Hubley Manufacturing Co. (United States) - cast iron toys and housewares

Cast iron is produced by heating iron with a high carbon content until it liquefies, and then casting the iron into moulds of compressed sand.

Cast iron was invented in China in the 5th century BC and poured into moulds to make ploughshares and pots as well as weapons and pagodas. Although steel had been invented, was in use, and was more desirable, cast iron was cheaper and thus was more commonly used for warfare in ancient China.

In the west, cast iron did not become available until the 15th century, and its earliest uses included cannon and shot, and more... later, cast iron cannons, which, while heavier than the existing bronze cannons, were much cheaper to manufacture and enabled more to be produced..

Cast iron pots were made at many English blast furnaces from about the 17th century. In 1707, Abraham Darby patented a method of making pots and kettles thinner and thus cheaper than his rivals could. This meant that his Coalbrookdale furnaces became dominant as suppliers of pots, an activity in which they were joined in the 1720s and 1730s by a small number of other coke-fired blast furnaces.

The ability to manufacture lighter items led to the popularity of cast iron for furniture and garden decoration during the 19th century, of which the Coalbrookdale company was the leading exponent.

Wrought iron became very popular again in the 1920s during the Art Deco period, and its uses included chairs, firescreens, decorative lamps and legs for tables.

Wrought iron differs from cast iron in that articles made from it cannot be mass produced. Each piece must be individually made (wrought) using a hammer on an anvil and a blacksmith's forge. less...

The Hubley Manufacturing Co. was an American toy company that was founded in 1894 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The company began by producing cast-iron toys, including trains, cars, and other vehicles. As the company grew, it expanded its product line to include a wide range of other toys and products, such as cap guns, trucks, and airplanes.

One of the most popular products made by Hubley was the "Gabriel" cap gun, which was first introduced in the 1920s. The company also produced a wide range of other cap guns, including replicas of guns used by law enforcement and the military more... .

In addition to cap guns, Hubley was also known for producing a range of other popular toys, including die-cast metal vehicles, such as the famous Hubley Kiddie Toy line of cars, trucks, and airplanes. Hubley also produced a range of other metal toys, such as farm and construction equipment, trains, and figurines.

During World War II, Hubley shifted its production to help support the war effort, producing items such as shell casings and other military equipment. After the war, the company continued to produce a wide range of toys and other products, including plastic toys and board games.

In the 1960s, the company began to face financial difficulties due to increased competition from foreign manufacturers and changing consumer tastes. The company was sold several times over the years, and the Hubley name continued to be used on some products until the 1970s, when the company was finally dissolved. less...