Ferdinand Strauss

Ferdinand Strauss
East Rutherford, New Jersey
Early 1900s – 1927
Founded in the early 20th century by Ferdinand Strauss, the company initially sold German toys under his name. In 1912, Ferdinand Strauss hired the future toy magnate Louis Marx. In 1914, Strauss began his own production and is considered to be the founder of American mechanical toys. In 1921, Louis Marx acquired manufacturing facilities and dies, incorporating the production line into his own. Strauss disappeared from the scene in 1927.