Merkur refers to a metal construction set

Construction set

A construction set is a set of standardized pieces that allow for the construction of a variety of different models. The pieces avoid the lead time of manufacturing custom pieces, and of requiring special training or design time to construct complex systems...

 built in Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...

 (later the Czech Republic

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

). It was also referred to as Constructo or Build-o in English-speaking countries and Tecc in the Netherlands.

Unlike Erector

Erector Set

Erector Set is the trade name of a toy construction set that is popular in the United States.It consists of collections of small metal beams with regular holes for nuts, bolts, screws, and mechanical parts such as pulleys, gears, and small electric motors.The brand name is currently used for...

, Meccano

Meccano

Meccano is a model construction system comprising re-usable metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles and gears, with nuts and bolts to connect the pieces. It enables the building of working models and mechanical devices....

, Märklin

Märklin

Gebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH or Märklin is a German toy company. The company was founded in 1859 and is based at Göppingen in Baden-Wurttemberg. Although it originally specialised in doll house accessories, today it is best known for model railways and technical toys...

, and Temsi, which were based on Imperial measurements, Merkur used metric.

It was begun in 1920 and ran until 1940 when World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 put a halt to production. It was resumed in 1947. The private company was closed down and its assets nationalised by the Communist Czechoslovak state in 1953. The Merkur toys were made throughout the communist period and were exported all over Europe. The company was privatized by some of the former employees after 1989, but went into insolvency in 1993. Later on, Jaromír Kříž bought out the company and spent the next three years getting it back into full production.

In 1961, Otto Wichterle

Otto Wichterle

Otto Wichterle was a Czech chemist, best known for his invention of modern soft contact lenses.-Biography:His father Karel was co-owner of a successful farm-machine factory and small car plant but Otto chose science for his career...

 used Merkur based apparatus for experimental production of first soft contact lenses.

Merkur also produces metal O scale

O scale

O scale is a scale commonly used for toy trains and model railroading. Originally introduced by German toy manufacturer Märklin around 1900, by the 1930s three-rail alternating current O gauge was the most common model railroad scale in the United States and remained so until the early 1960s...

model trains.

External links

• Official website
• M! Incredible, Merkur distributor
• JM Import, Merkur dealer in Canada
• Smart-Toys, Merkur dealer in Canada
• Merkur, Merkur dealer in the United Kingdom