Industria Nazionale Giocattoli Automatica Padova, Padua, Italy
1920 - ?
Specialty: Tin mechanical trains, cars, airplanes. Trademark: INGAP.

Ives Corp. Bridgeport, Connecticut
1868 - 1932
E.R. Ives & Co.
Plymouth, Connecticut
1868 - 1870
Founder: Edward R. Ives
Specialty: Originally made baskets and hot air toys.
Ives and Blakeslee & Co. 1872 - 1932 Specialty: Ives joined partner Cornelius Blakeslee, a brother-in-law. Ives moved to Bridgeport in 1870; by the 1880s, they were leaders in superb clockwork toys designed by Jerome Secor, Nathan Warner, and Arthur Hotchkiss. Ives also acted as jobber for other toy manufactures' toys. The firm filed for bankruptcy in 1929, another victim of the Depression. Lionel took over the company at that time, and the name Ives and Blakeslee remained until 1931.

Jacrim Manufacturing Co. Seaworthy Boats
The JACRIM Manufacturing Company was the brain child of Chester Rimmer and Arthur Jackson two graduates of MIT in 1921 in Navel Architecture and Marine Engineering. The Boston City Directory said the company began in 1921, but the first official registration was in 1924 in Malden, Mass as Jacrim Manufacturing. There is no record of Seaworthy Boats and it probably was a trade name. Chester was the treasurer and his brothers, coopers by trade, were the other officers. No mention of Jackson. The boats were mostly hand crafted and about 1930 they moved to Boston into The Keystone Manufacturing factory, Advertisements were published and a 1932 price list was issued. Then Keystone took over and all the Rimmers except Chester left the company. Jackson left to join American Enka in May of 1929. Keystone offered Jacrim Boats through the 1930's and by the war years boats were only marked Keystone. Also the hand shaped boats gave way to machine cut and many of the Seaworthy features were eliminated. The first boats were sailboats from 12" to 36" and then spring motor driven motorboats called "Flying Yankee" from 19" to 30" , Electric Battery speed boats and in 1929 the "Tom Thumb" boats appeared. There were "Ride Em" wooden wagons, Forts and other toys and probably some still hiding in closets and attics waiting to be discovered. Keystone continued until 1957 and Chester Rimmer, a vice president, retired. (Information provided by Robert S. Jones 2008)

Jeanette Toy & Novelty Co. Jeanette, Pennsylvania
1898 - ?
Specialty: Lithographed tin toys, including trays, tea sets, and figural glass candy containers.

JEP (Jouets en Paris) Paris, France
1899 - 1965
Known originally as the Societe Industriel de Ferblanteriel, the firm underwent a name change to J de P in 1928; its contemporary came about in 1932.
Specialty: Lithographed, tin, clockwork toy automobiles, motorcycles, aircraft, and other motor miniatures. JEP cars traditionally carried a trademark on the radiator of the particular vehicle replicated.

John Hill & Co.(Johillco) London, England
1900 - 1960
Founder: Wood (first name unknown), former Britains' employee.
Specialty: Primarily 54mm hollowcast toy soldiers in Britains' tradition, but in most cases lacking the quality and refinement of the latter. Never really recovered following the destruction of its Tottenham factory in the London blitz, Johillco closed its doors in 1960.

Jones & Bixler, Co. Freemansburg, Pennsylvania
1899 - 1914
Founder: Charles A. Jones and Louis S. Bixler
Specialty: "Red Devil Line" of cast-iron auto toys (introduced in 1903, when J & B became part of National Novelty Corp.). From 1909-1913, J & B and Kenton Hardware (which also became part of National Novelty toy trust) produced toys that were indistinguishable from each other.

Jones (Metal Art Miniatures Co.) Chicago, Illinois
1925 - 1941
Founder: J. Edwards Jones
Specialty: 3 1/4 inch military miniatures; primarily a dimestore line.

Judd Mfg. Co. Wallingford, Connecticut
1830 - ?
Other names: Originally known as H.L. Judd Co. when founded in 1830 in New Britain; changed name to M. Judd & Sons in 1855; Judd Mfg. In 1870.
Founder: Morton Judd
Specialty: Cast-iron mechanical banks, including "Peg-Leg Beggar," "Ticket Collector," and "Standing Giant."

Jumeau Paris and Montreil-sous-Bois, France
1842 - 1899
Founder: Emile Jumeau
Specialty: Bisque head, composition body dolls, including exquisite be'be'.

Georg G. Kellermann Nuremberg, Germany 1910 to date
Founder: Georg Kellermann
Specialty: Clockwork tin motorcycles and penny toys. Trademark: C.K.O. Son Willy took over the firm following the death of his father in 1931.

Kelmet Corp. New York City, New York
1923 - late 1920s
Specialty: Large pressed-steel trucks under name "Kelmet" and "Trumodel." Parts were frequently subcontracted and A.C. Gilbert assembled the finish product. A further designation was "Big Boy," modeled after the white truck.

Kenner Products Cincinnati, Ohio
1947 to date
Founder: Al, Phil, and Joe Steiner
Specialty: First toy was "Bubble Gun" in 1947. "six Million Dollar Man" and "Bionic Woman" were mid-1970s favorites, but most spectacular success was line of "Star Wars" toys.

Kenton Hardware Co. Kenton, Ohio
1890 - 1952
Founder: F.M. Perkins (Patented line of refrigerator hardware).
Specialty: Toy production began in 1894 with a line of horse-drawn fire equipment, banks, and toy stoves. Renamed Kenton Hardware in 1900. Became part of mammoth National Novelty Corp. merger in 1903, it continued its toy line under the name Wing Mfg. Co. Involved in several unsuccessful takeovers, it eventually emerged as a separate unit, the Kenton Hardware Co., and again produced toys successfully from 1920-1935. Kenton ceased production in 1952 and assets were sold in 1953. The Littlestown Hardware & Foundry acquired many Kenton toy designs and marketed them under the brand "Utexiqual". Littlestown folded in 1982.

Keystone Mfg. Co. Boston Massachusetts
1920 to ?
Founder: unknown
Specialty: Originally produced toy motion picture machines and children's comedy films (Keystone Moviegraph). Gained permission from Packard Motor Co. in mid-1920s to market pressed-steel riding trucks copied from full-size Packard models, including famous radiator design and logo. Keystone, in competing with "Buddy L", added such refinements as nickeled hubcaps and radiator caps, transparent celluloid windshield, and engine crank. For 50 cents extra you could get rubber tires and headlamps. Keystone trucks also featured steering and signal arms for "stop" and "go". Keystone introduced line of "Siren Riding Toys" in 1934 with saddle riding seat and handlebars for steering. In 1936, one of its big sellers was a "Ride-em" mail plane. In the post-WWII years, most of Keystone's toy output was based on tools and dies purchased from the defunct Kingsbury toy division.

Kiddies Metal Toys, Inc. Elizabeth, New Jersey
1914 - 1931
Founder: unknown
Specialty: The name, Kiddies Metal Toys Inc., is a name that most collectors don't associate with the "Oh Boy!" line of toys, and for good reason. The history of the company, besides having an unfamiliar name, is shrouded in mystery. What we do know is that printed advertising establishes proof of the companies existence in 1920. It is likely the company was in existence much earlier, perhaps as early as 1914. However, without factual evidence to support this belief, this capsule history will commence with the date it is certain the company was conducting business. The Kiddies Metal Toys, Inc. toy line for 1920 consisted primarily of games and novelties. Other toys in the line included a wide range of "Jack and Jill Sandhill Toys", along with assorted sand pails, toy shovels, tea sets and doll house furniture sets. By 1926, a number of automotive toys were being produced under the trademark "Oh Boy!" and "Big Motor Toys". These toys, made of lightweight steel, as the company so emphatically advertised, ranged in size from 19 to 23 inches. Characteristics of one of Kiddies lithographers Louis Emmets toy truck designs were the toy's large, non-functioning steering wheel, metal wheels and high crown fenders. Nearly all of Kiddies automotive toys were affixed with a Kiddies Metal Toys, Inc. decal which carried the manufacturers production number. Some toys were lithographed entirely, while others received a single coat of enamel. Kiddies Metal Toys, Inc. continued to advertise in the major toy trade publications until the middle of 1931. After that, the company seemed to have simply disappeared.

Kienberger & Co. Nuremberg, Germany
1910 to date
Founder: Hubert Kienberger
Specialty: Penny toys; simple mechanical motor toys and wheel-mounted animals. One of the most popular exports to the United States was the Billiard Player marble toy. Trademark ; HUKI.

Kilgore Mfg. Co. Westerville, Ohio
1920s - 1985
Slogan "Toys That Last"
Specialty: Originated in 1925 with the purchase of George D. Wanner Co., who made a brand of kites called "E-Z-Fly". Its merger with Andes Foundry and the Federal Toy Co, in 1925 under the aegis of American Toy Co. In 1928, Kilgore introduced cast iron cars, trucks, and fire engines, including cast-iron cannons, cap guns, and toy paper caps. Butler Brothers became its biggest distributor. The company moved to Toone Tennessee in 1961 and remained in the cap gun and signal flare business until 1985.

Kingsbury Mfg. Co. (also see Wilkins Toy Co.) Keene, New Hampshire
1919 - 1942
Wilkins Toy Co.
Founder: Harry T. Kingsbury
Specialty: In 1895 Harry T. Kingsbury bought Wilkins and combined it with the Clipper Machine Works, which specialized in farm equipment. In the early 1900s, toy automobiles were introduced to the company line. The Wilkins line was dropped following WWI in favor of Kingsbury, which was by know an established name in the field. Kingsbury specialized in copying famous models of aircraft and assembly-line, trucks, and buses. WWII saw Kingsbury shifting to war contracts and never returning again to toy production. All production equipment was sold to Keystone in Boston. The company still exists, but as Kingsbury Machine Tool Division, a subcontractor for such giants as IBM, General Motors, and GE.

Kingston Products Corp. Kokomo, Indiana
1890s to ?
Scott & Fetzer Co.
Founder: Charles T. Byrne and James F. Ryan
Specialty: Byrne and Ryan started Kokomo Brass Works to produce brass castings for the plumbing industry. Kingston soon became an alliance of many kindred companies. Their line of toys, under the name Kokomo Toys, came into its height in the 1920s and 30s with fire engines, racers, trucks, and transportation toys a specialty. Electrically run racers were a innovative addition, though expensive for Depression times, Kingston had the dropped in 1931. Kingston today is part of Scott & Fetzer Co., and makes components for auto manufacturers.

Kirchoff Patent Co. Newark, New Jersey
1852 to date
Founder: Charles Kirchoff
Specialty: Small metal toys, noisemakers, Christmas ornaments and novelties. Kirchoff essentially was a developer of patents and in addition to toys produced Braille printers and ticker-tape machines. (Although no longer in business under the name Kirchoff, the company did undergo a lot of changes in ownership through out the years and was still recorded as being active up to the 1950s.)

Knapp Electric Novelty Co. New York City, New York
1899 to date
Specialty: One of earliest manufactures of transportation toys powered by wet cell batteries. Carlisle & Finch, noted for electric toy trains and other novelty toys, served as Knapps distributor.

Kohnstam Furth, Germany
1875 - 1959 (Became part of Lesney)
Other names: Lesney
Founder: Moses Kohnstam
Specialty: European distributor of German-made toys, under the Moko trademark. J. Kohnstam Ltd. Was established in London in early 1920 and helped launch Lesney Products.

Kyser & Rex Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1880 - 1884
Founder: L. Kyser and Alfred Rex
Specialty: Cast-iron toys and mechanical banks. Among their highly desirable banks are: Hindu with Turban, Uncle Tom, Chimpanzee the Organ Bank, Lion and Monkeys.

Lefkowitz Toy Co. Brooklyn, New York
Early 1900s - ?
Specialty: Ingenious Rube Goldberg-type mechanical tin toys(i.e., The Flying Cupid).

Ernest Lehmann Co. Brandenberg, Germany
1881 (Re-established in 1951 in Nuremberg and still producing toys).
Founder: Ernest P. Lehmann
Specialty: Lehmann exported vast quantities of toys to the United States from 1895 to 1929 (excluding years of WWI). Specialized in lithographed tinplate, mechanical transportation toys, and figures known for colorful patina. Some of the most desirable Lehmannn's include: Mr. and Mrs. Lehmann, Dancing Sailor, Icarus, and Autobus.

Lenci Turin, Italy
1920 to date
Founder: Enrico and Elena Scavini
Specialty: Seamless stuffed felt dolls. The Lenci trademark was registered in Europe in 1922; in the United States in 1924. (Lenci was Elena Scavini's pet name).

Le Rapide Paris, France
1920s - 1954
Founder: Louis Rouisey
Specialty: Electric and clockwork "O" gauge model trains, toy racers on oval tracks.

Lesney ("Matchbox") London, England
1947 - 1982
Slogan: "Models of Yesteryear"
Founder: Jack Odell and Leslie and Robert Smith
Specialty: Die-cast miniature cars and transportation vehicles, many of which were copies of real-life models.

Georg Levy Nuremberg, Germany
1920 - 1971
Founder: Georg Levy ("Gely" trademark)
Specialty: Produced automotive tin toys under Kienberger name ("Kiko") until 1920, then launched his own firm. Sold out and left Germany in the 1930s, but factory resumed under name of Nuremberg Tin Toys Factory.

Lindstrom Tool & Toy Co. Bridgeport, Connecticut
1913-early 1940s (resumed production after WWII)
Specialty: Mechanical toys and games of pressed-steel and tin. Included stoves, sewing machines; amusement park-type auto, the "Doodlebug".

Lineol Brandenberg/Havel, Germany
1905 to date
Founder: Oskar Wiederholz
Specialty: Tinplate military toys and trenchworks; also composition armies, barnyard scenes, zoo menageries, Christmas cre'ches, cooking and tea sets, wooden toys. Lineol's 7.5cm military miniatures are deemed superior to Elastolin. Lineol was nationalized in 1949 and moved to Dresden. It still produces miniatures today under the name VEB Lineol-Plastik Dresden.

Lines Bros. Ltd. London, England
1919 - 1971
Specialty: Small clockwork tin motor toys; "Minic" series, 1930. "Spot-On" series of Die-cast models, 1959; "Triangtois" on wooden toys, circa 1927. Lines closed its doors in 1971 following financial difficulties.

Lucotte Miniatures Paris, France
1780 - 1825 (acquired by Mignot)
Specialty: One of the earliest toy makers; many miniatures feature "L.C.", the Lucotte trademark, was well as the Imperial Bee of Napoleon. Many of the figures replicated Napoleon's army members. Known for anatomical detail and meticulous painting. Early Lucottes can be distinguished by their separate removable parts.