Schuco Modell

Schuco is a German toy maker founded in 1912 by Heinrich Müller and the businessman Heinrich Schreyer in Nuremberg, Germany's toy capital since early days. The company's specialty was usually cars and trucks in tin, plastic and diecast. The company went bankrupt in 1976 but was reorganized in 1993 and then totally independent again by 1996.

Originally named Spielzeugfirma Schreyer & Co, the company changed its name to the more succinct Schuco in 1921 (likely a derivation of Schreyer und Company; see Knox 2002, p. 4; Rixon 2005, p. 64). At its beginnings, the company made unique clockwork tin toys (Johnson 1998, p. 210). Some of these were clever in that, instead of using a key, one would wind an arm or another feature (King 1986, p. 173).

In the 1920s Schuco introduced its famous Pick-Pick bird (over 20 million were made up until the 1960s). A wind-up mouse, a dancing mouse and trotting dog wearing a cape were other popular offerings (King 1986, p. 173). Before World War II there were also a number of 'gnome'-like wind-up figures and soldiers sometimes called blacksmiths - finished in creative colorful attire.

In 1935 one of the first Schuco patent motor cars was produced, starting a legacy of producing toy motor vehicles that have usually been the company's main offering. Schuco toy lines always had some special quality or gimmick to attract collectors as well as children. Around 1938, production was begun on tin cars that were made either with clockwork motors or 'telesteering' where the toy could be steered through a small steering wheel attached to the car with a wire (Schuco 3000 No date).

Schuco 'Studio' cars had a starting crank, removable wheels, varied gearing and rack and pinion steering. Cars came with miniature tool kits. Probably because the Schuco name ended in "o", this started a tradition of naming vehicle lines and sets with a somewhat male, Italian-sounding "o" at the end. Thus, Studio, Piccolo, and Varianto. One notable Studio car was the Luigi Fagioli Auto Union Avus 'Streamline', built in 1937, which came in a detailed box, complete with tools. Only 1,000 were produced. Schuco 'Turn Back' cars had a metal pin sensor that made the car turn when approaching the edge of a table (King 1986, p. 173). Wooden pegs were actually provided with the toy so the car could be driven around them.

Toy production was halted during the devastation of World War II. In the late 1940s, Schuco again began tin toy assembly - this time focusing a bit more on the broader European and international market. Tin toys were larger scale - in the neighborhood of 1:24 to 1:18. During the 1950s there was a shift to plastic (especially for larger scales) and diecast metal, introduced in the Piccolo series in 1958, became commonplace for models in the early 1970s. Model types were varied and continued to include remote control and wind-up toys. Toy scales were always widely varied starting with HO (1:87) up to a foot long or larger (about 1:12).

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