Jaymar Specialty Company
The Jaymar Specialty Company produced many
different wood jointed toys during the 1920s and 1930s in Brooklyn, New York.
Many of their toys were character pieces representing familiar cartoon and radio
characters of the 1920s and 1930s including Little Orphan Annie, the Popeye
family, Amos and Andy, Puss 'n' Boots, Moon Mullins, and Ignatz the Kat to name
a few.
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Puss n Boots |
Jaymar toys are held together using small
cloth covered rubber cords running inside arms and legs similar to Schoenhut
construction. However, unlike Schoenhut, who terminated each end of a rubber
cord with a nail, Jaymar terminated its rubber cording with a small metal ring
or eyelet. Most character face features look like they are stamped-on rather
than hand painted.
Jaymar History
Jaymar Specialty Company was started by
famous toy maker Louis Marx's Father Jacob Marx and Jacob's daughter Rose and
son David.
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| Ostrich |
The company produced toys from the last
1920s until 1990. During this period, while Louis
manufactured metal toys, Jacob and Rose manufactured wooden
toys.
Early toys were mainly comic character
toys - Betty Boop, Joe Palooka, Popeye, and so on. Other, generic, characters
such as a witch, pelican, and sailor were also produced. Faces were
stamped rather than hand painted. The name of the character was often stamped on
the toy's body. Sometimes, "Made in USA" was stamped on the sole of
the foot or shoe. These character toys were made from the 1920s into the 1950s.
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Bottom of shoe showing
"Made in USA" stamp and
metal eyelet. |
After WWII, Jaymar additionally made
puzzles and pianos until they ceased business in 1990.
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Jaymar set - 10 inch cannon
with four different soldiers. |
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Jaymar three little pigs musical picture.
Date of production unknown.
Photo courtesy of Jim Polyzotis.
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Jaymar Toy List
Here is a list of early Jaymar
character-type toys. Undoubtedly,
there were many more manufactured. Your contributions would be
appreciated. Puzzles and pianos are not included.
| Name |
Description |
| Amos |
From Amos and Andy, black face |
| Andy |
From Amos and Andy, black face
copyright marked "Correll & Gosden" |
| Andy Gump |
Two sizes, green pants, wooden nose |
| Bear |
Blue body, brown head |
| Bear |
Orange body |
| Betty Boop |
Popular cartoon figure |
| Boy Rider |
Boy with cap riding horse pull toy |
| Boy Scout |
In shorts |
| Cannon with troops |
Set, 10 inch cannon with 4 different soldiers |
| Cat |
|
| Chinaman |
Red jacket, hat |
| Clown |
|
| Daffy Duck |
A Warner brother's character |
| Ed Wynn |
Two sizes, in fireman's suit |
| Elephant |
Red with yellow blanket |
| Frog |
|
| Gator |
Green body, orange head, arms, legs |
| Giraffe |
Long beaded neck |
| Horse |
Red, black and yellow |
| Humpty Dumpty |
red body, green hat |
| Ignatz |
From Krazy Kat |
| Indian |
Colorful |
| Jeep |
Popeye character |
| Joe Palooka |
Several sizes, marked |
| Jiggs |
From Bringing Up Father |
| Kangaroo |
|
| Kayo |
Moon Mullins character |
| Little King |
Red robe, yellow crown, has box |
| Little Orphan Annie |
Usually marked, red costume, various sizes |
| Little Red Riding Hood |
Red body |
| Moon Mullins |
Two sizes, orange cap |
| Occident Flour Man |
Advertising piece, baker |
| Olive Oyl |
Popeye character |
| Ostrich |
Long beaded neck |
| Pelican |
|
| Pinocchio |
|
| Pig |
Red body |
| Policeman |
Blue uniform |
| Popeye |
Various sizes, some with green pants |
| Popeye set |
Popeye, Olive Oyl, Jeep, and Wimpy boxed set |
| Puss 'n' Boots |
Orange cat with boots |
| Rabbit |
|
| Ring-A-Ling set |
Circus set, clown, pig, donkey, and pieces |
| Rooster |
Blue body, orange head |
| Soldier |
Red hat and coat, blue pants |
| Sandy |
Orphan Annie's dog |
| Santa Claus |
Pull Toy - Santa riding Rudolph |
| Sailor |
Blue suit |
| Soldier set |
Four soldiers with cannon in box |
| Witch |
Broom, pointed hat |
| Wimpy |
Popeye character, some hold hamburger |
| Wolf |
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