Doepke Toys
Encyclopedia
Doepke Model Toys have delighted kids for decades and are now the envy of toy collectors everywhere. Based near Cincinnati
, Ohio
, Doepke (pron. "dep key") made several different types of toys ranging from model automobiles such as the MG
, 1955 Jaguar
, a fire engine
, trains (big enough to ride on) and construction vehicles including bulldozer
s, grader
s, loaders
, earth mover
s, and cranes
. The toys are noted for their remarkable realism.
In 1947, Charles W. Doepke with his assistant and brother Fredrick started the Doepke Toy Company in Rossmoyne, Ohio. Being so soon after the conclusion of World War II, many toys available at the time reflected a war theme. In contrast to this trend, the Doepkes were encouraged by their grandmother to create toys that were not war-related. Since both men had previously worked in the steel industry, they were quite aware of the possibilities and were adamant about creating exact duplicates of then modern construction equipment and cars.
The popularity of Doepke toys among children in the 1950s was likely bolstered by their uncanny realism. Yet, this appeal was not necessarily limited to children. On many occasions, salesmen would carry Doepke toys with them to help with sales. "In one instance a model made by Doepke actually worked out a production flaw in its much larger relative." Said, the daughter of Charles Doepke in an interview.
One of Doepke’s best selling items was its steel crane, first manufactured in 1949. It was one of the most popular pressed steel construction toys ever made. It was rugged enough to survive the rigors of outdoor use and had realistic details like rubber Goodyear
tires. The toy had two functional hand crank hoists, accurate rigging, a stamped steel open lattice boom and a working clamshell bucket used for excavating. The toy was priced at $14.95.
In 1960, due to an increase in steel costs and its inability to create the same realism with wood toys, Doepke was forced to shut down.
Today, there are many collectors of Doepke toys and the models are routinely offered for sale in online forums such as EBay
.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Doepke (pron. "dep key") made several different types of toys ranging from model automobiles such as the MG
MG (car)
The MG Car Company is a former British sports car manufacturer founded in the 1920s by Cecil Kimber. Best known for its two-seat open sports cars, MG also produced saloons and coupés....
, 1955 Jaguar
Jaguar (car)
Jaguar Cars Ltd, known simply as Jaguar , is a British luxury car manufacturer, headquartered in Whitley, Coventry, England. It is part of the Jaguar Land Rover business, a subsidiary of the Indian company Tata Motors....
, a fire engine
Fire apparatus
A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, along with water or other equipment...
, trains (big enough to ride on) and construction vehicles including bulldozer
Bulldozer
A bulldozer is a crawler equipped with a substantial metal plate used to push large quantities of soil, sand, rubble, etc., during construction work and typically equipped at the rear with a claw-like device to loosen densely-compacted materials.Bulldozers can be found on a wide range of sites,...
s, grader
Grader
A grader, also commonly referred to as a road grader, a blade, a maintainer, or a motor grader, is a construction machine with a long blade used to create a flat surface. Typical models have three axles, with the engine and cab situated above the rear axles at one end of the vehicle and a third...
s, loaders
Loader (equipment)
A loader is a heavy equipment machine often used in construction, primarily used to load material into or onto another type of machinery .-Heavy equipment front loaders:A loader A loader is a heavy equipment machine often used in construction, primarily used to load material (such as asphalt,...
, earth mover
Earth Mover
Earth Mover is the third studio album by Hard trance duo Cosmic Gate. It was released on September 18th, 2006 in Germany.-Track listing:#A Mile In My Shoes – 7:18#I Feel Wonderful – 4:38...
s, and cranes
Crane (machine)
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. It uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of...
. The toys are noted for their remarkable realism.
In 1947, Charles W. Doepke with his assistant and brother Fredrick started the Doepke Toy Company in Rossmoyne, Ohio. Being so soon after the conclusion of World War II, many toys available at the time reflected a war theme. In contrast to this trend, the Doepkes were encouraged by their grandmother to create toys that were not war-related. Since both men had previously worked in the steel industry, they were quite aware of the possibilities and were adamant about creating exact duplicates of then modern construction equipment and cars.
The popularity of Doepke toys among children in the 1950s was likely bolstered by their uncanny realism. Yet, this appeal was not necessarily limited to children. On many occasions, salesmen would carry Doepke toys with them to help with sales. "In one instance a model made by Doepke actually worked out a production flaw in its much larger relative." Said, the daughter of Charles Doepke in an interview.
One of Doepke’s best selling items was its steel crane, first manufactured in 1949. It was one of the most popular pressed steel construction toys ever made. It was rugged enough to survive the rigors of outdoor use and had realistic details like rubber Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
tires. The toy had two functional hand crank hoists, accurate rigging, a stamped steel open lattice boom and a working clamshell bucket used for excavating. The toy was priced at $14.95.
In 1960, due to an increase in steel costs and its inability to create the same realism with wood toys, Doepke was forced to shut down.
Today, there are many collectors of Doepke toys and the models are routinely offered for sale in online forums such as EBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
.