Gendron Wheel Company
149+ years and still operating (founded 1877)
About Gendron Wheel Company
Gendron produced some of the most ambitious pressed-steel pedal cars ever built in America, along with wagons and bicycles, from the 1900s to the middle of the 20th century. The company later moved into hospital and healthcare equipment, and the Gendron name survives in that field rather than in toys.
Founding
Peter Gendron, a wheelwright whose wire-spoke wheel patent gave the Toledo, Ohio company both its name and its original business.
History of Gendron Wheel Company
Gendron began with wheels and wheeled goods — bicycles, invalid chairs, wagons — and moved into children's vehicles as a natural extension. Its pedal cars of the 1920s and 1930s are among the most ambitious ever built in America: large pressed-steel bodies, often with working lights, hood ornaments, running boards and disc wheels, following the real cars of the period closely.
The Pioneer line and the streamlined Art Deco designs of the later 1930s — the "Skippy" range in particular — are the pieces collectors want, because they capture the streamline moderne moment in a form a child could sit in. These were expensive toys when new and were sold through better stores.
The company continued after its toy era, moving toward hospital and healthcare equipment — a return, in a sense, to the invalid-chair business it had started with — and the Gendron name survives in that field rather than in toys.
Timeline
- 1872Peter Gendron patents a wire-spoke wheel in Toledo, Ohio
- 1877The Gendron Wheel Company is established
- 1920Large pressed-steel pedal cars with detailed trim become the flagship products
- 1936Streamlined Art Deco designs including the Skippy line are introduced
- 1950The business shifts progressively toward healthcare and hospital equipment
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Gendron Pioneer pedal car
- Gendron wagon line
- Gendron steel bicycle
- Gendron 'Skippy' streamlined pedal car
Identifying & Dating Gendron Wheel Company Toys
- Look for a "Gendron" or "Pioneer" decal or nameplate on the body or hood side; wagons may carry a stamped mark on the bed.
- Later 1930s streamliners may be branded "Skippy" rather than Gendron, and the two names are used together in period advertising.
- Body pressing and trim design identify unmarked examples, since original decals rarely survive.
Collector's Notes
- The 1930s streamliners are the top of the American pedal-car market and are usually restored. Establish what is original before paying an original-condition price.
- Accessories are what make these cars — lights, horns, hood ornaments, windshields, hubcaps — and they are missing far more often than not. Reproduction trim exists and should be disclosed.
- Inspect the floor pan, pedal-crank mounts and steering column for rust and prior repair; these are large steel objects that were usually stored outdoors.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Gendron Wheel Company founded?
Gendron Wheel Company was founded in 1877, based in Toledo, OH.
Is Gendron Wheel Company still in business?
Yes. Gendron Wheel Company is still operating today, 149+ years after it was founded.
What is Gendron Wheel Company best known for?
Gendron Wheel Company is best known for Gendron Pioneer pedal car, Gendron wagon line, Gendron steel bicycle, among other toys.
Where was Gendron Wheel Company located?
Gendron Wheel Company was based in Toledo, OH.
What kinds of toys did Gendron Wheel Company make?
Gendron Wheel Company is categorized under pedal cars, wagons, outdoor toys.
Who founded Gendron Wheel Company?
Peter Gendron, a wheelwright whose wire-spoke wheel patent gave the Toledo, Ohio company both its name and its original business.
How can you identify genuine Gendron Wheel Company toys?
Look for a "Gendron" or "Pioneer" decal or nameplate on the body or hood side; wagons may carry a stamped mark on the bed. Later 1930s streamliners may be branded "Skippy" rather than Gendron, and the two names are used together in period advertising. Body pressing and trim design identify unmarked examples, since original decals rarely survive.
Are Gendron Wheel Company toys valuable?
The 1930s streamliners are the top of the American pedal-car market and are usually restored. Establish what is original before paying an original-condition price. Accessories are what make these cars — lights, horns, hood ornaments, windshields, hubcaps — and they are missing far more often than not. Reproduction trim exists and should be disclosed. Inspect the floor pan, pedal-crank mounts and steering column for rust and prior repair; these are large steel objects that were usually stored outdoors.