Corgi Toys

Lore & Background

The Mettoy company was founded in 1933 by German émigré Philip Ullmann in Northampton, England, where he was later joined by South African–born German Arthur Katz. After dabbling in the model car market, they decided to produce a range of die-cast toy vehicles as competition to Meccano's Dinky model cars. The name 'Corgi Toys' was chosen by Philip Ullmann in honour of the company's new home, taken from the Welsh breed of dog, the Corgi, and the iconic Corgi dog logo branded the new range. Corgi Toys included plastic glazing, which lent the models a greater authenticity, and they carried the advertising slogan 'the ones with windows'.

The 1956 releases were all familiar British vehicles, including six family saloon cars and two sports cars. Initially, models were issued both in free-rolling form and with friction drive motors (Mechanical versions, indicated by an 'M' suffix). Mechanical versions did not sell as well due to a higher purchase price and were phased out in 1960. The range expanded to include European and American cars, and models became more sophisticated with features such as 'Glidamatic' spring suspension, 'Trans-o-Lite' illuminating lights, and opening features. The Ghia L6.4 (241) in October 1963 featured opening bonnet, doors and boot, a detailed interior, and even a model corgi dog on the rear parcel shelf.

Reader's Guide

Corgi Toys holds a significant place in die-cast toy history as a major British brand that competed directly with Dinky Toys. The range was exported worldwide and found particular popularity in Europe, Australia, Canada, the United States and areas of southeast Asia. The company's innovation in adding plastic glazing, opening features, and detailed interiors set new standards for authenticity in toy vehicles. The Aston Martin DB5 from the James Bond films remains the largest selling toy car ever produced, demonstrating the brand's success in capitalizing on film and television tie-ins. The brand's history includes several ownership changes: after 27 years of production in Swansea, the company went into liquidation, followed by a management buy-out in March 1984, sale to Mattel in 1989, independence as Corgi Classics Limited in 1995, and acquisition by Hornby in 2008. The Corgi Classics range, introduced in 1964 for the adult collector market, met with mixed success. The brand's legacy includes the smaller Husky Toys range introduced in 1964, designed to compete with Lesney's Matchbox range.

Did You Know?

• The name 'Corgi' was chosen in honour of the company's new home in Wales, taken from the Welsh breed of dog.
• The Ghia L6.4 model featured a model corgi dog sitting on the rear parcel shelf.
• The Aston Martin DB5 remains the largest selling toy car ever produced.
• Corgi Toys were originally advertised with the slogan 'the ones with windows'.