Louis Marx and Company
Gave customers more toy for less money.
Last updated
The company aimed to "give the customer more toy for less money" while stressing that "quality is not negotiable."[1][2] Louis Marx and his brother David established a toy company in New York City during August 1919.[1][2] During the 1950s, Marx held the position of the globe's biggest toy producer.[3][2]
Key facts and history
He purchased tooling from Strauss for two obsolete tin toys and, with subtle changes, sold more than eight million of each within two years.[1][2] Unlike most companies, Marx's revenues grew during the Great Depression.[4][2] Before having any production facilities, Louis Marx worked as a distributor after his time with Ferdinand Strauss.[1][2] By examining existing products, figuring out cost-reduction methods, and then securing deals, Marx accumulated capital as an intermediary.[1][2]
A London newspaper in October 1937 gave Marx the title "Toy King of the World".[3] Rock'em Sock'em Robots, Big Wheel tricycles, and dollhouses carrying the Disney brand are among Marx's well-known products.[5]
What the cited sources add
The History of Marx Toys account notes that Marx supported the war effort in World War II by converting factories to make munitions, detonators, and bazookas.[6] The same source states that Marx began toy production in Japan for U.S. consumption in late 1945.[6] The History of Marx Toys account records that Marx released the Big Wheel ride-on toy in 1969.[6] The same source states that Louis Marx filed for bankruptcy in 1980 in United States Federal Court, Southern District of New York.[6]
The Marx Toy Connection account indicates that during the 1950s, as many as 150,000 Marx dollhouses were manufactured.[2]
References
- Wikipedia, "Louis Marx and Company" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: King 1986, p. 188 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- "Marx Toy Connection". facts only, no text reused. marxtoyconnection.com
- Wikipedia, "Louis Marx and Company" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kern 2015, p. 31 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Louis Marx and Company" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Richardson Richardson 1999, p. 42 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Louis Marx and Company" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Marx Toy Connection"; "History of Marx Toys", www.americanplasticequipmentinc.com (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- "History of Marx Toys", www.americanplasticequipmentinc.com. facts only, no text reused. americanplasticequipmentinc.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Louis Marx and Company (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Louis Marx and Company (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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