A. C. Gilbert Company facts for kids
A 1940s Gilbert chemistry set.
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Formerly
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Mysto Manufacturing Company |
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| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1909 in Westville, Connecticut |
| Founders |
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| Defunct | 1967 |
The A. C. Gilbert Company was a famous American toy company. It was once one of the biggest toy makers in the world! This company created the Erector Set, which is a popular building toy similar to Meccano. They also made fun chemistry sets, microscope kits, and even affordable reflector telescopes. In 1938, Gilbert bought American Flyer, a company known for its toy trains. After its founder, A.C. Gilbert, passed away in 1961, the company faced challenges and eventually closed in 1967. Its toy lines and brand names were then sold to other companies.
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History of A. C. Gilbert Toys
The company started in 1909 in Westville, Connecticut. It was first called the Mysto Manufacturing Company. Alfred Carlton Gilbert, a magician, and his friend John Petrie founded it. They wanted to sell supplies for magic shows.
Mysto Magic Sets
From the 1910s to the 1950s, they sold "Mysto Magic" magician's sets. These sets had many cool items. Kids could find interlocking rings, playing cards, and a magic wand inside.
The Famous Erector Set
In 1911, Gilbert came up with the idea for the Erector construction toy. He was inspired by the large metal girders used for railroads. Gilbert and his wife Mary made models out of cardboard. They worked to get the right shapes and sizes for the building pieces. The Erector set was first shown in 1911. It was called the Mysto Erector Structural Steel Builder. This happened at the New York City Toy Fair.
In 1916, the company's name changed. It went from Mysto Manufacturing Company to the A. C. Gilbert Company.
Early Radio Experiments
In 1920, the company started selling early radio receivers. They even ran their own radio station, WCJ, in Connecticut. This was the first broadcasting station in the state. However, they stopped selling radios and closed the station in 1922.
Science Kits for Young Minds
Starting in 1922, A. C. Gilbert made many different sizes of chemistry sets. Experts from Yale University helped write the instruction manuals.
Between 1946 and 1966, the company made toy trains. These trains were known as the American Flyer brand.
In the 1950s, Gilbert offered science kits for other young scientists. Some kits let kids explore radioactivity. They even included a Geiger counter to detect it.
After the Sputnik satellite launched in the late 1950s, there was a big interest in science. Gilbert then sold affordable reflector telescopes. In 1958, the company made a comic book called Adventures in Science. It featured a character named "Mr. Science" who traveled through time and space. He helped a bored teenager get excited about science.
James Bond Toys
In 1965, A. C. Gilbert made toys related to the James Bond movies. These included action figures and a slot car race set. The race set featured Bond's famous Aston Martin DB5 car.
Images for kids
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A.C. Gilbert advertisement in The Saturday Evening Post in 1920.
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