1923:
Birthplace of Smethport Specialty
Company
originally Marvel Specialty Co,
Smethport, Pennsylvania
1923:
Birthplace of Smethport Specialty
Company
originally Marvel Specialty Co,
Smethport, Pennsylvania
The first product was a magnet set consisting of a cast horseshoe shaped high carbon steel magnet painted red and silver with various stamped metal figures stitched to a display card. William Kerr supplied the magnet idea and Ralph Herzog the engineering and manufacturing experience from his years with Winchester Arms in New haven, CT.
F. W. Woolworth Company, with many stores located throughout the country, had pioneered a mass selling low priced concept. They became a major customer demanding at times all of the production from the fledgling toy company.
Once the magnet set was established as an excellent seller, Twin Racing Tops, plastic pinwheels, and a very popular Flicker Top were produced and sold to an expanding group of low priced chain stores such as Kresge, Green, Grant and Murphy all of whom competed with F. W. Woolworth.
The depression hit the toy business in 1929 and lasted for nearly a decade but the Magnet Set and Flicker Top remained good sellers. Expanding production required larger facilities. In 1931, a building at 304 Fulton Street that had formerly housed the Boy's Own Magazine successor to Scott Redfiled's The Boys' Magazine was purchased. In 1932 Ralph Herzog became the sole owner and changed the name to Smethport Specialty Co. William Kerr briefly manufactured toys at the Backus Company and Lyceum Theater before starting an Oldsmobile auto agency at the east end of Water Street.
1908 |
photo credit: James R. Herzog collection
photo credit: James R. Herzog collection
This toy was the Starburst Pinwheel. These were made from Celluoid, which was one of the first commercial plastics available. The Pinwheel was discontinued because the celluiod was proven to be very flammable.
photo credit: James R. Herzog collection
These first five toys were produced from 1923 to 1935. This first toy is the Electric Acrobats toys set. It was one of the earliest of the toys produced by the company. The second toy is the Electric Toy Set and is basically the same toy as the first one, but it has more yellow paint and was produced after the first Electric Acrobats.
photo credit: James R. Herzog collection
The American Magnet Toy set was produced in the early thirties and has the addition of some new characters. These first three toys were all magnet toy sets.
photo credit: James R. Herzog collection
photo credit: James R. Herzog collection
photo credit: James R. Herzog collection
photo credit: James R. Herzog collection
photo credit: James R. Herzog collection
photo credit: James R. Herzog collection
This toy was the twin racing tops. This was the toy that kept the Smethport Specialty Company in business in the early 1930's during the depression. It was a great seller up until the company produced for the war effort in the 1940's.
photo credit: James R. Herzog collection
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