In 1921 Brooklyn native Louis Marx entered the world of toy manufacturing with a rented factory and two used tinplate clockwork dies. By the end of his first year in business his Alabama Minstrel Dancer and Zippo the Climbing Monkey had sold over 8 million each, a success that he followed with the Lumars whistling yo-yo which reached sales over 100 million by the end of the decade.
Through mass-production and using tooling from previously successful toys, Marx was able to create a high quality product at a low price. Contrary to the claim of his competitors, who referred to him as “cheap,” Marx had hit on a wining formula and by the 1950s he would become the largest toy manufacturer in the world with his simple, durable and affordable line of toys.
Unlike many companies, Marx & Company saw expansion and success during the years of the Great Depression. While others struggled to stay afloat, Marx secured a lucrative contract with Woods-Girard to produce all of their toys and trains and opened three new factories.
Collectors watch for his 1920s and 1930s tin windup cars and characters. Of particular interest are his “Popeye the Champ” with celluloid Popeye and Bluto, the first year issue of “Merry Makers Mouse Band” and the 1935 “Fireman on a Ladder” which when activated would actually move his legs and climb up and down the rungs. Each of these, in mint condition, can bring $250-$300 at a specialized toy auction.
The war years of the 1940s limited the use of metals in toy manufacturing and Marx rose to the challenge with plastic wind-ups in the form of Disney characters, cowboys and robots. One of the Marx signature pieces, a metal lithographed doll house with plastic furniture, would also come out of the 1940s. These were an instant hit, with sales reaching over 150,000 by the end of the decade.
In the early 1950s Marx introduced their famous boxed “play sets” through the Sears and Roebucks and Montgomery Wards catalogs and at Woolworths. These sets, which included plastic figures and accessories, remained a mainstay through the 1960s and were based on dozens of themes including popular TV shows of the day like Gunsmoke, Zorro, Roy Rogers and the Lone Ranger and historical events like the Revolutionary War and the Battle of Little Big Horn.
In the 1960s America entered the Space Race and Marx kept stride with toys like the “Space Ranger orbiting Space Station” and the “Johnny Apollo” series. After an already successful decade Marx knocked it out of the park in 1969 with the introduction of the “Big Wheel.” Considered by parents to be safer than a metal tricycle and made of molded plastic so it was nearly indestructible, it would eventually be inducted into The National Toy Hall of Fame.
A rash of fakes hit the market in the 1980s. Make certain to check the “Marx” trademark if you suspect a toy is a reproduction. Marked original metal-litho toys are pre-1970 and will always contain the words, “Made in the United States of America.” Marx did not mark all of their metal toys, so the absence of a trademark may not indicate that it is not authentic. Under a black light the ink on new tin toys often glows, especially white and red. Ink used before 1960 rarely will do this, and there are virtually no inks used before 1940 that glow.
Common sense goes a long way in determining authenticity. Most toys have been heavily played with making mint condition finds rare. If you are looking at a 60 year old toy without a scrape or dent, it is most likely a reproduction. Until next time . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com
