Small Wonders -- Seventy Years of Mercedes-Benz Tin Toys
Article and photos by Philippe de Lespinay
Many Mercedes-Benz owners enjoy collecting other objects related to the marque, such as original artwork, advertising materials, and models or miniatures of their favorite – or most-desired – examples of the marque. Models in various scales, often very precise and offering exceptional detail, are particularly popular for their decorative and informative characteristics, though generally with little likelihood of ever becoming true collectibles.
Often confused with these models of recent manufacture, there is another category of Mercedes-Benz automobile replicas that were originally designed to be children’s toys. Produced from the beginning of automotive manufacturing and reaching their production peak in the late 1950s – then falling out of favor by the early 1970s – these rare and attractive objects are reaching star status at auction houses, with their values continuing to appreciate.
The earliest Mercedes-Benz toys were manufactured by well-established German companies and generally made from tinplate stampings. Loosely resembling limousines or touring models, the toys were available in sizes from 8.5 to 16 inches. After World War I, these toys became more faithful to the originals, and by the 1930s, lead- and zinc-alloy die-casting was introduced, allowing smaller and less expensive versions to be produced. Production of these toys continued right through the beginning of World War II, with military versions replacing the earlier civilian models.
With many toy factories in Germany destroyed during WWII, production slowed, allowing new companies in Japan, France, and Spain to enter the market. These postwar toys not only had very fine detail, but were often fitted with complex mechanical or electrically powered operating mechanisms, allowing more varied play. Replicas of both classic competitive Mercedes-Benz cars and the new sedans and sports cars being introduced in the 1950s were popular.
Entering the 1960s, injected plastic material began replacing pressed sheet-steel, allowing greater detail, but also losing the charm that made the earlier tin toys so desirable. As the years passed, the W113 Pagoda became a subject of choice, especially from Japan. By 1968, Japan had effectively taken over the toy-car market after virtually forcing most German companies out of business through aggressive pricing while supplying toys of good quality and esthetic appeal.
However, as the 1970s began, ugly plastic accessories began replacing metal detail parts, and then vacuum-plated plastic simply killed the look of the newer toys – and consequently, demand for them – along with the companies that made them. European entrepreneurs are now commissioning their products’ manufacture in China to fill demand for automobile toys. Although a good variety of models is available, the huge quantities in which they’re being produced and the lackluster colors – no more lead in paint for safety reasons, of course – means they simply don’t have the soul of the older toys, and hence, any appeal to art collectors.
In future articles, we’ll explore this interesting facet of our hobby in more depth, examining interesting product examples from some of the major companies that once dominated this market.
Illustrations:
Open Red Town Car: 1904 Mercedes toy by George Carette & Co. (Germany), which was one of the dominant automobile toy makers between 1900 and 1914. This model resembles a 1902 road version of the 40HP racing model; all tinplate construction, length 13 inches, wind-up mechanism and real glass windshield. Tin figures are hand painted. This very popular toy was named “Number 50” in the catalog and was printed on the radiator grille, likely to commemorate a racing win by the real car wearing that number.
Blue racer No. 2: Schreyer & Co. was established in 1912 by Heinrich Schreyer and his partner Heinrich M¸ller; in 1921, the company’s name changed to Schuco. One of the world’s greatest classic toys, this Mercedes-Benz W25 issued by the company in 1934 was produced for 60 years. Available in many colors, its sturdy box contained the car and tools for children to tinker with the complex toy – its wheels, retained with two-prong knockoffs, were removable. A crank could be used to wind it up, or a rubberized wheel under the chassis could do the job in case the key was lost. The steering works and the toy is fitted with a working differential. Many American children played with these – available in most toy shops in the 1950s – and might have been influenced by their quality to later consider purchasing the real thing. Length 6.5 inches.
White and red No. 2: Since the 1880s, the Japanese toy industry was mostly oriented on exporting their tinplate toys, often copied from German models, as is the case for this 1938 Mercedes-Benz W154 by an unknown manufacturer from the land of the rising sun. The original toy was manufactured in Nuremberg by Distler. This cheap, non-motorized pull toy is very charming. Length 4.5 inches.
Silver 300 on base: The German Kollner company manufactured some of the most beautiful automotive toys ever, virtual automotive jewelry for children. Under the Prameta brand, its first postwar model was this 7.5-inch-long model of a 1951 Mercedes-Benz 300. The body is nickel plated with painted windows. The chassis and internals are made of zinc castings, sporting a very complex inner mechanism allowing the car to run from its strong windup motor in different patterns, from figure-8 to an Indy-like “squared” oval motion. The front searchlight also actuates the turn signals. The toy exudes quality and was available until the mid-1950s when the company was taken over by Postell, another German toymaker. These toys were so popular that they are not too difficult to find today, albeit at a price.
Red 190SL: This cute 190SL was also a very popular toy both in Europe and the United States. This charming die-cast model was part of a “Micro Racer” series by Schuco, in which there are two more Mercedes-Benz models. The car is propelled by a strong windup motor and is controlled with a brake and an adjustable steering wheel. Length 5.5 inches.
Green 220S cabrio: One of the greatest Schuco toys is this 11-inch painted tinplate 1958 Mercedes-Benz 220S convertible, called “Hydro.” It is battery powered – with batteries inside the trunk – that has a push-button lock identical to that of its full-size brothers. The shifter on the steering column and a working hydraulic automatic-clutch mechanism control the car. Does that sound like a Hydrak preselector transmission