Tin Toys History & auctions

Welcome to Fabulous Tin Toys! On-line resource on vintage toys.

Find lots of info on manufactures and search easily through auctions in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia & Belgium!

For example, if you're looking for a 'Louis Marx' toy, click on 'M - P ' and find Marx in the manufactures list. Have fun!

History of tin toys

In the early 19th century, pedlars and street traders sold cheap toys carved from a single piece of wood, mainly produced by rural craftsmen or in small backstreet factories and sweatshops.

In the late 19th century these toys were replaced by even cheaper toys stamped out of tinplate which were exported from Germany. Many of the toys were clockwork and were developed as a sideline of watchmaking. They were originally made in the 1830s for the amusement of adults.

Much of the tinplate trade was based in Nürnberg and companies such as Bing and Issmayer began production there in the 1860s.

There were three main methods of printing designs onto tinplate:

directly from a lithographic stone
transfer printing with paper
offset lithography using a rubber roller

The range of tinplate toys was varied and included penny toys as well as more expensive lithographed models.

Germany

In the early years of the 20th century, Germany was the leading producer of tin toys. German tin toys were innovative and well made and they dominated the market up to the outbreak of World War II.

Once the toy industry was (back) in full production, Japan assumed the lead and began to control the market with the addition of many new novelties. Not just wind-up and friction driven, some Japanese tin toys were powered by batteries and able to provide flashing lights and sounds. In the 1950's and early 1960's, the Japanese had flooded the market with many appealingly designed tin toys and a large percentage of them were aimed at the USA with items familiar to Americans. But despite tin toy popularity in the post-war era, tin toy manufacturing was faced with increasing difficulties. They included changing consumer demands, new safety regulations and competition from plastic toy makers. By the 1970's, Japan had reduced the tin toy output so dramatically that many factories had ceased production altogether. Examples of German tin toy producers: Lehmann, Marx, Bing, Gunthermann, Tipp & Co, Schuco and Levy.

Japan

The word 'Buriki' which means tin plate in Japanese, has originally derived from the Dutch word 'blik' (tin toys in Dutch is 'blikken speelgoed') meaning 'tinned iron'. In Germany, it's called 'blechspielzeug'. Until Mid 1870's, most of the imported tin plates were used for the production of oil cans. When Japanese companies noticed the enormous popularity of imported tin plate toys, they began to produce them themselves. While German craftsman specialized in highly artistic ornamental toys that include trains and boats, Japanese crafted conventional tin plate toys such as rattles, a toy Jinrikisha (a rick shaw) and so on.

Initially, toy business in Japan was sluggish. After the Sino-Japanese war of 1894, the business started picking up. Introduction of printing machines for the tin plate and technology of clockwork from Germany accelerated Japan's tin toy industry. Eventually Japan became the tin toy producing center, leaving behind Germany which was totally devasted by the First World War.

The political uncertainty since 1938 had a devastating effect on the tin toy business. Many toy manufactures closed down. The Second World War broke out and effected the industry. Actually 1947 was the year when luck finally turned to Japan's favour. Under the American occupation, tin plate toy industry was granted a right to resume its operation and to export. In 1948, friction toys such as trains, fire engine trucks and automobiles emerged. Around 1955, electronic toys took over friction and wind-up toys. In the year of 1963, about 60% of the exported toys in Japan were made out of tin plate.

Unfortunately, this trend only remained untill the mid 60's. The tin plate toys gradually disappeared as plastic and superalloy toys emerged. Examples of Japanese manufactures are Marusan, Masudaya, Nomura (TN), Yoshiya (Kobe Yoko or KO), Masuya (SM), Bandai, Sankei (NK), Horikawa and Yonezawa (Yone).

China

China began to produce tin toys in the early 20's. They were primitive and poorly made. After the decline of Japanese tin toy manufacturing, China assumed the role of the leading tin toy maker in the world. Early Chinese toys were noted for their cheap prices, which often reflected in their quality. Nowadays they are made to a much higher standard, yet retain the edge of being very affordable. China produces a very wide range of reproduction tin toys with new ones being continually introduced to the market each year.