Tootsie Toy - Pre-War Vehicles

Pre-War Vehicles

By the early 1920s the name 'tootsie' was being used as a brand name and "Tootsietoy" was registered as a trade mark in 1924. The 'Tootsie' moniker apparently came from one of the Dowst Brothers' granddaughters, whose name was "Toots". Tootsietoy also made metal prizes for Cracker Jack boxes. Perhaps the same in the 1930s led Dowst to provide cast pieces for the Monopoly game (Strombecker 2004).

In the 1920s trains, cars, trucks, military vehicles, aircraft, pistols and a variety of other toys were manufactured by Dowst. Vehicles often had white rubber tires which over time become brittle and often have not survived play-wear and time. One of the unique offerings were a set of 1932 Graham diecast cars - Tootsietoy offered a Graham sedan, town car, coupe, roadster, dual cowl convertible, delivery panel truck and tow truck (Seeley No Date a). A marque not often seen in miniature since, Graham was a household name in Tootsietoy. The Tootsietoy Grahams were available in boxes with "Graham" on the sides - indicating that they may have been used as promotional models for the Graham company (Seeley No date a).

One car that definitely was a promotional model was the 1935 Lasalle made for General Motors and which came in sedan and coupe versions packaged in a special smallish blue and dark rose box. Another interesting model was the 1936 Lincoln Zephyr which came with a 'Roamer' camper trailer (Seeley No Date b).

World War II work later had the Dowst Co. making detonators for grenades and mines as well as belt and parachute buckles. As would be expected, little toy production was seen, though some paper toys were produced (Strombecker 2004).