Tootsietoy

Tootsietoy

Tootsietoy is the oldest American toy company that manufactures various vehicle toys and die cast toys. Tootsie Company got its branding from car miniatures that were in the form of cuff links, pins, charms and such like. The company was started in 1901 by the Dowst Brothers Company that was based in Chicago. The first Tootsie car model was produced in 1911 and it was a limousine that was closed and this was later followed by an open tourer Ford Model T that came around in 1915.

Tootsie started being used as a brand name in the 1920s and in 1924 the name Tootsie received a trademark registration. It is believed that Tootsie came from the name of a daughter of one of the Dowst Brothers' company owners. The daughter was known as Toots. Previously Tootsietoys were produced in Chicago, Rockford and other areas but current Tootsie Toys are only produced in Chicago. It is also in the records that Tootsie also produced the Cracker Jack metal prizes. Just like the first Tootsie Toys, the majority of today’s Tootsietoys are made from die casts (that are molds) together with a metal axle that connects the body and wheels of the toys. Today the Tootsietoy Company is owned by J. Llord International, Inc that is also based in Chicago and it produces about 40 million car toys annually.

Tootsie die cast toys and other vehicle toys can be accessed and purchased by using different means that include online sales and local retailer sales. There are numerous online and local retailer sites that offer the Tootsie Toys. An important thing to note with the purchase of Tootsietoys is their quality. There are both Tootsie vintage and reissues and sometimes finding the vintage is a little difficult. In determining whether a Tootsie is vintage or not will require you to be a little careful while selecting the items.

So how can one identify Tootsietoys? First, browse through the available toys and try to see if there is one that looks like one that you want. There are also Tootsie antique guides that can be used to make the identification process a little easier. Then check on the toy's body and look for a certain label that indicates the manufacturer. All Tootsietoys have this label and it is clear and located at the back of all Tootsie Toys. If still in the package the label will be on top left hand side of the package. Then you may consider having a professional dealer to help you in identifying the toys. Sometimes retailers may offer sufficient or even entirely no information on the Tootsie Toys they have in, therefore in such occasions use of an antique dealer specialized in the field can be really helpful. Alternatively joining an antique club can help one greatly in learning about toys. You might be lucky enough to share with a Tootsie enthusiast who will furnish you with information that will be helpful to you in finding the right Tootsietoy.