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Tin Toy Collection

Tinplate was used in the manufacture of toys beginning in the mid-19th century. The invention of sheet metal stamping machines in 1815 allowed for the mass production of inexpensive toys. Tin toys were made from thin sheets of steel plated with tin, hence the name tinplate. Tin toys were a cheap and durable substitute for wooden toys. The toys were originally assembled and painted by hand. Spring-activated tin toys originated in Germany in the 1850s.  Production of tin toys in the United States started earlier but began in earnest when tin ore mines were opened in Illinois providing easily available and cheap raw materials. A number of manufactures scrambled to catch up in the beginning of the 20th century, but it wasn't until after World War I, with anti-German sentiment high, that they began to make real gains. There was a growing demand for American produced products and by the 1920s American firms had overtaken the competition. The largest and most successful firm from the 1920s to the 1960s was Louis Marx and Company

Puzzletree

778.859.4442  

Unit 161 Rivershore Complex, 628 East Kent Avenue S, Vancouver, Canada

Saturdays 11:30 AM-5:00 p.m. OR BY APPOINTMENT Monday to Friday,  

Please get in touch with us for movie prop leasing.  

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