Search
Walter Jantzer, (1906-1994), was one of the last of A.C.Gilbert’s employees to leave Erector Square in 1967. For fifty years, the Fair Haven factory had produced iconic learning toys.The Erector Set and American Flyer brands found new owners. But the production lines that had once employed 3000 co-workers were silent. Walter tended the boilers that preserved the sprawling buildings that would eventually find new life as studios for artists and designers.
Among the artifacts abandoned in the dissolution,Walter found 5 large scrapbooks prepared by a press clipping service. The scrapbooks document the years 1955 through 1963. What Walter preserved was a libretto of the last act of an American institution.
Jantzer Archive Digest
| Title | Date | Publication | Description | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jantzer Archive Photographs | 1958 – 1963 | Various | Assorted photographs. | A.C. Gilbert Company |
| New 'Hall of Science' Opens in New York | Apr-55 | Toys and Novelties Magazine | After undergoing renovations the 'Hall of Science' opens with new displays. Gilbert resumes HO production. | American Flyer Trains, Gilbert Hall of Science, HO Scale |
| 'Do-It-Yourself' Gifts are Dandy for Dads Who Are Handy | Jun-55 | Metro Associated Services | Suggests wives purchase A.C. Gilbert products for Dads. Modeling was becoming a top hobby for men. | Gilbert Drill Leader Set |
| Why Your Feet Hurt | 9/11/55 | King Feature's Syndicate, Inc. | Advertisement for A.C. Gilbert Vibrator, suggests using the product for tired feet. | Gilbert Appliances, Vibrator |
| All Aboard Trainland; Modern Toys Are Lures on Road to Education | 11/1955 ca. | NEA Service, Inc | Growth of Ferroequinology (Model Trains) as a hobby for men and boys; details how educational toys benefit kids. | American Flyer Trains, Education |
| Pop's Toys | 12/17/55 | Kansas Sun | Toy makers keep dads in mind as 'toys' remain popular with parents. Article also mentions revitalization of HO gauge trains. | American Flyer Trains, HO Scale |
| Right Toys May Help Shape Junior's Future | 12/24/55 | Lexington, KY Herald | Toys help children develop interest in science and technology careers. | Education, Erector Set |
| Study Planned on Shortage of Engineers | 1/15/56 | New Haven, CT Register | Local manufacturing firms to take survey written by industrialists and educators to solve engineer shortage. | Education, Manufacturing |
| Strictly, Business | 2/15/56 | Hamilton, MT Ravalli Republican | Political cartoon; Ajax Oil Co. car drives past Mervin electricity towers. 'Dig those crazy erector sets.' | Ajax Oil Company, Erector Set |
| Anyone for a Little Game of Shrimp Eggs? | 4/12/56 | NEA Service, Inc | A.C. Gilbert Co. now packages brine shrimp eggs with microscopes. | Education, Gilbert Microscope Sets |
| Toys can be very important to the education of a child | 11/18/56 | Beatrice, NE Sun | Survey of mechanical and chemical engineers state childhood toys (Gilbert) were important to their career choice. | A.C. Gilbert Jr, Education, Engineering |
| Toys Take On New Realism | 10/9/56 | New Haven, CT Register | Classic toys get electrified, toys reflect adult life. | American Flyer Trains, Gilbert Tool Kits, Toy Industry |
| Hey Kids! Imagine Getting Paid For Playing With Toy Trains! | 12/23/56 | New Haven, CT Register | Full page interview with A.C. Gilbert Company creative engineer William Russell Smith. | Engineering, Toy Industry, William Russel Smith |
| Junior Chemists | 12/28/56 | Stubenville, OH Herald-Star | Dangers of chemistry sets for kids – anything can and will happen. | Education |
| A.C. Gilbert to Go All Out for Health Appliance Market | 1/16/57 | No information listed | A.C. Gilbert Company to offer department stores 'health bar sales plan.' | Gilbert Appliances |
| The Business Built on Fun | First Quarter, 1957 | Steel Horizons | Focus piece on the history of the A.C. Gilbert Company. | A.C. Gilbert Company, Toy Industry |
| Train for Girls, Saucers for Boys | 3/10/57 | Columbus, OH Citizen | Toy fairs display leading toys for the sexes. | American Flyer Trains, Toy Industry, Toys for Girls |
| Rocket Launcher Car is Next for Electric Trainmen | 3/14/57 | Caldwell, ID News-Tribune | New pride of A.C. Gilbert Co train line is 'rocket launcher car;' crime detection equipment added to chemistry sets. | American Flyer Trains, Education |
| Small Fry Railroads Fight For Control | 4/7/57 | Honolulu, HI Advisor | Sales battle between model train makers Lionel Corporation, A.C. Gilbert Company, and Revell Incorporated. | American Flyer Trains, Toy Industry |
| Satellites and Sidearms Top Toy Outlook for 1958 | 3/12/58 | NEA Services, Inc. | Space toys and toy weapons expected to be big in the 1958 Christmas season. | Education, Space Race, Toy Industry |
| Toy Makers See Good Sales in'58; Count on Science, Education Items | 3/17/58 | Wall Street Journal | Toy sales expected to beat'57 despite recession by placing emphasis on science and education. | Education, Toy Industry |
| 1958 Toys Ape World of Adults | 3/20/58 | Grand Rapids, MI Herald | Realistic, space age toys introduced at the annual Toy Fair in New York. | Education, Erector Set, Gilbert Telescopes |
| Star Finder, Girls' Lab Set Included in Gilbert's Line | Apr-58 | Playthings Magazine | Article details new A.C. Gilbert Company products introduced at 1958 Toy Fair. | Education, Erector Set, Gilbert Magic Star Finder, Toys for Girls |
| Gilbert Science Hall Fascinates All Ages | 5/4/58 | New York Mirror | Description and history of the Gilbert Hall of Science in New York City. | Education, Gilbert Hall of Science |
| Science and Mechanics' 'Top Ten' Includes the Magic Star Finder | Aug-58 | Playthings Magazine | A.C. Gilbert Company's Magic Star Finder named as one of the, 'Top 10 Scientific and Mechanical Toys of 1958.' | Gilbert Magic Star Finder, Toy Industry |
| Toys of the Age | 8/6/58 | No information listed | Modern toys leave behind classic themes for space themes. | Education, Space Race, Toy Industry |
| Gilbert Company To Hatch Ancient Eggs at Exhibit | 9/6/58 | New Haven, CT Register | A.C. Gilbert Company will hatch ancient shrimp eggs for use in demonstrating its line of microscopes. | Education, Toy Industry |
| A.C. Gilbert Produces Two TV Films to Spur Interest in Science | Oct-58 | Toys and Novelties Magazine | A.C. Gilbert Company announces two half hour television specials in an effort to interest children in science. | A.C. Gilbert Company, Education, Television |
| The Three R's- Readin' Ritin' and Robot | 11/29/58 | Raleigh, NC Register | Electric toy sales up as much as 100% over previous years. | Education, Space Race, Toy Industry |
| Russia's Sputniks Affect Sales of - Toys With Purpose' | Dec-58 | Cigar and Tobacco Journal | Russia's satellite has influenced a trend in space themed toys. | Education, Space Race, Toy Industry |
| Gilbert Acquires Rights to Science Electronics' Kit | Mar-59 | Toys and Novelties Magazine | A.C. Gilbert Company purchases manufacturing and selling rights for Erec-Tronics Kits. | A.C. Gilbert Company, Toy Industry |
| Boy of 75 Who's Never Forgot Toys | 3/19/59 | Miami, FL News | A.C. Gilbert to celebrate his 50th Anniversary in the toy business. | A.C. Gilbert, Erector Set, Toy Industry |
| Gilbert and General Foods | Apr-59 | Toys and Novelties Magazine | A.C. Gilbert Company and Post Cereals teamed to launch promotion. | A.C. Gilbert Company, Post General Foods, Toy Industry |
| Russians to See How U.S. Plays | 5/20/59 | Garden City, NY News Day | American toys to be displayed at the American National Exhibit in Moscow. | Space Race, Toy Industry |
| Gilbert Forecasts Toy Industry Boom | 6/19/59 | New Haven, CT Register | A.C. Gilbert Jr predicts a bright future in his speech for the Company's 50th Anniversary luncheon. | A.C. Gilbert Jr, Toy Industry |
| In This World: Million Dollar Ideas Are Everywhere | 6/19/59 | White Plains, NY Fair-View News | Newspaper feature on the inspiration behind A.C. Gilbert's Erector Set Girders. | A.C. Gilbert, Erector Set |
| Industry Leaders View Next Fifty Years | Jul-59 | Toys and Novelties Magazine | A.C. Gilbert, Jr discusses the future of scientific toys. | A.C. Gilbert Jr, Toy Industry |
| Space Toys Losing to Westerns | 7/16/59 | New York Herald Tribune | Toy Guidance Council predicts Western paraphernalia to trump space toys for Christmas'59. | Space Race, Television, Toy Industry |
| Toys Are Typical of the Times; Toy Industry Paces Progress | 8/7/59 | Christian Science Monitor | Today's toys reflect the news in your daily paper. | Education, Space Race, Toy Industry |
| In This World: The Magic Handshake | 9/27/59 | Salem, MA Express | Newspaper feature focused on A.C. Gilbert's early history. | A.C. Gilbert, Erector Set, Mysto Magic |
| Conn. Toymaker Idles 150 Because of - Buyer Wariness' | 10/30/59 | Stamford, CT Advocate | A.C. Gilbert Company to lay off 150 workers. | A.C. Gilbert Company, Toy Industry |
| Gilbert Train to be Powered by Signal From Outer Space | 11/16/59 | New Haven, CT Register | Signals beamed from outer space will be used to activate an American Flyer display at the Empire State Building. | American Flyer Trains, Space Race |
| Model Kits Instructive, Fun | 11/29/59 | Denver, CO Post | Article discusses the A.C. Gilbert Lab Technician Set for girls. | Education, Gilbert Girl’s Lab Technician Set |
| Toys of Child Strong Asset to Character | 4/17/60 | Clovis, NM News Journal | Harvey E. Rath, former FBI Agent now A.C. Gilbert Company VP claims that good toys make for good kids. | A.C. Gilbert Company, Education, Harvey Rath, Toy Industry |
| National Toy Fair No Fun for 15,000 Nervous Adults | 4/19/60 | Wabash, IN Plain Dealer | 2,000 manufacturers display their products and jockey for top billing under the Christmas trees of 1960. | Toy Industry |
| Science Helps Generate Year-Round Toy Appeal | 6/2/60 | Painesville, OH Telegraph | A.C. Gilbert Company reports that interest in science toys has created a market beyond Christmastime. | Education, Space Race, Toy Industry |
| A.C. Gilbert Buys 3 Top ABC-TV Shows | Sep-60 | Craft, Model & Hoby Industry Magazine | A.C. Gilbert Company announces American Flyer commercials during 'Rin Tin Tin,' 'Rocky and His Friends,' and 'My Friend Flicka.' for Christmas Season. | A.C. Gilbert Company, American Flyer Trains, Television |
| A Toy Is A Toy Is A Toy Is A Subliminal Educator | 11/16/60 | Mobile, AL Register | Head of Milford, CT Schools, Richard Hackett says toys are subliminal educators. | Education, Toy Industry |
| Here's Some Toy Buying Hints | 11/24/60 | Ft. Lauderdale, FL News | A.C. Gilbert Company recommends different types of toys for each stage of childhood. | A.C. Gilbert Company, Education, Toy Industry |
| Lots of New Toys; But Old Toys Still Popular | 12/1/60 | Glasgow, KY Times | Article details top toys for Christmas 1960. | Erector Set, Toy Industry |
| Toy Sextants Training Skippers Of Future in Art of Navigation | 12/2/60 | New York Times | A.C. Gilbert Company's Observatory Set teaches navigation skills to children. | Education, Gilbert Sextant |
| Play Is Big Business; Toy Firms Report Sales Increase Over 1959 | 12/23/60 | Rochester, ID News-Sentinel | American toy manufacturers report sales higher than previous year. | Toy Industry |
| Erector SetLinked Gilbert With Boyhood | 2/23/61 | Associated Press | A.C. Gilbert's death and legacy. | A.C. Gilbert, Erector Set, Toy Industry |
| A.C. Gilbert Expects 1961 Gains; Pushes Summer Toys and Research | 3/11/61 | Tarrytown, NY News | A.C. Gilbert Company expects 1961 sales to rise 8-15% over 1960 profits. | Toy Industry |
| Gilbert to Introduce Plane Line at October Show | Oct-61 | Toy's and Novelties Magazine | A.C. Gilbert Company introduces new American Flyer model airplane line. | American Flyer Model Airplanes |
| Favorite Toys Are Old | 11/12/61 | Madison, WI State Journal | Top toys have been on market for decades. | Erector Set, Toy Industry |
| Model Train Now Peeks Into Future | 11/22/61 | McCook, NE Gazzette | Model train companies integrate aspects of Space Age to products; however, Civil War themes also remain popular. | American Flyer Trains, Space Race, Toy Industry |
| Wrather Corporation to Buy Gilbert Family's Stock | 12/15/61 | New Haven, CT Journal-Courier | Wrather Corporation purchases the Gilbert family's shares of common stock in the A.C. Gilbert Company for $4,000,000. | Toy Industry, Wrather Corporation |
| Gilbert Firm Has New Boss | 2/14/62 | Springfield, MA Union | Interview with John (Jack) Deveraux Wrather, Jr about the Wrather Corporation's acquisition of and future plans for the A.C. Gilbert Company. | Toy Industry, Wrather Corporation |
| Toys at Industry Show Vie for Buyers' Interest with Their TV Promotion Plans | 3/15/62 | Wall Street Journal | TV advertisements begin to influence the toy industry. | Television, Toy Industry |
| Autorama Speedway | Apr-62 | Toy & Hobby Retailer | Advertisement for the new A.C. Gilbert Company American Flyer;Autorama Speedway '88' Race. | Autorama |
| Five of A.C. Gilbert's Top Toys Will Each Have It's Own Commercial | Apr-62 | Toy & Hobby Whole-Saler | Gilbert toys to be advertised during top-rated children's television programs in 40 to 50 key markets during the 1962 Christmas season. | American Flyer Model Airplanes, Autorama, Erector Set, Television |
| $15 Million Sales Goal for Gilbert To Add 'Hot Items' | Jun-62 | Craft, Model & Hobby Industry | A.C. Gilbert Company reveals 'One Giant Step' program, which includes a major policy change to create 'hot items' in addition to traditional toys. | Toy Industry |
| Gilbert Autorama | Fall 1962 | Models and Modelers World | Description of the new Gilbert Autorama, a tabletop race-car track. | Autorama |
| They're Thinking Small; Model Railroad Firms Make Comeback, Too | 10/25/62 | Scripps-Howard | Both the real railroad and model railroad companies see profits. | American Flyer Trains, Toy Industry |
| Traditional Trains Vie With Highway Vehicles | 11/21/62 | Ottowa, IL Republican-Times | Model trains and cars both very popular with youth. | American Flyer Trains, Autorama, Toy Industry |
| Like Father, Like Son-but Building for Space Age | 11/21/62 | Connersville, IN | Dad's love giving Junior 'a little help' with space age themed Erector sets. | Space Race, Toy Industry |
| Science Kits Stimulate Learning | 11/21/62 | Alpena, MI News | Science kits teach skills, but makers suggest buying toys for children's stages not ages. | Erec-Tronics Kit, Erector Set |
| Cowboy, Little Mother, Spaceman-There's Toy To Satisfy | 11/22/62 | Washington Herald | Large range of toys available for the 1962 Christmas season. | Space Race, Toy Industry |
| Get Science Set in Keeping With Interest | 11/22/62 | California Valley Times Today | Science kits to be popular for Christmas 1962, experts suggest picking a set that compliments your child's interests. | Gilbert Hall of Science, Toy Industry |
| Toy Production Zooms Ahead | 11/26/62 | Christian Science Monitor | Toy industry rebounding faster than the economy, old standards and modern toys both popular. | American Flyer Model Airplanes, Erector Set, Toy Industry |
| Americans Spending $2 Billion On Toys | 12/4/62 | Rochester, NY Times-Union | Americans expected to spend around $2 billion on toys for the 1962 Christmas season. | Education, Toy Industry, Wrather Corporation |
| Gilbert Heads Trade Group | 12/17/62 | New Brunswick, NJ Home News | A.C. Gilbert Junior resigns as president of the A.C. Gilbert Company. | A.C. Gilbert Jr, Toy Industry, Wrather Corporation |
| New Toys Aim to Please Girls Past Doll Stage | 3/13/63 | New Britain, CT Herald | Toy companies now making items for girls; for example, A.C. Gilbert Company's 'My Mixer.' | Education, Gilbert My Mixer, Toy Industry, Toys for Girls |
| For A.C. Gilbert: Hot-Item TV and a New Approach to Marketing | 3/15/63 | Toys and Novelties: Toy Trade News | Commercials to be a major part of A.C. Gilbert Company's plan for 1963. | Autorama, Television, Toy Industry |
| A.C. Gilbert Hikes Budget to $2,500,000 Level | 3/18/63 | Advertising Age | A.C. Gilbert Company has boosted its 1963 advertising budget to $2,500,000. | Gilbert My Mixer, Gilbert Tuggy the Turtle, Gilbert Wing Thing, Television, Toy Industry, Toys for Girls |
| A.C. Gilbert Co. SetExample in Confidence | 3/18/63 | New Haven Register | A.C. Gilbert Company has $10 Million expansion plans. | Toy Industry |
| New Products | 3/20/63 | Kansas City, MO Star | New look for Erector's 50th Birthday. | Erector Set |
| Gilbert Calls'63 Line Most Comprehensive in Its History | Apr-63 | Playthings Magazine | Gilbert president Quinlan calls the'63 line, 'the most comprehensive and ambitious in the history of the American toy industry.' | Gilbert Autorama, Gilbert My Mixer, Gilbert Wing Thing, Television, Toys for Girls |
| Erector Set Architects | 4/21/63 | Dayton, OH News | New York City architecture students create art from Erector parts. | Erector Set |
| Toy Co. Employees Like 'Babes In Toyland' | 5/1/63 | New Haven Register | A.C. Gilbert Company installs background music system from Muzak Corporation. | A.C. Gilbert Company, Muzak Corporation |
| Toymakers Recognize Past Error | 6/13/63 | Lima, OH News | Study by A.C. Gilbert Company found only 20% of toys are designed and marketed exclusively for girls. | Toy Industry, Toys for Girls |
| 300,000 'Swamps' Are His Creation | 6/17/63 | Indianapolis, ID, News | Paul Koch to make over 300,000 swamps for A.C. Gilbert Company microscope kits. | Education, Paul Koch |
| Toy Maker Stock Booms Despite Dismal Earnings | 8/4/63 | Detroit, MI, News | A.C. Gilbert Company trading on American Stock Exchange at highest price in its history. | American Flyer Trains, Gilbert Autorama, Toy Industry |
| That Wing-Thing Is a Regular Wing-Ding | 8/3/63 | Pasedena, CA Press-Telegram | A.C. Gilbert Company's Wing-Thing on display as part of 32 annual Model Airplane Championships at Los Alamitos Naval Air Station. | American Flyer Model Airplanes, Gilbert Wing Thing |
| Toys! What Every Kiddy Understands | 8/14/63 | Doylestown, PA, Intelligencer | Survey of U.S. toy industry finds automated toys most popular. | American Flyer Trains, Space Race, Toy Industry |
| We Test The Wing Thing | Fall 1963 | Models and Modelers World | Modelers test the new A.C. Gilbert Company Wing-Thing, which features 'Flex Wing' technology. | American Flyer Model Airplanes, Gilbert Wing Thing |
| Gilbert Kicks Off National Science Awards Program | Fall 1963 | Models and Modelers World | A.C. Gilbert Company's new Awards Program open to all American school aged children. | A.C. Gilbert Company, Education |
| Toys Predict Many Things of Future | 11/14/63 | McPherson, KA Sentinel | Modern toys have futurist themes. | Gilbert Autorama, Gilbert Wing Thing, Toy Industry |
| Dollhouses Come In Many Styles | 11/20/63 | Hanover, PA Sun | Girls toys becoming more realistic, popular toys inspired by housework. | My Mixer, Toy Industry, Toys for Girls |
| Demand Climbs for Auto Racing Set | 11/20/63 | Grand Haven MI, Tribune | Auto racing set demand tops demand for toy trains. | American Flyer Trains, Gilbert Autorama, Toy Industry |
| Toyland'63 Mirrors Adult World | 11/22/63 | Holyoke, MA Transcript Telegram | Leading toys for 1963 Christmas Season mirror the reality of Adult life. | Education, Toy Industry, Toys for Girls |
| Space Age Inspires Boys' Toys | 11/28/63 | Glenview, IL Announcements | HO railroad sets and futurist Erector sets popular with boys. | Gilbert Wing Thing, HO Scale, Space Race, Toy Industry |
| The Wing-Thing | Dec-63 | Mechanix Illustrated | Descriptive article on the A.C. Gilbert Company's Wing-Thing. | Education, Gilbert Wing Thing |
| Gilbert Recreates Stock Car Thrills | 1963 | Model Cars Illustrated | Descriptive article on the A.C. Gilbert American Flyer Auto line. | Gilbert Autorama |