The company's previous toy lines included Manta Force, Oh Penny!, the British version of Oh Jenny!

Torquil Norman founded Bluebird Toys in 1980,[1] his first product being the now famous Big Yellow Teapot House.

He is also famous for his Big Red Fun Bus and Big Jumbo Fun Plane,[3] A La Carte Kitchen, Polly Pocket, Lucy Locket[2] (a larger version of Polly Pocket) and the Mighty Max range, as well as the invention of the plastic lunch box.

[10] This figure was dominated by Polly Pocket and Mighty Max, a parallel line for boys introduced in 1992,[3] accounting between them for 87% of sales.

[12] Financier Sir Ron Brierley's Guinness Peat Group made an unsolicited bid for the company in January 1998, but was outbid by Mattel acting as a white knight.