltd., are best known by their "three fingers" logo type and initials. They were a third tier manufacturer, and TPS was most active in the late 1950's and early 1960's focusing mainly on the younger child's market segments and creating toys with colorful lithography.

The company's current disposition is unknown, but they were assumed to have vanished during the market glut in the early 1970's.
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Tri-ang

• Founded 1919
• Merton (near London) / England

Tri-ang is the trademark by the three Lines Brothers, Ltd. who left a family toy making business to became a giant British toy maker. Besides their well known John Cobb Napier Railton and Goldie Gardner's MG tin record racers, the Lines brothers established Scalex, Scalextric, Startex, Minix, Minic and large scale ride-on cars.
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Unique Art Mfg. Co.

• Founded 1916
• Newark, New Jersey / USA

Pre and post WWII, produced a wide range of entertaining mechanical tin toys and vehicles.
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Waco

• Founded 1950's
• Tokyo / Japan

Waco is another enigmatic Tokyo based toy maker whose products represent the only information known about them.
Waco released only a handful of toys during a short run that spanned the decade transition from the 1950's to the 1960's.
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Wuco

• Founded 1906
• Germany

Name derived from Fritz Wunnerlein & Company. Produced various types of tin vehicles that were less detailed than other German toy makers and probably lower cost. No further information is known of Wuco after 1960.
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Wyandotte Toys

• Founded 1921
• Michigan / USA

Wyandotte toys, also known as All Metal Products Company, was founded in the fall of 1921.

The company emphasized the use of mass production techniques and cheap raw materials, such as scrap metal from the auto industry, to manufacture high quality toys.

During their first decade in business, they focused mainly on producing toy pistols and rifles. Their slogan for that period was “Every Boy Wants a Pop Gun”.

By 1929, they were the world’s largest manufacturer of toy guns. At that point they decided to stop producing air rifles, but continued with the rest of their diversified line of toy guns which included pop guns, clicker pistols, water pistols, dart guns and pistols, cap guns, and a variety of plastic pistols.

Near the end of their first decade in business, the company decided it was time to reinvent themselves. By diversifying their product lines to include a handful of girls toys including doll buggies, musical toys, games, and wagons, as well as adding a wide range of cars, trucks, and planes, they were able to greatly expand their consumer base. This was a move which helped them to become even more famous. At this point, they decided to change their slogan to “Wyandotte Toys are Good and Safe”.

Their simply built, streamlined, art deco steel cars and trucks were unmistakable. Through the years they built heavier gauge steel cars, distinguished by their baked enamel finish, and wooden wheels, they were designed to withstand the rigors of almost any young child’s endless playing, as evidenced by the condition of the many Wyandotte toys treasured by today's collectors. Tin cars produced by the company are more rare and very few exist today. Things were developing nicely for the company, and it continued to grow. In 1936, they added lithographed novelty toys. In 1937, they introduced spring-driven motors to propel some of their vehicles. This in turn led to a wider range of wind-up and lever-action novelty toys.

Then came World War II, and things changed. Because of the shortage of steel for manufacturing, the company turned to producing toys out of wood and die-cut cardboard, in a “build-your-own” play set format. They also contributed greatly to the war effort by producing clips for the M-1 rifle. After the war, the company moved to Piqua, Ohio. In another attempt to diversify, the company bought Hafner trains, a company that manufactured clockwork toy trains. In 1948, they began producing die-cast and hard-molded plastic toys, in order to compete in the dime store and bargain basement markets.

The 1950’s brought on a new set of challenges for the company. Steel shortages and high labor costs made it difficult to compete in a rapidly changing marketplace. No longer able to adapt, the company went bankrupt in 1956.
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Yonezawa

• Founded 1950's
• Tokyo / Japan

Also known as Y, or Yone, Yonezawa was one of the biggest and certainly the most creative of all postwar Japanese toy makers. Other Yonezawa toys are labeled under STS, possibly an importer.

Yonezawa was a prodigious toy maker indeed, responsible for literally thousands of different battery operated and mechanical toys in all categories from the early 1950's through the early 1970's.

Their current disposition is unclear, but Yonezawa is believed to have transformed itself into a builder of industrial electronics, though this is unconfirmed.
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