Mercury (toy manufacturer)

Lore & Background

Mercury started as a diecaster of small parts, producing metal parts mainly for auto companies. Later an importer for German Märklin, the company was started in 1932 by Attilio Clemente and Antonio Cravero, but its first toy was a gun produced about 1939. The company first began making toy cars just after World War II, making it one of the earliest diecast model makers, preceding Corgi and many others, and the earliest producer in Italy. In Italy there was little competition for Mercury through most of the 1950s.

Early cars were more Tootsietoy-like with simple cast bodies, wheels and no interiors. Later, in competition with Corgi and Dinky, Mercury added interior details and opening features. Early cars, like an 'Aero' coupe and 'race car', were generic and not based on real cars, with early sizes around 1:40 scale. The Aero was first a promotional for an Italian radio manufacturer named SAFAR, but almost immediately produced in its own right. Among the first 'real' cars Mercury made were the 1949 Fiat 500C Topolino and the 1950 Fiat 1400 sedan.

Mercury made more than 100 different models. Italian sedans and sports cars were often the subject, and most were in 1:43 scale. Some British, American and German cars were offered. American cars seen included a Cadillac Eldorado, Lincoln Continental convertible, Studebaker Commander, Studebaker Golden Hawk, and a racing Chevrolet-powered Chaparral Prototipo 2F. In 1962, Mercury took the industry by storm with a Fiat 2300S coupe that had opening hood revealing a detailed engine, opening doors and opening trunk—an apparent industry first for a car of this size. The model also featured glass headlights and a relatively detailed diecast base that could be unscrewed. Mercury followed with a series of finely modeled cars with opening features, with particular emphasis on Ferrari and other sports and racing cars.

Reader's Guide

Mercury's significance lies in its role as a pioneer of diecast model cars in Europe, particularly in Italy, where it had the field largely to itself until 1960. Its 1962 Fiat 2300S set a new standard by combining multiple opening features in a 1:43 scale model, predating similar efforts by Corgi. The company's competition with Politoys, Mebetoys, and Edil in the 1960s drove innovation, though not all Italian diecast companies could survive. Mercury's models often featured interesting liveries and racing details, such as the Ferrari 330P Monza offered in several colors including Silverstone green with British flags. The Chaparral 2F exemplified Mercury's ingenuity with a movable rear wing, gull-wing doors in clear plastic, and tiny diecast metal gas caps that opened. However, proportions were sometimes imperfect, as seen on the Chaparral's rear quarters and grille. Mercury also produced smaller series: the short-lived 'MicroMercury' in about 1:80 scale for HO railway modeling, and the Speedy series to compete with Hot Wheels and Matchbox, featuring about twenty cars including the Ford GT40. Earlier Speedy models had rubber tires, later replaced by low friction plastic wheels under the name 'Speedy Velox'. Mercury's legacy is that of a dedicated manufacturer whose models are now rare and sought after.

Did You Know?

• The 1962 Fiat 2300S coupe had opening hood, doors, and trunk—an apparent industry first for a car of that size.
• The Chaparral 2F model featured a movable rear wing and tiny diecast metal gas caps that opened.
• Mercury produced a Speedy series of smaller cars to compete with Hot Wheels and Matchbox.