Bachmann Brothers, Inc. (BB) Plasticville USA SC-4 School House Plastic Railroad Model Train Building *SOLD*

Bachmann Brothers, Inc. (BB) Plasticville USA SC-4 School House Plastic Railroad Model Train Building 

We have for you a plastic scale model Plasticville USA SC-4 “Plasticville School” manufactured by Bachmann Brothers, Inc. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

This plastic model Plasticville School comes with the oft lost cupola on the top of the roof and the outdoor lights. It has the more common light gray roof. The weather vane is missing. It is marked, “BB”, “Plasticville U.S.A.”, and “Registered”. 

Our example of this Plasticville School is in great original condition with no breaks, restorations, repairs, or touch ups. This piece shows the usual patina, dust, chips, scuffs, surface rust, scratches, and wear that are to be expected from age and play. It is approximately 9 ¾” L x 3 ½” W x 6” H. We invite you to view the photos to further determine quality and condition. 

A brief history of Plasticville USA and Bachmann Brothers, Inc. /Bachmann Industries of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

The company that would become Bachmann Brothers/Bachmann Industries was founded in 1833 by Henry Carlisle of  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their target market was the Aristocracy of the American South, particularly in Louisiana. They specialized in vanity products such as Spanish combs and parasol handles made of ivory. After the American Civil War it continued to make other types of hair ornaments and handles for walking canes now out of tortoise shell and ivory.  

In 1899, Carlisle’s firm merged with a competing firm run by Henry G. Bachmann and the company changed its name to Bachmann Bros.  In 1902 Bachmann Bros. started to use celluloid for its products and by 1912 introduced optical frames that were made from it. It was around this time that Bachmann Bros. began experimenting in plastic. In 1927, Bachmann became the American manufacturer of sunglasses. Their line, “Solarex” would become very popular worldwide and would later be purchased by the US Army and United States Army Air Forces for their personnel during WWII.

Following the end of World War II, Bachmann came up with the product which made their name a household word “Plasticville USA”. These were easy assemble yourself kits of homes, stores, and other buildings to enhance train layouts. Advertised in catalogs since 1946 Plasticville is a brand of plastic toy train building that was sold by the United States Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based Bachmann Brothers, Inc./Bachmann Industries since 1947.  

Plasticville USA products are still popular accessories for Lionel and American Flyer train enthusiasts. Bachmann’s Plasticville products originally came in O scale, but later expanded to HO scale, and then to N scale. 

Plasticville USA kits were originally manufactured by Bachmann Brothers, Inc. in Philadelphia, but later were manufactured in Hong Kong. Since 1999, they have been made exclusively in China by plastics moulding manufacturer Kader Holdings Company Limited. It was Kader Holdings who changed the name from Bachmann Brothers to Bachmann Industries after their acquisition of the company. Due to the popularity of the hobby of collecting these Plasticville kits the Plasticville Collectors Association was founded in 1999 and incorporated in 2001.