Arnold Company
120+ years and still operating (founded 1906)
About Arnold Company
Arnold is a venerable Nuremberg toy house that produced tin clockwork toys in the early 20th century before specializing in the highly acclaimed Arnold Rapido N-scale model railway system, helping popularize N-scale railroading worldwide.
Founding
Karl Arnold, who established K. Arnold & Co. in Nuremberg, the centre of the German toy trade.
History of Arnold Company
Arnold worked in the Nuremberg tinplate tradition through the first half of the century, and its most famous product came late in that era: the Mac 700 of 1955, a lithographed tin motorcycle whose rider dismounts, pushes the machine and remounts as it runs. It is among the most sought-after German tin toys of the postwar period, and among the most convincingly mechanical.
The company read the shift away from tinplate earlier than most of its neighbours. In 1960 it introduced Arnold Rapido, an N-gauge model railway system, and effectively bet the business on scale modelling rather than toys. That bet paid: N gauge became a major hobby standard and Arnold became one of its principal names. The brand passed through Rivarossi and Lima and is now part of the Hornby group, still producing N-gauge equipment.
Timeline
- 1906Karl Arnold founds K. Arnold & Co. in Nuremberg
- 1935Tinplate ships, cars and novelty toys form the core of the range
- 1955The Mac 700 motorcycle, with its dismounting rider, is introduced
- 1960Arnold Rapido launches an N-gauge model railway system
- 1995The brand passes to Rivarossi, and subsequently to the Hornby group
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Arnold N-scale train sets
- Arnold tin clockwork motorcycles
- Arnold Rapido N-gauge locomotives
- Arnold tin racing cars
Identifying & Dating Arnold Company Toys
- Tin toys are marked with an "Arnold" script logo lithographed on the body or base.
- Country marks date the piece usefully: "Made in Germany" before 1949, "Made in Western Germany" or "US-Zone Germany" in the postwar decades, "Made in West Germany" later.
- N-gauge Rapido stock carries "ARNOLD" and a catalogue number on the underframe and belongs to the model-railway rather than the toy market.
Collector's Notes
- The Mac 700 sets the ceiling for the tinplate line, especially boxed and with the rider figure intact — the rider is small, separate and frequently lost.
- Check clockwork mechanisms before buying. German tinplate motors of this period are well made and repairable, but a broken mainspring is a real cost.
- US-Zone marked pieces occupy a narrow window and collectors pay for the mark itself, so it is worth reading the base carefully.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Arnold Company founded?
Arnold Company was founded in 1906, based in Nuremberg, Germany.
Is Arnold Company still in business?
Yes. Arnold Company is still operating today, 120+ years after it was founded.
What is Arnold Company best known for?
Arnold Company is best known for Arnold N-scale train sets, Arnold tin clockwork motorcycles, Arnold Rapido N-gauge locomotives, among other toys.
Where was Arnold Company located?
Arnold Company was based in Nuremberg, Germany.
What kinds of toys did Arnold Company make?
Arnold Company is categorized under trains, tin toys, clockwork.
Who founded Arnold Company?
Karl Arnold, who established K. Arnold & Co. in Nuremberg, the centre of the German toy trade.
How can you identify genuine Arnold Company toys?
Tin toys are marked with an "Arnold" script logo lithographed on the body or base. Country marks date the piece usefully: "Made in Germany" before 1949, "Made in Western Germany" or "US-Zone Germany" in the postwar decades, "Made in West Germany" later. N-gauge Rapido stock carries "ARNOLD" and a catalogue number on the underframe and belongs to the model-railway rather than the toy market.
Are Arnold Company toys valuable?
The Mac 700 sets the ceiling for the tinplate line, especially boxed and with the rider figure intact — the rider is small, separate and frequently lost. Check clockwork mechanisms before buying. German tinplate motors of this period are well made and repairable, but a broken mainspring is a real cost. US-Zone marked pieces occupy a narrow window and collectors pay for the mark itself, so it is worth reading the base carefully.