Meier (Johann Philipp Meier)
50 years in operation (1879–1929)
About Meier (Johann Philipp Meier)
Johann Philipp Meier was a prolific producer of the beloved 'penny toys' — tiny, inexpensive tin toys sold for a penny at fairs and dime stores throughout Europe and America. Meier's penny toys depict carriages, animals, ships, and figures with charming lithography in miniature.
Founding
Johann Philipp Meier, whose Nuremberg workshop became the most accomplished maker of penny toys in the German trade.
History of Meier (Johann Philipp Meier)
The penny toy was a genuine industrial achievement, and Meier was its master. These are tiny lithographed tinplate objects — carriages, cars, ships, trams, animals, figures, spinning tops, tiny mechanical novelties — made from the thinnest possible tin with almost no material cost, sold from trays at markets, fairs and street stalls for a penny or its local equivalent.
What distinguishes Meier is the lithography and the ingenuity. Within an object two or three inches long, Meier printed detail that stands up to a magnifier, and often included a moving element: a nodding head, a spinning wheel, a figure that rocks. The work is now recognised as some of the finest small-scale colour printing in the history of toys.
Because penny toys were designed to cost nothing and to be discarded, the survival rate is very low, and bright unrubbed examples are genuinely rare. Meier closed in 1929, and its products are the benchmark against which other penny toy makers — Fischer, Distler, Kellermann — are measured.
Timeline
- 1879Johann Philipp Meier establishes his workshop in Nuremberg
- 1895Lithographed penny toys become the company's defining product
- 1905Meier penny toys are exported across Europe and to America
- 1929The firm closes
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Meier tin penny toys
- Meier tin horse-drawn carriages
- Meier tin penny toy ships
- Meier tin penny toy figures
- Meier tin spinning tops
Identifying & Dating Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) Toys
- Look for a "JPM" monogram, or a stylised dog or bird device, lithographed on the base — the mark is minute and needs magnification.
- Many Meier pieces are unmarked and are attributed on lithographic quality and construction, which requires comparison with documented examples.
- Penny toys generally carry no country mark; the construction and printing are the evidence of German origin.
Collector's Notes
- Condition is the whole market. Any rubbing through the litho to bare tin is a major deduction, and these were pocket toys, so untouched examples are exceptional.
- Original counter-display cards or trays with a full set of penny toys are extraordinarily rare and are the most valuable form this material takes.
- Attribution matters here and is difficult. A confident "Meier" on an unmarked piece from a general seller should be treated as a guess unless supported by comparison.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) founded?
Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) was founded in 1879, based in Nuremberg, Germany.
Is Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) still in business?
No. Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) ceased operations in 1929, after 50 years in business.
What is Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) best known for?
Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) is best known for Meier tin penny toys, Meier tin horse-drawn carriages, Meier tin penny toy ships, among other toys.
Where was Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) located?
Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) was based in Nuremberg, Germany.
What kinds of toys did Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) make?
Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) is categorized under tin toys, penny toys, novelty toys.
Who founded Meier (Johann Philipp Meier)?
Johann Philipp Meier, whose Nuremberg workshop became the most accomplished maker of penny toys in the German trade.
How can you identify genuine Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) toys?
Look for a "JPM" monogram, or a stylised dog or bird device, lithographed on the base — the mark is minute and needs magnification. Many Meier pieces are unmarked and are attributed on lithographic quality and construction, which requires comparison with documented examples. Penny toys generally carry no country mark; the construction and printing are the evidence of German origin.
Are Meier (Johann Philipp Meier) toys valuable?
Condition is the whole market. Any rubbing through the litho to bare tin is a major deduction, and these were pocket toys, so untouched examples are exceptional. Original counter-display cards or trays with a full set of penny toys are extraordinarily rare and are the most valuable form this material takes. Attribution matters here and is difficult. A confident "Meier" on an unmarked piece from a general seller should be treated as a guess unless supported by comparison.