One of the oldest of the German toy makers, the company was founded by Matheus Hess in 1826, and taken over by his son, Johann Leonhart Hess in 1886. The company continued until the death of J L Hess, 1934.
An excellent site, detailing trains, cars, boats and far more is the Hess Tinplate Toys web site.
For additional information, with illustrations, please refer to the TCA Western Division Manufacturers web site.
Perhaps the most well known of the Hess floor sets is the CLR (Central London Railway) Promotional Train Set manufacturered by Matheus Hess of Nuremberg in 1900, as a souvenir to commemorate the opening of the CLR (known as the Tu'penny Tube) in that year. The set comprises an electric outline locomotive, with opening bonnets, and two passanger cars, one of which is a smoking car. The lithographed bodies were designed to hold sweets (candy) accessed via the locomotive bonnets and passenger car sliding clerestory roofs. The complete train measures 16.5 inches (42cm) in length.
Hess Central London Railway promotional floor toy train set |
Hess Central London Railway promotional floor toy train set |
Hess Central London Railway promotional floor toy train set |
Hess Central London Railway promotional floor toy train set |
Hess Central London Railway promotional floor toy train set |
Hess Central London Railway promotional floor toy train set |
Hess Central London Railway promotional floor toy train set |
Hess Central London Railway promotional floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
Hess floor toy train set |
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