Hubley Manufacturing Company - History

History

The Hubley Manufacturing Company was first incorporated in 1894 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania by John Hubley. The first Hubley toys appeared in 1909 and were made of cast-iron, with styles that ranged from horse drawn vehicles and different breeds of dogs, to tractors and guns (Smitsonian Institution, website). Hubley's series of motorcycles were also creative and included sidecars and ones hooked to delivery vans that said, "Say it with flowers" on the sides. Starting around 1940, the company shifted to diecast zinc alloy molding (Johnson 1998, p. 96). Household objects such as doorstops and bookends were also produced. Automobiles, trucks and airplanes later became Hubley's main focus.

Hubley's casting process involved several steps. For a particular toy, bookend, or doorstop, metalworkers would first carve a wood form, or hammer out the basic design in metal. Pressing this form into finely compacted sand created an impression for molding. Cast iron heated to 3000 degrees was poured into the sand mold and, when cooled, the form would pop out. Rough edges would be filed away and the mold ready for mass production casting. Painters applied a base coat (usually white or cream but sometimes black) to cast figures whether toys or doorstops. Then, colorists used a variety of hues highlighting important details (Collectics.com).

By about 1960, different lines were introduced to distinguish toys for younger folk from products for older hobbyists. 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. In 1965 was acquried by the Lido Toy Company (Wall Street Journal, August 5, 1965).

The company also dabbled in plastic promotional models. Hubley offerings may have represented too broad of a competitive brushstroke, however, as the company was pretty much out of business by the mid-1970s.