Category:Structo

1915: Structo advert, Popular Mechanics [image info]

1917: advert for Structo Gears, and Auto-Builder [image info]

1924: "American Flyer" advert, including Structo ready-made toys. [image info]

The Structo brand (1908?-) seems to have predated the rash of other American metal construction sets (of varying levels of originality) that appeared from about 1913 onwards after the introduction of Meccano to the US.

Produced by the STRUCTO Manufacturing Company, Freeport, Illinois, the Structo sets began to be accompanied by chunky metal car construction kits (the Structo Auto-Builder range), and became part of the American Flyer line. Eventually the construction element disappeared, and "Structo" became a brand of heavy-duty pre-built steel toy cars.

UK distribution

We're not sure if the more general-purpose Structo construction sets were ever marketed in the UK, but the "Auto-Builder" sets appeared in the 1924 Bassett-Lowke Catalogue B, and were being advertised in Meccano Magazine from 1924-1927 by H.A. Moore and Co. of Southampton Row, London, who may have been the UK distributor.

Structo metal construction sets

BOYS! Here's a Man's Job: Building Real Models OUT OF STRUCTO

that work just like big machinery. Edison, Marconi and Fulton began when they were boys to build their dreams into inventions that have made them famous. They made models first.

If you're tired of playthings – give them to your little sister. And build aeroplanes, battleships, coaling stations, fire trucks that will set Dad to puzzling.

There are more parts – more models in STRUCTO. The shafts are key seated, the gears are cast just like big machinery.

With every five dollar outfit we give you a Powerful Electric Motor – Free that will drive the machines you build. Write for our Illustrated Book. We will mail it free. It tells you all about STRUCTO. It contains illustrations taken from actual photographs of STRUCTO models. It will win Dad over in a minute when he sees it.

— , Structo Mfg. Co., , Popular Mechanics, , December 1915

STRUCTO Boys' Engineering Outfits: Greatest Toy Ever Invented For Real Boys

Structo enables you to make regular working models, engines, battleships, bridges, sky-scrapers, pile-drivers, clocks, steam shovels, elevators and hundreds of other things – just like famous engineers and inventors make. Then you connect your motor and they work just like the real machines do.

The Structo book shows you how to make hundreds of working models. You can design many other models yourself.

• Power Electric Motor goes free with outfits Nos. 4, 5, 6 and accessory outfit No. 3-A.
• Structo Gears are wonder gears – deep cut – sure to work.

— , Structo Mfg Co, , Popular Mechanics, , November 1917

Structo Auto-Builder

• See: Structo Auto Builder

Structo ready-built vehicles (partial listing)

No.42 Contractor's Truck

Powerful Spring Motor

Special Body-Raising Attachment

Length Overall 12 Inches

No.44 Caterpillar Tractor

Model of real "Cletrac"-Type Tractor

Trailer included. Length overall 15 in.

No.52 Grab Bucket

Loads and dumps automatically.

Height 12 Inches

Length 13 Inches

Width 4 1/2 Inches

No.110 Giant Steam Shovel

Loads and dumps automatically

Addresses

• Thompson Manufacturing Company, Freeport, Illinois – (1908-)
• Structo Manufacturing Co., Freeport, Illinois – (1911-)

External links

• Stephenson County Museum: Structo Toys: 100 years, 1911-2011 (antiquetoyworld.com)
• Structo (realpriceguides.com)
• National Museum of American History: Structo High-Wheel Tractor (americanhistory.si.edu)
• Structo Trucks, mostly later models (tnttoytrucks.com)
• Structo - The Indestructable Toys! (oldantiquetoys.blogspot.co.uk)

• H. A. Moore and Co (gracesguide.co.uk) – 1947, Different London address, but perhaps the same London-based distributor