Built-Rite, a brand name used by the Warren Paper Products Co., produced many inexpensively made toys from pressed cardboard and lithographed paper as an alternate to metal or wood. The company produced buildings, military pieces, vehicles and even people. They were in business from the early 1930's until 1976.

This particular set is No. 15, the REO Brand Car Dealership and Commercial Garage. It's considered to be one of the most difficult and earliest Built-Rite playset toys to find. The design is typical of the early car-garage and dealership combinations that sprang up all over America.

But best of all......in addition to its scarcity, it's complete and has never been assembled. In other words it's in mint condition. It comes packed inside its beautiful original box with original instructions. The box grades in amazing near mint condition!

The toy consists of eight flat, die cut sections with walls, ceilings, windows and doors. The box bottom is used as the buildings' foundation. Tabs and connecting slots were cut along the edges. As it indicates on the cover no cutting or pasting was needed. The assembled structure represents a "bricked" flat roof garage complete with display windows and doors.

The REO brand name is featured prominently on a large double sided wall marquee. Note that the box cover illustration uses the word "Garage" instead of REO. This may mean that the toy was produced in both generic and REO dealership versions. However, I couldn't find anything to substantiate this. The scale size accommodated most of the small to medium sized cast iron vehicles that were popular at the time.

The box cover illustration shows an accurate representation of the REO garage located on the corner of a busy city street.

Built-Rite's earliest toys are frequently mistaken as initially produced during WWII to conserve metal. However, this is incorrect. Although Built-Rite toys definitely saved metal, the Warren Paper Products Co. produced many paper supply products 20 years before WWII. The company switched over to toy production during the early 1930's.

Size: Assembled 8¾" tall x 13¾" wide x 9¾" deep. Unassembled in the box: 15" x 10" x 1". 

Condition:

As you can image a cardboard toy, once assembled, wouldn't last very long. However, not much more can be said about this specific set other than the contents are unused, mint in box and haven't any tears or creasing.

The box is near mint with only small patches of corner wear and an occasional edge nick. There are no creases, scratches, scuffs, or repairs. The colors are amazingly bold, strong, and really stand out.

The instruction sheet, although slightly yellow, hasn't any creases or tears. It too is in near mint condition.

Amazing toy with a lot of historical significance in museum quality condition!

Coming To Auction April, 2020: Milestone Auction

Price: $425

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