Ideal Toy Corporation
79 years in operation (1903–1982)
About Ideal Toy Corporation
Morris Michtom founded Ideal after producing what many consider the first Teddy Bear in 1902. Ideal went on to produce some of the most culturally significant toys of the 20th century. CBS acquired Ideal in 1982.
Founding
Morris Michtom, a Brooklyn shopkeeper who in 1903 made a stuffed bear inspired by a cartoon of President Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear cub, and — with permission to use the president's name — created the Teddy bear.
History of Ideal Toy Corporation
Ideal begins with one of the two claims to the invention of the teddy bear, the other belonging to Steiff in Germany. Michtom's Ideal Novelty and Toy Company grew from that into one of the largest American toy manufacturers, and its history is largely the history of the American doll.
Ideal developed the drink-and-wet doll with Betsy Wetsy, the hard-plastic glamour doll with Toni, the teenage fashion doll with Tammy, and the talking doll and a long list of licensed character dolls. It also built a substantial games business — Mouse Trap, Ants in the Pants, Rebound — and in 1973 the Evel Knievel stunt cycle became one of the defining action toys of the decade.
Ideal's last great commercial event was securing the American rights to the Rubik's Cube in 1980, which sold in the tens of millions and then stopped almost overnight. CBS bought the company in 1982, and the Ideal name later passed to View-Master, Tyco and eventually Mattel.
Timeline
- 1903Morris Michtom founds the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company in Brooklyn on the success of the Teddy bear
- 1937Betsy Wetsy establishes the drink-and-wet doll category
- 1949The Toni doll, tied to the home-permanent brand, is a major hard-plastic success
- 1962Tammy is launched as a competitor to Barbie
- 1973The Evel Knievel stunt cycle becomes a defining action toy
- 1980Ideal brings the Rubik's Cube to the American market
- 1982CBS acquires the company
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Original Teddy Bear (1902)
- Betsy Wetsy doll
- Toni doll
- Tammy doll (1962)
- Evel Knievel action figure (1973)
- Rubik's Cube (US, 1980)
- Mouse Trap
- Ants in the Pants
Identifying & Dating Ideal Toy Corporation Toys
- Dolls are marked on the head or upper back with "IDEAL" — often in an oval — plus a mould number and sometimes a date; the marking style is a documented dating tool.
- Games and toys carry "Ideal Toy Corp." with a copyright year and "Hollis, N.Y." or "Newark, N.J." depending on period.
- Early bears are unmarked, which is why the Michtom-versus-Steiff attribution question is so difficult and why documented provenance matters enormously.
Collector's Notes
- Doll collecting here is mark-driven and condition-driven. Original clothing, original wig, uncrazed hard plastic or unsticky vinyl, and the correct box are what separate a valuable doll from a common one.
- Vinyl dolls of the 1960s and 1970s suffer plasticiser migration — a sticky or oily surface — which is progressive and effectively untreatable.
- An unmarked early teddy bear attributed to Ideal is a claim, not a fact. Without provenance, price it as an unattributed American bear.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Ideal Toy Corporation founded?
Ideal Toy Corporation was founded in 1903, based in Brooklyn, NY.
Is Ideal Toy Corporation still in business?
No. Ideal Toy Corporation ceased operations in 1982, after 79 years in business.
What is Ideal Toy Corporation best known for?
Ideal Toy Corporation is best known for Original Teddy Bear (1902), Betsy Wetsy doll, Toni doll, among other toys.
Where was Ideal Toy Corporation located?
Ideal Toy Corporation was based in Brooklyn, NY.
What kinds of toys did Ideal Toy Corporation make?
Ideal Toy Corporation is categorized under dolls, games, action figures, preschool toys.
Who founded Ideal Toy Corporation?
Morris Michtom, a Brooklyn shopkeeper who in 1903 made a stuffed bear inspired by a cartoon of President Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear cub, and — with permission to use the president's name — created the Teddy bear.
How can you identify genuine Ideal Toy Corporation toys?
Dolls are marked on the head or upper back with "IDEAL" — often in an oval — plus a mould number and sometimes a date; the marking style is a documented dating tool. Games and toys carry "Ideal Toy Corp." with a copyright year and "Hollis, N.Y." or "Newark, N.J." depending on period. Early bears are unmarked, which is why the Michtom-versus-Steiff attribution question is so difficult and why documented provenance matters enormously.
Are Ideal Toy Corporation toys valuable?
Doll collecting here is mark-driven and condition-driven. Original clothing, original wig, uncrazed hard plastic or unsticky vinyl, and the correct box are what separate a valuable doll from a common one. Vinyl dolls of the 1960s and 1970s suffer plasticiser migration — a sticky or oily surface — which is progressive and effectively untreatable. An unmarked early teddy bear attributed to Ideal is a claim, not a fact. Without provenance, price it as an unattributed American bear.