Toys And Games

The Nylint Corporation was founded in Illinois in 1937. Known today for Nylint toys, the company began in the kitchen utensil market. They went on to manufacture military products during World War II and started to make toys after the war had finished. This move into toys was a practical one as they had the equipment to make pressed steel. These metal products proved very popular from the first wind up toy, called the Amazing Car, which had a pioneering design.

The line was admired for its realistic looking vehicles and Nylint toys were often accurate miniature replicas of real life cars and trucks etc. Other wind up toys followed the Amazing Car, including a front end loader and a motorcycle. The 1950s was the decade of construction toys. Nylint produced durable but affordable construction vehicles. Military replicas were also popular at this time. The company introduced a series based on Ford vehicles, including pick up trucks. During the 1970s and 1980s, the line expanded to Chevy and other types of truck. These pressed steel trucks are still made today.

Classic toys are found at toy fairs, flea markets, on the Internet and in specialist magazines. There is a big demand for the construction line that includes digger trucks, payloaders and trucks with telescoping cranes. An entire building site could be assembled with the addition of jack hammers, cement mixers and bulldozers. There are more unusual Nylint toys available too, such as a ranch truck with matching trailer. Some toy cowboys and steers would make a great play theme for a child. There is also a Safari Hunt set with nine jungle animals.

Even the old Amazing Car and the 1956 street sweeper are still around for collecting. Today’s children, more familiar with sophisticated electronic toys, are often fascinated with toys from the past and get a lot of pleasure from them. Of course, serious collectors wouldn’t dream of letting anyone play with them and would probably display them as a kind of trophy. Whatever the reason for buying, the market in nostalgic toys is set to stay.

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The toy market is a very competitive one and Kenner Products began its enterprise in 1947. They are responsible for some of the most well known toys ever manufactured. Today, Kenner toys are made by Hasbro, who bought the company in 1991. From the early days, the company realized the importance of marketing and advertised on television from 1958.

One of the best selling products appeared in 1966 with the Spirograph drawing toy. It soon became part of the culture and it was a unique product. The various plastic rings, triangles and gears produced patterns of intricate, geometrical symmetry. It was great fun and educational too. There were variations to the original toy, such as a travel edition, a magnetic version and a three dimensional Spirograph.

The 1970s brought another product that caught the imagination of children everywhere. Play-Doh is still popular today and is an impressive Kenner toys success story. The non-toxic, non-staining modeling substance is made from wheat flour, water, a hardening agent and other ingredients. The addition of kerosene gives the toy its distinctive aroma! Play-Doh comes in different colors and tub sizes, keeping pliable if it is kept in its sealed container. Such is the impact of this product; there is a National Play-Doh Day every September.

The most successful companies obtain the rights to popular franchises in addition to marketing their original merchandise. Kenner toys included a range of action figures and accessories for the Star Wars trilogy of films, starting with the original movie from 1977.

Television heroes are also represented in the range. Kenner toys entered a lucrative market with the license for making action figures for the hit show, Six Million Dollar Man. The character of the Bionic Man, aka Steve, was the iconic figure of the decade and the toy came with a bionic arm and the famous bionic grip. His boss, Oscar Goldman also had a figure, as did his enemy, Maskatron. There was also a line for The Bionic Woman, aka Jamie Sommers.

Another popular range was launched in the 1980s, when Kenner made a deal with DC Comics. The Kenner toys known as the Super Powers Collection were based on superheroes such as Superman, Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel. The heroes were joined by villains like Lex Luthor, the Joker, the Penguin and Mr. Freeze.

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