Karl Bub
115 years in operation (1851–1966)
About Karl Bub
Karl Bub was a long-running Nuremberg toy company known for high-quality lithographed tin toys including clockwork cars, trains, and mechanical toys. A significant exporter to the US and British markets, Bub's postwar plastic trains are also collectible.
Founding
Karl Bub, who founded the Nuremberg firm in 1851 — one of the long-lived German tinplate houses.
History of Karl Bub
Bub made lithographed tinplate across the full Nuremberg range: clockwork automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, novelty toys and, most significantly, trains. Its work sat at a more affordable level than Bing and Märklin, aimed at families who wanted a tinplate car or train set without paying for hand-painting and fine detail, and the lithography carried the visual load accordingly.
The company's most consequential moment came in 1933, when Bing was broken up: Bub acquired a substantial part of the Bing train tooling and continued producing from it. That means some postwar Bub trains are, in origin, Bing designs — a genuinely useful thing to know when trying to attribute an unmarked tinplate locomotive of the period.
Bub continued into the 1960s, latterly making trains and tinplate vehicles against increasingly hopeless competition from plastic and die-cast, and closed in 1966.
Timeline
- 1851Karl Bub founds the firm in Nuremberg
- 1900Clockwork tinplate cars, trucks and trains form the range
- 1933Bub acquires a substantial part of the Bing train tooling following Bing's break-up
- 1950Postwar trains and tinplate vehicles continue, some from ex-Bing tooling
- 1966The company closes
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Bub tin clockwork automobiles
- Bub tin train sets
- Bub lithographed trucks
- Bub clockwork motorcycles
Identifying & Dating Karl Bub Toys
- Look for "KB" or "KBN" — Karl Bub Nürnberg — in a shield or oval, lithographed or stamped on the base, with "Bavaria", "Germany" or postwar "Made in Western Germany".
- Ex-Bing tooling may produce a piece with Bing's pressing but Bub's markings; the combination is diagnostic rather than suspicious.
- Zone markings — "US-Zone Germany" — date early postwar output narrowly.
Collector's Notes
- Large clockwork cars and complete boxed train sets are the desirable items; loose rolling stock is common and inexpensive.
- Lithography condition governs value, and Bub tin was thin. Rust spotting and edge wear are normal and heavily discounted.
- Ex-Bing designs are collected by Bing specialists too, so a Bub-marked piece from Bing tooling can find a wider market than expected.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Karl Bub founded?
Karl Bub was founded in 1851, based in Nuremberg, Germany.
Is Karl Bub still in business?
No. Karl Bub ceased operations in 1966, after 115 years in business.
What is Karl Bub best known for?
Karl Bub is best known for Bub tin clockwork automobiles, Bub tin train sets, Bub lithographed trucks, among other toys.
Where was Karl Bub located?
Karl Bub was based in Nuremberg, Germany.
What kinds of toys did Karl Bub make?
Karl Bub is categorized under tin toys, trains, clockwork, vehicles.
Who founded Karl Bub?
Karl Bub, who founded the Nuremberg firm in 1851 — one of the long-lived German tinplate houses.
How can you identify genuine Karl Bub toys?
Look for "KB" or "KBN" — Karl Bub Nürnberg — in a shield or oval, lithographed or stamped on the base, with "Bavaria", "Germany" or postwar "Made in Western Germany". Ex-Bing tooling may produce a piece with Bing's pressing but Bub's markings; the combination is diagnostic rather than suspicious. Zone markings — "US-Zone Germany" — date early postwar output narrowly.
Are Karl Bub toys valuable?
Large clockwork cars and complete boxed train sets are the desirable items; loose rolling stock is common and inexpensive. Lithography condition governs value, and Bub tin was thin. Rust spotting and edge wear are normal and heavily discounted. Ex-Bing designs are collected by Bing specialists too, so a Bub-marked piece from Bing tooling can find a wider market than expected.