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1955 Time Magazine Louis Marx "The Little King Toymaker"

1955 Time Magazine Louis Marx

For those Marx toy collector's that have "everything" here's something really unusual. This is a complete original issue of Time Magazine, 116 pages, published December 12, 1955. It features a story and full color cover about "Toymaker Louis Marx". The article also calls Marx "The Little King".

The cover itself is fantastic. It shows a huge color illustration of Louis Marx with a partial image of Santa Claus behind him. Of course it infers that during his lifetime Marx "played" the part of a real life Santa Claus. Several enlightening examples are provided as well as Marx's determination to be the biggest and most influential toy company in the world.

Regarding the cover drawing, no less than 22 Marx toys surround the image of the toymaker. Includes the rare all plastic Celebration Pluto, the huge Ride-on Fire Ladder Truck, Robert the Robot, rare Davy Crockett Flintlock Rifle, the all metal friction Convertible Roadster, the scarce all plastic Pecos Bill Ridin' Widowmaker, plastic model Clipper Ship, Dick Tracy battery operated car, and lots more.

The four page article includes many black and white photos. One of these shows an 8ft. marionette which sold for $300, and a real child's suit of armor for $125 (not the tin litho version). It discusses the relationship his wife Idella, and children had as publicity agents. It also notes Marx's role as a celebrity mixing it up with President Eisenhower (the two were good friends for many years), Edgar Bergen, Gene Tunney (the boxer) and the White House Chiefs of Staff. It goes into some detail about the two sides of Louis Marx; on one hand it discusses his ruthlessness to be the biggest and best, and on the other hand how he donated thousands of toys to needy children year after year.

Lots of great facts like;

10% of the 5000 Marx toys produced in 1955 were mechanical
Marx had his own reserved table at the famous àµ? Club in New York City where he never let anyone pick up the check
Marx was his own walking ad agency. In 1955 his company spent a total of $312 for advertising.
Donated more than a million toys annually to needy children, orphanages, and other institutions.
Believed that toys provided security, "toys give children love and attention synthetically".
The Marx Company grossed more than $50 million in 1955.
New for 1955 was a life size monkey that puffed cigarettes ($250), a 9 ft. giraffe ($250), and a life-size lion which ate a life-size man ($300)
Marx's opinion of educational toys "they're purchased by spinster aunts and spinster uncles and hermetically sealed parents who wash their children 1,000 times a day"
75% of Marx toys sold for less than $5
Marx's opinion of toy piracy, "when they copy you it's piracy, when you cop them it's competition".
Marx spoke only German until the age of 6, by age 26 he was a millionaire.

I'm also showing an original Marx Company wholesale and distribution work form. It's yellow with black print and was never used.

Size: Magazine approx. 8" x 11". Work Form 4" x 7".

Date Sold: Jul. 2009

Price Sold: $ 26

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