Tootsie toys
Encyclopedia
TootsieToy is a manufacturer of die cast toy cars and other toy vehicles. The TootsieToy brand has its origins in a range of miniature cars in the form of charms, pins, cuff links and the like, introduced circa 1901 by the Chicago
based Dowst Brothers company. The first actual model car from the company was a 1911 closed limousine which was followed by a 1915 Ford Model T
open tourer. By the early 1920s the name 'tootsie' was being used as a brand name and "Tootsietoy" was registered as a trade mark in 1924. The 'Tootsie' moniker apparently came from one of the Dowst Brothers' granddaughters, whose name was "Toots". Tootsie toys are produced in Chicago, and were also previously produced in nearby areas such as Rockford, Illinois
.
Tootsietoy also made metal prizes for Cracker Jack
boxes.
Many TootsieToy cars are still made from a die cast mold, with a solid metal axle connecting the wheels to the metal body. Tootise toys, which is now owned by J. Lloyd International, Inc. and still based in Chicago, makes about 40 million cars per year.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
based Dowst Brothers company. The first actual model car from the company was a 1911 closed limousine which was followed by a 1915 Ford Model T
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
open tourer. By the early 1920s the name 'tootsie' was being used as a brand name and "Tootsietoy" was registered as a trade mark in 1924. The 'Tootsie' moniker apparently came from one of the Dowst Brothers' granddaughters, whose name was "Toots". Tootsie toys are produced in Chicago, and were also previously produced in nearby areas such as Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
.
Tootsietoy also made metal prizes for Cracker Jack
Cracker Jack
Cracker Jack is a U.S. brand of snack consisting of strong molasses flavored candy-coated popcorn and peanuts, well known for being packaged with a prize of nominal value inside. Some food historians consider it the first junk food...
boxes.
Many TootsieToy cars are still made from a die cast mold, with a solid metal axle connecting the wheels to the metal body. Tootise toys, which is now owned by J. Lloyd International, Inc. and still based in Chicago, makes about 40 million cars per year.
External links
- Official site
- www.tootsietoys.info Pre-war Tootsietoy history by Clint Seeley, edited and re-published online by Robert Newson.