Hubley Manufacturing Company
The Hubley Manufacturing Company was an American producer of a wide range of cast-iron toys, doorstops, and bookends.
Starting in 1960, Hubley participated for a couple of years with Detroit automakers as a plastic promotional model maker.
The first Hubley toys appeared in 1909 and were made of cast-iron, with themes that ranged from horse-drawn vehicles and different breeds of dogs, to tractors, steam shovels and guns.
[2] Hubley's was especially known for its many motorcycles, which were creative and often included sidecars or hooked to delivery vans that said, for example, "Say it with flowers" on the sides.
[3] Foreshadowing the post-war diecast boom, and perhaps in an attempt to steal some of Tootsietoys' thunder, new mazac and plastic Hubley toys were now called Kiddietoys – a name which was used at least until the mid-1950s.
[4] Household objects such as doorstops and bookends were also produced, but automobiles, trucks and airplanes gradually became Hubley's mainstay.
For a particular toy, bookend, or doorstop, metalworkers would first carve a wood form, or hammer out the basic design in metal.
Painters applied a base coat (usually white or cream but sometimes black) to cast figures whether toys or doorstops.
In fact, the company suddenly tried to compete with a variety of market segments all at the same time, pitting itself against other metal kid's toy maker, kit manufacturers, and British diecast producers.
The Hubley Manufacturing Company made accurate metal replicas of many popular American cars and trucks, with some foreign models also represented.
About 1960, however, a change occurred as Hubley became known for its detailed metal car kits, which were unique in a market of dominantly plastic offerings.
Another, the 1958 Ford Fairlane sedan sheriff's car (decorated as from "San Juan County"), had accurate front grille and side detail, The round police light was a diecast metal piece attached to the roof as opposed to red plastic pieces protruding through holes in roofs on other toy brands.
Some of these were more toy-like and made assembled for the retail market, for example a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, a Mercedes-Benz 180 roadster, a Triumph TR3, and a Renault Dauphine.
Also in plastic, Hubley did make contracted promotional models, cars very similar to those made by AMT, Jo-Han, or PMC.
While AMT or Jo-Han focused on sportier two-doors and convertibles, Hubley promotionals were a bit different, featuring station wagon and four-door configurations, or independent manufacturers not represented by the other model makers.
A more conventional promo line by Hubley were the full-size Ford wagon and sedan series starting in 1960, a niche not covered by AMT.
Hubley produced a wide range of airplanes, often reproducing actual military aircraft with good detail.
Post World War II, nice replicas of the Curtis P-40 Warhawk and the Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighters were made, which averaged eight-to-nine inches long.
This plane came in a variety of bright colors, and had spring-loaded retractable landing gear with thick rubber wheels.
Around 1980, Hubley was acquired by CBS Toys which later sold many dies to Ertl and Scale Models, both of Dyersville, Iowa.
