William C Protz, owner of The Tinsel Manufacturing Company, purchased the Stolze Manufacturing Company, which produced a similar product, from founder Henry Stolze Jr. Protz subsequently purchased the National Toy Manufacturing Company of Milwaukee, merging the operations as the National Tinsel and Toy Manufacturing Company in 1920, changing the name in 1923 to National Tinsel Manufacturing Company. During that period, Protz produced a modest range of steel toy trains, including the large (10 inch) range previously produced by the Nonpareil Toy and Novelty Company.
Nonpareil and Tinsel locomotives compared
Nonpareil (top) and Tinsel (below, missing headlight) locomotives compared |
No trademarks on either loco or tender.
The Tinsel dome is set further back towards the cab
The Nonpareil stack is cast whereas Tinsel is rolled tin.
Boiler front number 102 (Tinsel) and 99 (Nonpareil)
The Tinsel pilot has 6 slots, Nonpareil 8 slots
See below for comparison of tender trucks
Nonpareil and Tinsel trucks (bogies), as fitted to tenders and ten inch cars, compared
Nonpariel truck, with two pressed vertical lines, fairly common and standard |
Nonpariel truck, without two pressed vertical lines, fairly common and standard |
Nonpariel truck, with two pressed vertical lines above an ellipse, fitted to earlier cars, 1914-15 |
Tinsel truck, with two pressed vertical lines above a stadium shape, fitted to all known Tinsel cars and tenders |
Tinsel Manufacturing Co passenger coach with triangular TMC logo |
Tinsel Manufacturing Co combine car with triangular TMC logo |
Tinsel Manufacturing Co road vehicles |
Tinsel Manufacturing Co road vehicle, with rare original box |
Tinsel Manufacturing Co Playthings advertisement June 1919, illustrating both rail and road toys |
Tinsel Manufacturing Co Jitney Bank |
Tinsel Manufacturing Co Jitney Bank |
National Toy and Tinsel Patent registered 6th December 1921, listing the products of the company. The new trade mark was used from 2nd January 1920 |
National Tinsel Christmas Tree ornament hangers |
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