corgi toys

The History

 

Corgi Toys was started in 1956 by the Mettoy Company  ( Mettoy= Metal +toy) which had itself been founded in Northampton by Phillip Ullmann in 1933; the company’s main product range being composed of lithographed metal toys.

In 1948 Mettoy produced their first cast metal toy called them “Castoys”: the model contained a clockwork motor  and when the first Corgi Toys models were introduced they also contained a mechanism. This, plus the introduction of window grazing, gave Corgi a competive edge against their great rival, Dinky Toys.

Corgy toys were named after the Whelsh breed of dogs and this logo will be foud on virtually all the Corgi packaging. The models were produced in Swansea by Mettoy Playcraft Ltd., hence baseplats are marked “Made in Gt Britain”.

The development of the Corgi Toys product range was largely instigated by Howara Fairbairn, a Mettoy Company Director. 

The first truly Corgi Toys product was N° 200 Ford Consul in 1956.

Corgi have always been famed for their model innovations: this was expecially true when they were able to promote their models as “ The Ones With Windows”. Additionally, greater realism was archived over time with, for example, better detailing of their wheels hubs

1983: begins the decline of the Corgi brand, along with other prestigious brands in the industry.
With the advent of the first electronic games, the fascination with old toys static or dynamic in general, will suffer over the years a strong decline, causing closure of the different manufacturers.