A.C. Gilbert Company
58 years in operation (1908–1966)
About A.C. Gilbert Company
Founded by Alfred Carlton Gilbert, an Olympic pole vaulter, A.C. Gilbert became one of the most beloved educational toy companies in American history. Gilbert famously lobbied Congress in 1918 not to ban toy sales during WWI, earning him the title 'The Man Who Saved Christmas.' His Erector Set introduced millions of children to engineering and construction play.
Founding
Alfred Carlton Gilbert (1884–1961), who won the pole vault at the 1908 London Olympics and took a Yale medical degree before deciding that toys were the better use of both.
History of A.C. Gilbert Company
Gilbert began by selling magic sets — the Mysto Manufacturing Company, founded with John Petrie — and paid for the venture with the proceeds of his own stage magic act. The Erector Set followed in 1913, reportedly inspired by watching riveters erect steel gantries for the electrification of the New Haven railroad. Its advantage over Meccano was structural: square girders made from bent, punched steel that assembled into genuinely rigid box sections, so a built model held its shape.
In 1918 the Council of National Defense proposed shutting down toy manufacturing for the duration of the war. Gilbert argued the case against it in Washington and won, which earned him the durable press nickname "the man who saved Christmas". Between the wars the company built a formidable science line: chemistry sets, microscope kits, Erector-driven machinery, and after the war the U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory, which shipped genuine low-level radioactive samples and a cloud chamber.
Gilbert bought American Flyer from W.O. Coleman in 1938 and moved the tooling to New Haven, converting the line to two-rail S gauge in 1946 in pursuit of scale realism. It was the right idea aimed at the wrong market — Lionel's three-rail O gauge kept the volume. Gilbert died in 1961; the company lost money heavily under new management and was wound up in 1967, with the Erector name passing to Gabriel.
Timeline
- 1909Gilbert and John Petrie found the Mysto Manufacturing Company to sell magic sets
- 1913The Erector Set is introduced, using rigid punched-steel girders
- 1916The firm is renamed the A.C. Gilbert Company
- 1918Gilbert persuades the Council of National Defense not to halt toy production
- 1938American Flyer is acquired and its production moved to New Haven
- 1946American Flyer converts to two-rail S gauge scale trains
- 1950The U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory is released, complete with radioactive ore samples
- 1961A.C. Gilbert dies; the company declines under subsequent management
- 1967Operations cease and the Erector trademark is sold to Gabriel
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Erector Set (1913)
- Gilbert Chemistry Set
- Gilbert Microscope Set
- American Flyer trains (acquired 1938)
- Gilbert Magic Set
- Mysto Magic sets
- Atomic Energy Lab (1950)
Identifying & Dating A.C. Gilbert Company Toys
- Set boxes and instruction books read "The A.C. Gilbert Co., New Haven, Conn., U.S.A."; the earliest Erector boxes carry the Mysto name alongside Gilbert.
- Erector motors and gearboxes have a stamped or embossed brass or steel data plate. The motor type is a reliable dating aid — the P56 and later A49/A50 motors bracket distinct periods.
- American Flyer rolling stock made under Gilbert is marked "A.C. Gilbert" or "Gilbert" alongside the American Flyer name; pre-1938 Chicago-made stock is not.
Collector's Notes
- Erector value concentrates in the large boxed sets with their original wooden cases, parts trays and instruction manuals. A complete No. 10 "Mysto Erector" or a Zeppelin or Hudson locomotive set is a different order of thing from a loose box of girders.
- Girders rust and paint chips at the folds. Sets that were stored in a dry attic in their wooden case have generally survived far better than those in cardboard.
- The U-238 Atomic Energy Lab is a landmark of American toy history and priced accordingly. Complete examples still containing the original ore samples require sensible handling and are best not opened up for inspection.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was A.C. Gilbert Company founded?
A.C. Gilbert Company was founded in 1908, based in New Haven, CT.
Is A.C. Gilbert Company still in business?
No. A.C. Gilbert Company ceased operations in 1966, after 58 years in business.
What is A.C. Gilbert Company best known for?
A.C. Gilbert Company is best known for Erector Set (1913), Gilbert Chemistry Set, Gilbert Microscope Set, among other toys.
Where was A.C. Gilbert Company located?
A.C. Gilbert Company was based in New Haven, CT.
What kinds of toys did A.C. Gilbert Company make?
A.C. Gilbert Company is categorized under building toys, educational, science toys, trains.
Who founded A.C. Gilbert Company?
Alfred Carlton Gilbert (1884–1961), who won the pole vault at the 1908 London Olympics and took a Yale medical degree before deciding that toys were the better use of both.
How can you identify genuine A.C. Gilbert Company toys?
Set boxes and instruction books read "The A.C. Gilbert Co., New Haven, Conn., U.S.A."; the earliest Erector boxes carry the Mysto name alongside Gilbert. Erector motors and gearboxes have a stamped or embossed brass or steel data plate. The motor type is a reliable dating aid — the P56 and later A49/A50 motors bracket distinct periods. American Flyer rolling stock made under Gilbert is marked "A.C. Gilbert" or "Gilbert" alongside the American Flyer name; pre-1938 Chicago-made stock is not.
Are A.C. Gilbert Company toys valuable?
Erector value concentrates in the large boxed sets with their original wooden cases, parts trays and instruction manuals. A complete No. 10 "Mysto Erector" or a Zeppelin or Hudson locomotive set is a different order of thing from a loose box of girders. Girders rust and paint chips at the folds. Sets that were stored in a dry attic in their wooden case have generally survived far better than those in cardboard. The U-238 Atomic Energy Lab is a landmark of American toy history and priced accordingly. Complete examples still containing the original ore samples require sensible handling and are best not opened up for inspection.