Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.)
13 years in operation (1921–1934)
About Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.)
Nifty produced lithographed tin clockwork toys in the 1920s and early 1930s. Their Charlie Chaplin and other comic character wind-up toys are charming examples of the tin toy art from the Jazz Age.
History of Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.)
Nifty was the trade name used by Borgfeldt, the great New York toy importer and distributor, for a line of lithographed tinplate character and novelty toys in the 1920s and early 1930s. Much of it was manufactured in Germany to Borgfeldt's order, which is why Nifty toys often look like German tinplate with an American brand on the base.
The character licences are the reason the name is remembered. Nifty produced comic-strip and film-character toys — the Charlie Chaplin walking figure is the best known — at a time when character merchandising in toys was still new, and its output includes some of the earliest tinplate representations of American newspaper-strip characters.
The name disappeared in the mid-1930s along with Borgfeldt's German supply arrangements. Because Nifty was a brand rather than a factory, attribution can be ambiguous: the same toy may be found with a German maker's mark, a Nifty mark, or both.
Timeline
- 1921Borgfeldt begins using the Nifty brand for lithographed tinplate toys
- 1925Comic-strip and film character licences produce the best-known Nifty toys
- 1930German supply arrangements weaken under trade and political conditions
- 1934The Nifty name falls out of use
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Nifty Charlie Chaplin tin toy
- Nifty tin clockwork animals
- Nifty tin novelty cars
- Nifty comic character toys
Identifying & Dating Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) Toys
- Look for "NIFTY" lithographed on the base, sometimes with "Made in Germany" and sometimes with a German maker's mark alongside.
- A Nifty mark plus a German country mark is the normal combination and indicates German manufacture for American distribution.
- Character toys carry the licensor's name or a copyright line printed on the tin, which dates them tightly.
Collector's Notes
- Character toys are the market — Chaplin and early comic-strip figures command strong prices, and lithography condition is the deciding factor.
- Mechanisms are simple and are often stiff or broken. A toy that walks or performs its action correctly is worth a clear premium.
- Because Nifty was a distributor brand, be wary of confident single-maker attributions; describe what the base actually says.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) founded?
Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) was founded in 1921, based in New York, NY.
Is Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) still in business?
No. Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) ceased operations in 1934, after 13 years in business.
What is Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) best known for?
Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) is best known for Nifty Charlie Chaplin tin toy, Nifty tin clockwork animals, Nifty tin novelty cars, among other toys.
Where was Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) located?
Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) was based in New York, NY.
What kinds of toys did Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) make?
Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) is categorized under tin toys, clockwork, novelty toys.
How can you identify genuine Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) toys?
Look for "NIFTY" lithographed on the base, sometimes with "Made in Germany" and sometimes with a German maker's mark alongside. A Nifty mark plus a German country mark is the normal combination and indicates German manufacture for American distribution. Character toys carry the licensor's name or a copyright line printed on the tin, which dates them tightly.
Are Nifty (Nifty Toy Co.) toys valuable?
Character toys are the market — Chaplin and early comic-strip figures command strong prices, and lithography condition is the deciding factor. Mechanisms are simple and are often stiff or broken. A toy that walks or performs its action correctly is worth a clear premium. Because Nifty was a distributor brand, be wary of confident single-maker attributions; describe what the base actually says.