Mercury (toy manufacturer) Marklin, the company was started in 1932, by Attilio Clemente and Antonio Cravero, but its first toy was a gun produced about 1939 (Batazzi et al 1974; Force 1992, 5; History of Mercury 2013; Ralston 2009, 62). The company first began making toy cars just after World War II, so is one of the earliest diecast model makers preceding Corgi and many others and it was the earliest producer in Italy (Richardson 1999, 134). In Italy there was little competition for Mercury through most of the 1950s (Force 1992, 5). Early cars were more Tootsietoy-like with simple cast bodies, wheels
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award big deal was...you go to the store and buy a toy. When Stephanie had her first son, everything changed. She quickly discovered that there was no independent consumer information about children's media. After many lengthy conversations, Stephanie convinced Joanne to start the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio. The original newsletter was a big hit and the mother/daughter team wrote their first book together for HarperCollins in 1994, The Best Toys, Books, Videos and Music for Kids. In 1998, they formed their own publishing company and published the first annual Oppenheim Toy Portfolio. They also published their Read It! Play It! Literacy Series.