Barclay Manufacturing Company
American maker of dimestore toy soldiers and diecast vehicles.
Barclay Manufacturing Company, an American metal toy maker based in New Jersey, produced diecast toy cars and hollowcast toy soldiers. Because these soldiers were widely sold at five-and-dime stores, collectors call them "Dimestore soldiers."
Leon Donze and Michael Levy founded the company around 1922, naming it after Barclay Street in Hoboken, New Jersey. It later operated from North Bergen, New Jersey. In 1939, Barclay bought Tommy Toy, another soldier company, and its sculptor Olive Kooken, who worked in art deco style. Soldiers' uniforms followed contemporary military fashion, swapping closed standing collars for open ones with shirt and tie, and replacing wrap-around puttees with canvas leggings. Before the company temporarily shut down in 1942, foot soldiers sold individually for a nickel.
Barclay’s first vehicles, made in the 1930s, were slush-cast white metal. Some models had an art deco look, including a "Coast to Coast" bus and a two-tone oil tanker with pontoon fenders, where fenders differed in color from the bodies. One set came in a box with a cartoon strip on the lid reading "Build and Paint Your Own Auto Set" and promising "Loads of fun." It contained a four-door sedan, a two-door car, and a tanker truck, plus paint; the cars had white rubber wheels. Around this time and into the 1940s, the company also made military vehicles—tanks, trucks with cannons, and other cars painted brown.
After World War II, Barclay moved its headquarters to Union City, New Jersey. The company changed soldiers’ helmets to the M1 style. Around 1951, to save metal, Barclay removed the bases from soldiers, creating what collectors call podfoot soldiers—each foot a flattened rounded blob. These figures were painted like American comic book characters: olive drab uniforms with green helmets, while "enemy" soldiers wore red uniforms with white helmets. As metal costs rose, soldiers cost 15 cents. By 1960, lead soldiers were largely pulled from Woolworths and other dimestores, appearing more often in hobby shops. From 1964, soldiers’ uniforms were painted green to match the modern US Army.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Barclay’s diecast metal vehicles remained popular. Common sizes were just over an inch long, though others reached 3 to 4 inches. Models included a tiny VW Beetle, sports and racing cars often with small metal drivers, and generic trucks.
Quick Facts
- Industry
- Toy manufacturing
- Founded
- 1922
- Founder
- Leon Donze / Michael Levy
- Hq Location
- New Jersey
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Barclay Manufacturing was formed by Leon Donze and Michael Levy in about 1922, taking its name from Barclay Street in Hoboken, New Jersey. The company was later based in North Bergen, New Jersey. In 1939, Barclay acquired another toy soldier company, Tommy Toy, and its art deco sculptor, Olive Kooken. Soldiers' uniforms followed military fashion of the times, replacing closed standing collars with open ones with shirt and tie, and wrap-around puttees with canvas leggings. Prior to the company's temporary closing in 1942, foot soldiers were purchased individually for a nickel.
Some of Barclay's first vehicles were slush-cast white metal made in the 1930s, some in art deco style. One selection was a 'Coast to Coast' art deco style bus; another a two-tone oil tanker with pontoon fenders. A 'Build and Paint Your Own Auto Set' included a four-door sedan, a two-door, and a tanker truck, with paint and white rubber wheels. Also about this time, and into the 1940s, the company made a variety of military vehicles – tanks, trucks with cannon, and other cars painted brown.
After World War II, Barclay's headquarters were relocated to Union City, New Jersey. The company changed the helmets on their soldiers to the M1 Helmet. In about 1951, Barclay conserved metal by eliminating bases on their soldiers, which collectors nicknamed podfoot soldiers because each foot appeared as a flattened rounded blob. These were painted similar to figures in American comic books of the time – olive drab uniforms with green helmets, with 'enemy' soldiers in red uniforms with white helmets. With the rising cost of metal, the price of soldiers had increased to 15 cents. In 1960, the lead soldiers were generally removed from Woolworths and other dimestores and more commonly found for sale in hobby shops. From 1964 the soldiers' uniforms were painted in green to reflect the modern US Army.
Reader's Guide
Barclay Manufacturing Company holds a significant place in American toy history as a producer of affordable metal toys that were widely available in five-and-dime stores. Its hollowcast toy soldiers, known as 'Dimestore soldiers', became a staple for children and are now collectible items. The company's diecast vehicles, produced in the 1950s and 1960s, are recognizable for their simple single cast bodies, pinched flat axles protruding from the wheels, and bright colors. Notable series include the 'Bottle Series' Metal Miniatures from around 1960, which packaged tiny vehicles in a small blister card shaped like a bottle, priced at 19 cents. Barclay ceased trading in 1971 due to an inability to compete with plastics and the rapidly changing market, such as Mattel Hot Wheels. However, the old firm's trademark rights were re-acquired in the 1990s, and the company continues to manufacture solid metal reproductions of Barclay and Manoil Manufacturing Co. figures, preserving the legacy of these classic American toys.
Did You Know?
- The company name came from Barclay Street in Hoboken, New Jersey.
- In about 1951, Barclay eliminated bases on soldiers, creating 'podfoot' figures.
- The 'Bottle Series' packages were slightly smaller than 4 x 2.75 inches and priced at 19 cents.
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