Structo, Tonka, and Buddy L

Nostalgia is often the inspiration for a collection. Most toy collectors have fond memories of hours of playtime spent with their Structo, Tonka, or Buddy L trucks. Here are some time lines to help you figure out when your toys may have been made:

STRUCTO

• 1908: Structo Toy Company was formed in Freeport, Illinois



Early Structo

• 1915: Model Building Sets (the original Erector Sets) - These extremely successful engineering kits were designed as an educational toy. Kids could start out making simple structures and work their way up to complicated, intricate bridges and buildings.
• 1918: The Ready Built Line was introduced; it included steel cars, trucks, tractors, and other vehicles.
• 1923: We first see model-kit toy vehicles such as the Model T, which came with shifting gears and a real hand crank.
• 1932: The mechanized toy line was changed over to a stamped steel push toy line - these were more affordable during the hard times of the 30’s.
• 1942: Structo converted to war production and made shells, armor, and storage tanks.
• 1945: Structo built a new production line that produced toys with rubber wheels, opening hoods, and headlight details. These post-WWII toys were usually painted bright, cheerful colors.
• 1975: Structo was purchased by the Ertl Company, best known for their plastic model kits of tractors, plows, and other farm equipment.

Tonka

TONKA

• 1946: Mound Metalcraft started in Mound, Minnesota with the intention of producing garden tools. The former inhabitant of their building had attempted to make miniature metal toy vehicles but had failed and closed. The founders decided to make a little money on the side and started producing a steam shovel and a crane. The first year they sold 37,000 units.
• 1949: The Tonka dump truck is introduced.
• 1955: Mound Metalcraft changed their name to Tonka Toys, Inc. (Tonka is a Dakota-Sioux word meaning “big” or “great”) and moved into a new manufacturing facility to accommodate the increasing demand for their product.
• 1963: The Mini Tonka series was launched.
• 1964: We first see the Mighty Tonka dump truck which launched the very successful Mighty Tonka series. These are extremely collectible - especially the 1964-1972 lines. The original 1964 Mighty Tonka dump (which weighed 11 lbs) has a decal on the nose of the cab that says “Tonka” - this is the only year this decal appeared in this location. 
• 1991: Tonka was purchased by Hasboro.
• 2001: Tonka trucks were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.

Early Buddy L

BUDDY L

• 1921: The owner of Moline Pressed Steel Company (which primarily manufactured automobile fenders and other metal auto body parts) decided to make a durable toy truck for his son, Buddy L. He made an all-steel miniature truck made from 18 and 20 gauge steel scavenged from the company’s scrap pile.
• 1927: There were almost fifty toys in the Buddy L line including: trucks, dump trucks, trains, fire apparatus, concrete mixers. cranes, dredges, etc.

  

  Wooden Buddy L
  

• WWII: Due to the demand for steel, Buddy L started producing wood toys.
• Post-WWII: Buddy L experimented with plastics but returned to metal, although in a lighter gauge.

The most valuable Buddy L collectibles are the heavy pre-war models. The right piece in the right condition can be worth thousands of dollars.

Come down and check out our dealers’ assortment of Structo, Tonka, and Buddy L toys, you never know what sort of bargains you may find!

Carnival Glass 101

Carnival glass was first produced on a large scale by Fenton Art Glass Company of Willamstown, West Virginia in 1908. They called it “Iridill” glass. Over the years Fenton produced over 150 patterns and a wide variety of colors of carnival glass.

The majority of carnival glass was produced between 1908 and 1925. However, companies continued to successfully sell carnival glass into the 1940’s. Other companies that produced it include: Imperial, Cambridge, Westmoreland, Dugan, Millersbug, and Northwood. At the height of carnival glass popularity competition was fierce and companies were constantly coming up with new patterns, hence the over 2,000 patterns available today.

Carnival glass has been known by many other names throughout the years such as: aurura glass, dope glass, taffeta glass, and rainbow glass. It acquired its current and most common name because in the 1950’s it was sometimes given as prizes at fairs and carnivals.

The array of carnival glass pieces produced is extraordinary. They range from basic utilitarian items such as butter dishes to purely decorative statuettes. Carnival glass identification can be extremely challenging, even for the experienced collector. Most pieces are not marked and many manufacturers closely copied their competitors pieces.

Shawnee Pottery Corn Collectibles

Corn King

Shawnee corn pieces are a familiar sight to most collectors of antiques. Whimsical and fun, they add a vintage touch to any kitchen.

Shawnee Pottery Company opened in 1937 in Zanesville, Ohio. The Shawnee name and mark were inspired by an Indian head found on the ground during construction of the factory. At its peak, Shawnee produced over ten thousand pieces a day.

Shawnee’s corn pieces were first produced as a promotional item

White Corn

for Proctor & Gamble and were given away in boxes of Oxydol. The first corn line was called “White Corn.” In 1946, the corn color changed from white to yellow and was dubbed “Corn King.” This line was produced until 1954 when the colors were again changed. The corn was a lighter yellow and the shucks a darker green; this line is known as “Corn Queen.” Corn King is generally more valuable than Corn Queen.

Dating your Shawnee corn pieces:
Colors:

• White Corn: 1941-1946

  

  Corn Queen

• Corn King: 1946-1954
• Corn Queen: 1954-1961

The marks are not as easily dated. However, generally:

• "USA": pre-WWII
• "USA" with a number: 1945-1961
• "Shawnee, USA" with a number: 1946-1961

Corn King

Tips for identifying genuine Shawnee corn pieces:

• Most pieces left the factory with paper labels which are now long gone . Most pieces are unmarked or just have “USA” marked on the bottom.
• Lots of other companies made corn lines of their own. Their molds and glazes were not exactly the same so an experienced collector can immediately spot the differences.
• Most Shawnee pieces are glazed completely inside and out except for a raised rim on the bottom. The larger pieces can be completely unglazed on the bottom.

Beware: Many inexperienced collectors (or dishonest experienced collectors) will label any Shawnee corn piece as “Corn King” despite the three distinctly different lines. Be sure to do your own research before making any big purchases!

Caring for your vintage Shawnee Pottery pieces:

• Hand wash with warm water and a mild dishwashing soap. NEVER put in your dishwasher.
• Don’t be afraid to use them! Many collectors use their pieces regularly.

We have a variety of Shawnee corn pieces in the store right now. Stop by and take a look!

How To: Remove Water Marks from Wood

Your kid set a water glass down on your grandmother’s antique wooden table and now there’s a huge water mark right in the middle! Disaster! Or not…

We scoured the web for easy ways to fix those pesky white rings. Here are some of our favorite methods:

The Mayo Method:

Spoon a generous amount of mayonnaise onto the water stain and rub it in with a paper towel. Allow the mayonnaise to remain on the stain for several hours or overnight. In the morning, wipe off the excess mayonnaise. Use a paper towel and rub the remaining mayonnaise into the wood.

Heat:
Place a towel over the stain. Set your iron to medium and carefully put it on top of the cloth for a few seconds only and remove. Repeat until the water stain is removed from the wood.
You can also use a hair dryer. Just use the low setting and aim at the stain.

Steel Wool and Lemon Oil:
Use a pad of very fine steel wool and drench it with lemon oil. The lemon oil won’t remove the stain, but it lubricates the steel wool so that it doesn’t scratch the wood.
Very gently buff out the white ring with the fine steel wool.

Cigarette Ash:
Make a paste out of olive oil and cigarette ash. Work this slowly into the mark. You'll see the stain coming out as you rub in the paste. This works best if your wood is dark and polished, like mahogany.

Petroleum Jelly:
Apply the petroleum jelly over the affected area and allow it to sit there for eight hours. The trapped moisture under the wood's finish will be replaced by the jelly. Check the progress. If there's still a faint sign of the water mark, leave it for a few more hours. Check again, and if no more mark remains, wipe clean with a cloth.

The Confederate States of America Dollar

With the beginning of the Civil War, the south began issuing its own currency. The first Confederate States of America (CSA) note was printed in April of 1861. If the South won, the notes would be redeemable for face value. If the North won, the notes would be worthless; but it was a gamble southerners were willing to take. Printed across the top of most confederate notes was the phrase, “Two years after the ratification of a treaty of peace between the Confederate States and the United States of America” then across the middle, the "Confederate States of America will pay" [amount of bill] "to bearer.”

At the beginning, the southern printers had to make do with whatever designs they had access to. Many of the first notes included scenes of slaves, ships, and gods and goddesses. Many later notes feature prominent southern figures such as Stonewall Jackson, Alexander Stephens, and Jefferson Davis.

The CSA notes were painstakingly hand numbered and signed. Most have rough, uneven edges since each note was cut by hand with scissors or shears. They were available in the following denominations: 10¢, 50¢, $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $500, $1000.

As the war progressed, counterfeiting became rampant throughout the south. Inflation became a huge problem and by the end of the war CSA notes were almost worthless.

Today, these notes can be worth tens of thousands of dollars. Even the counterfeit notes can bring quite a bit.