American Toy Company
Maco Toys, Inc., was the name of a popular toy company[1] based in Brooklyn, New York[2] which produced war-themed toys for children in the 1950s and 1960s.[3] Their toys were sold in a catalog that was illustrated by Tony Tallarico and printed by Charlton Comics[4] which presented itself as a war comic book.[5] (These toys were also sold in toy stores.) Products included plastic guns (including the M1903 Springfield rifle[6] and an Army Paratrooper Carbine [7]), grenades, and a plastic Molotov cocktail.
The company's products were available in stores throughout the United States, but had a limited range of products and did not operate in other countries. Competitors included Hawk Model Company, Applause Inc, and Louis Marx and Company.[1]
Anti gun toy controversy
In 1955, the New York City Council passed a bill to ban the manufacture, sale or possession of imitation revolvers that resemble the real article too closely. In a debate about the measure, an Army .45 caliber automatic manufactured by Maco was used as an example of a toy gun which was similar enough to the real model to be used as a weapon in a robbery.[8]
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