Ives Manufacturing Company

Lore & Background

Ives initially produced paper dolls whose limbs moved in response to hot air, then a wide range of toys including a toy cannon that shot using real gunpowder and clockwork powered dolls and animals. The clockwork toys were designed by Jerome Secor, Nathan Warner, and Arthur Hotchkiss, and by the 1880s Ives was a leading producer of these toys. Its emphasis shifted to trains as its designs were copied by other toymakers who sold them more cheaply. Ives' trains were made of tin or cast iron and initially powered by clockwork, later by electricity.

On December 22, 1900, a disastrous fire destroyed the Ives & Williams Company main factory, along with all patterns, parts, and tools for cast-iron toys. The fire prompted a redesign by William R. Haberlin for 1901 that resulted in Ives' first toy train that ran on track. In 1901, Ives began producing the first O gauge trains in the United States to run on fabricated sectional track, powered by clockwork. Sales for the year totaled $2,600. The insurance money from the fire allowed Ives to build a modern factory with state-of-the-art tooling.

Ives released its first electric trains in 1910, partially in response to companies such as American Flyer undercutting its prices on clockwork trains. Ives initially produced electric trains in O gauge and 1 gauge. World War I eliminated German imports, increasing Ives' market share, but its geographic location made it difficult to obtain materials and ship products, and it could not gain wartime government contracts. After the war, Ives, along with Lionel and American Flyer, lobbied successfully for protective tariffs. Harry Ives, Edward Ives' son and successor, sought to diversify by selling toy boats from 1917 to 1928, but the boats were not successful.

Reader's Guide

Ives Manufacturing Company holds a significant place in American toy history as the dominant toy train manufacturer in the United States for over a decade, from 1910 to 1924. Its early adoption of O gauge track and clockwork power set standards for the industry. The company's marketing campaign targeting the American twelve-year-old boy, addressing them as business partners of the fictional Ives Railway Lines, built strong brand loyalty. The 1900 fire, while destructive, ultimately benefited the company by enabling a modern factory. William R. Haberlin's tooling work was foundational, creating the first tools for manufacturing tinplate track in the United States. Ives' rivalry with Lionel Corporation, marked by lawsuits and advertising wars, shaped the competitive landscape of toy trains. Lionel's aggressive ads, lower prices, and larger trains gradually eroded Ives' market share, leading to Lionel overtaking Ives in sales in 1924. Ives' later attempts to diversify into construction toys (Struktiron) and toy boats were not successful. The company ceased operations in 1932.

Did You Know?

• The company's first toy train that ran on track was designed after a disastrous fire in 1900 destroyed its main factory.
• Ives' first electric trains were released in 1910, partly in response to competition from American Flyer.
• William R. Haberlin, who made the tools and dies for Ives' original O gauge clockwork train line, later founded the American Miniature Railway Company in 1907.