In the previous Friday Footnote we learned about the Kentucky FFA toy tractor fundraiser. In working on that Footnote I had the opportunity to delve deeper into the world of toy tractors and toy farm implements. In this Footnote we look at the early days of toy farm implements. Next week we will explore the modern era of toy tractors.
The History of Toy Farm Tractors & Equipment – The Early Days
Wilkins – The Wilkins Toy Company of Keene, New Hampshire was making cast-iron farm toys starting around 1890. Since this was before the tractor age, they manufactured horse drawn agricultural equipment such as the mower in Figure 1. They also made toy trains, steamboats, firefighting equipment, and a variety of wagons. In 1894 the business was sold to Harry Kingsbury who continued making cast iron toys using the Kingsbury name up until World War II when the plant started making rifle bolts for the war effort. After the war, the company never returned to the toy business.
Figure 1. A farm toy made in 1895 by the Wilkins Company in Keene, New Hampshire.
Hubley – Another early toy company was the Hubley Manufacturing Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They were founded in 1894 and started making a variety of toys in 1909. The toys were molded in the foundry in cast iron and then painted. Hubley also made model cars, motorcycles and airplanes. During the 1940s Hubley was the world’s largest manufacturer of cast iron toys. See Figure 2.
Figure 2. Two 1940 era Hubley tractors.
In 1965 Hubley was bought by Gabriel Industries who then sold the toy division in 1978 to CBS Toys who then sold many of the casting dies to Ertl and Scale Models of Dyersville, Iowa. Perhaps the most widely known Hubley toys were the trick dog bank and the trick elephant bank. See Figure 3.
Figure 3. Novelty banks manufactured by Hubley
Arcade – The Arcade Manufacturing Company in Freeport, Illinois was founded in 1885 and produced high quality coffee grinders. In 1908 they entered the toy business making animal toy banks. In 1922 they produced the first toy tractor — the Fordson. It is rumored that the driver on the toy Fordson tractor was Henry Ford himself
Arcade also made plows and trailers to go with the Fordson tractors. The slogan was “Tiny Plows for Tiny Plowmen!” Many Arcade toy tractors were sold by Montgomery Ward and Sears, Roebuck and Company. In 1941 toy production ceased as the company manufactured war products. The company never produced toys again.
Figure 4. Two Arcade Manufacturing Company tractors
Auburn – The Auburn Rubber Company of Auburn, Indiana started making toys in 1935. Prior to this it made tires and other rubber products. The toy line consisted of model cars, toy soldiers, cowboys, farm animals and tractors. The difference between the toy tractors made by Auburn and some other toy companies is that rubber tires were typically used on the tractors. Also, many of the tractors were made of hard rubber instead of cast iron.
The toy line was sold and moved to Deming, New Mexico in 1959. Eventually the Deming plant stopped making toys and the plant in Indiana was sold to Cooper tires.
Figure 5.1950s era Auburn Rubber tractors. The right image is an Allis–Chalmers modeled after the WD 45. It was made of hard rubber. It is not unusual to see an Auburn toy tractor with the driver missing a head because of rough play
Vindex – There really wasn’t a toy company named Vindex but you can find Vindex toy tractors. Huh? The National Sewing Machine Company of Belvidere, Illinois made sewing machines and washing machines and was doing very well until the Great Depression hit.
In order to survive the company started making woodworking equipment for home shops AND cast iron toys. The line of cast iron toys needed a name, so they borrowed the name Vindex from one of their sewing machine brands. The company made cast iron cars, motorcycles and farm toys plus door stops, bookends and other metal objects.
The Vindex toy line specialized in John Deere and Case tractors along with a John Deere combine, grain drill, three-bottom plow, manure spreader and more (See Figure 6). Like other manufacturers the National Sewing Machine Company made goods for the war effort in World War II and never returned to making toys.
Figure 6. A Vindex John Deere “D” made in the 1930s is on the right.
If you can find one to buy, be prepared to spend about $1,000.
Concluding Remarks
If you teach agricultural mechanics and have a unit of instruction about tractors, you might want to spice up your teaching by including the information in this Footnote (plus the material from next week’s Footnote). You could even have a toy tractor show. Just ask your students to bring in a toy tractor they own for show and tell. That could generate some enthusiasm.
If you really wanted to challenge your students, ask them what existed before companies made toy tractors of metal or plastic? A number of farm kids have made wooden toy tractors in the past. Could your students make a toy tractor? That might be a good challenge. There are numerous ideas, kits, and suggestions online for wooden tractors. The Boy Scouts have their PineWood Derby. Perhaps it is time for the FFA to have a “Master Tractor Manufacturer” competition involving students or teams of students.
Brian Burns, a 10-year old Australian boy, made the tractor below in 1943. Could your students do better?
