Manoil Manufacturing Co.
21 years in operation (1934–1955)
About Manoil Manufacturing Co.
Manoil produced affordable die-cast lead and zinc alloy toy soldiers and vehicles, competing with Barclay in the dime store market. Their Happy Farm figures and military soldiers are cheerfully designed and collectible.
Founding
The brothers Jack and Maurice Manoil, whose New York firm turned to toy soldiers and vehicles in the 1930s, with much of the design credited to Walter Baetz.
History of Manoil Manufacturing Co.
Manoil is the great American rival to Barclay in the slush-cast and die-cast figure trade, and it is the more interesting of the two. Its military figures are dynamic to the point of exaggeration — soldiers throwing grenades, firing from the hip, running with rifles at the ready — and they were designed to look exciting on a five-and-dime counter rather than to be accurate.
The "Happy Farm" series of the late 1930s is what makes Manoil unusual. A range of civilian figures depicting rural American life — a farmer, a woman with a butter churn, a man with a scythe, a blacksmith, a watering trough — it is a piece of Depression-era Americana in cast metal with no real equivalent from any other maker, and it is now the most collected part of the range.
Manoil also produced die-cast vehicles, and after the war made figures in plastic as lead was phased out. The company closed in 1955. Its production was concentrated in a twenty-year window, which makes the range finite and catalogueable — one reason it is a well-organised collecting field.
Timeline
- 1934The Manoil brothers establish the firm in New York
- 1935Dynamic cast-metal military figures compete directly with Barclay
- 1938The Happy Farm civilian series is introduced
- 1941Lead and material restrictions curtail production during the war
- 1950Postwar figures are produced in plastic as lead is phased out
- 1955The company closes
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Manoil Happy Farm figures
- Manoil military soldiers
- Manoil die-cast vehicles
- Manoil airplane set
Identifying & Dating Manoil Manufacturing Co. Toys
- Figures are marked "MANOIL" underfoot or on the base, often with "Made in U.S.A." and sometimes a patent or design number.
- The pose is the practical identifier, since the Manoil catalogue is fully documented and each figure has a known number.
- Postwar plastic figures carry the Manoil name moulded rather than cast.
Collector's Notes
- Happy Farm figures are the premium items, and a complete series in original paint is a serious collecting achievement.
- Lead fatigue and paint loss are the condition issues. Check for crumbling at thin points — rifle barrels, arms, scythe blades — which is progressive.
- Repainting is widespread and often skilful. Original factory paint is thinner and less even than restoration work, and the difference is substantial in price.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Manoil Manufacturing Co. founded?
Manoil Manufacturing Co. was founded in 1934, based in New York, NY.
Is Manoil Manufacturing Co. still in business?
No. Manoil Manufacturing Co. ceased operations in 1955, after 21 years in business.
What is Manoil Manufacturing Co. best known for?
Manoil Manufacturing Co. is best known for Manoil Happy Farm figures, Manoil military soldiers, Manoil die-cast vehicles, among other toys.
Where was Manoil Manufacturing Co. located?
Manoil Manufacturing Co. was based in New York, NY.
What kinds of toys did Manoil Manufacturing Co. make?
Manoil Manufacturing Co. is categorized under die-cast, soldiers, vehicles.
Who founded Manoil Manufacturing Co.?
The brothers Jack and Maurice Manoil, whose New York firm turned to toy soldiers and vehicles in the 1930s, with much of the design credited to Walter Baetz.
How can you identify genuine Manoil Manufacturing Co. toys?
Figures are marked "MANOIL" underfoot or on the base, often with "Made in U.S.A." and sometimes a patent or design number. The pose is the practical identifier, since the Manoil catalogue is fully documented and each figure has a known number. Postwar plastic figures carry the Manoil name moulded rather than cast.
Are Manoil Manufacturing Co. toys valuable?
Happy Farm figures are the premium items, and a complete series in original paint is a serious collecting achievement. Lead fatigue and paint loss are the condition issues. Check for crumbling at thin points — rifle barrels, arms, scythe blades — which is progressive. Repainting is widespread and often skilful. Original factory paint is thinner and less even than restoration work, and the difference is substantial in price.