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
James May's Toy Stories toy. A few stars of the show include Airfix model planes, plasticine modelling material, Meccano construction toys, Scalextric cars and Lego. May's interest in technology is known from his presentation of such programmes as "James May's 20th Century" and "James May's Big Ideas". He credits much of the inventiveness of humans to the love of playing with toys and he has credited many technological developments to men playing in sheds. He has shown his passion for toys in programmes he has presented including "James May's Top Toys" and "" and he has discussed his desire for children to get away