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In a recent discovery, a collector has added a rare Cruver toy car to their collection, acquired from eBay. The seller, a collector based in Florida, specialises in vintage toys, making this purchase an exciting find.
The Cruver Manufacturing Company, based in Chicago, IL, has a rich history dating back to World War II. During this period, the company produced navigational tools, recognition models, and a variety of plastics products. Post-war, the company shifted its focus to household items, including toy cars.
The newly acquired toy car, like its predecessor, is unmarked, making it a true mystery. However, its extended "fastback" roofline and front grille, reminiscent of a Buick of the late 1940s, have led the collector to believe it is another Cruver product. The car measures 5 inches in length, slightly smaller than the first one, which measures 5.25 inches. The second car boasts translucent green wheels, adding to its unique charm.
Interestingly, a red and a tan version of the second Cruver toy car have been spotted, further fuelling the intrigue surrounding these vintage finds. The tan version, in particular, has a hole cut into the grille, designed to accommodate a small lightbulb powered by a small battery, adding a fascinating interactive element.
The profit margin for Cruver Manufacturing when producing copies of low-priced toys like the unmarked blue plastic car remains a topic of discussion. General industry knowledge suggests that producing low-priced toys with new tooling typically results in low profit margins or losses initially. Tooling costs are high and need to be amortized over large production volumes. The selling price per unit is low, limiting revenue potential, and achieving profitability requires very large production runs or low production costs.
Despite this, the Cruver Manufacturing Company managed to produce a variety of toys, including smaller ones like a blue plastic car that was 5.25 inches in length. One specific product of theirs that is well-known is a plastic promo model of a 1949 Oldsmobile 98 sedan, approximately 8 inches in length.
Douglas R. Kelly, the editor of Marine Technology magazine, has a keen interest in these vintage finds. With bylines in Antiques Roadshow Insider, Back Issue, Diecast Collector, RetroFan, and Buildings magazines, Kelly's expertise in the field is well-respected.
As the hunt for more Cruver toy cars continues, the mystery surrounding their production costs and profit margins remains unsolved, adding to the allure of these vintage treasures.
The collector, intrigued by the latest acquisition, started to incorporate the vintage Cruver toy cars into their home-and-garden landscape, placing them near the flowerbeds to complement their stylish lifestyle. The variety of colors and unique features of these small Cruver creations became a daily delight, reminding the collector of the rich history and innovation behind home-and-garden items produced by the Cruver Manufacturing Company.
