Unique Art Manufacturing Co.
36 years in operation (1916–1952)
About Unique Art Manufacturing Co.
Unique Art produced colorful lithographed tin wind-up toys sold through five-and-dime stores. Their animated figures of Li'l Abner, Howdy Doody, and GI Joe Jouncing Jeep are charming and collectible.
History of Unique Art Manufacturing Co.
Unique Art of Newark, New Jersey made lithographed tin clockwork toys in direct competition with Marx, and for a period it competed well. Its toys share the Marx formula — printed tin, a wind-up motor, a comic animated action — but the subjects are its own and the lithography is often bolder.
The best known is the G.I. Joe Jouncing Jeep of 1944, a wind-up jeep that bucks and spins with its driver, and the name is worth noting: it predates the Hasbro action figure by twenty years and is unrelated to it. Unique Art also made the Howdy Doody Xylophone Band, the Li'l Abner Dogpatch Band, Rodeo Joe and the Capitol Hill Racer, all mechanically ambitious multi-figure pieces.
The company was too small to sustain the fight with Marx, and Marx acquired its tooling when Unique Art closed in 1952. Several Unique Art toys subsequently appeared under Marx markings, which is a recurring pattern in American tinplate and a common source of attribution confusion.
Timeline
- 1916Unique Art Manufacturing is established in Newark, New Jersey
- 1935Lithographed tin clockwork novelties compete directly with Marx
- 1944The G.I. Joe Jouncing Jeep is a wartime bestseller
- 1950Howdy Doody and Li'l Abner licensed band toys are strong sellers
- 1952The company closes; Marx acquires the tooling
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- GI Joe Jouncing Jeep (1944)
- Unique Art Howdy Doody Xylophone
- Unique Art Li'l Abner Dogpatch band
- Unique Art Rodeo Joe
- Unique Art Capitol Hill Racer
Identifying & Dating Unique Art Manufacturing Co. Toys
- Look for "UNIQUE ART MFG. CO." lithographed on the base or body with "Newark, N.J." and "Made in U.S.A."
- Trade names are printed on the toy, which makes identification straightforward when the lithography survives.
- Some Unique Art designs were later produced with Marx markings from the same tooling.
Collector's Notes
- Multi-figure animated toys — the band pieces in particular — must have all their figures and a mechanism that performs the full action; incomplete examples are worth far less.
- Lithography condition governs value, and original boxes add heavily and help confirm attribution.
- The Li'l Abner and Howdy Doody licences carry crossover collector demand beyond tinplate specialists, which raises prices for those pieces.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Unique Art Manufacturing Co. founded?
Unique Art Manufacturing Co. was founded in 1916, based in Newark, NJ.
Is Unique Art Manufacturing Co. still in business?
No. Unique Art Manufacturing Co. ceased operations in 1952, after 36 years in business.
What is Unique Art Manufacturing Co. best known for?
Unique Art Manufacturing Co. is best known for GI Joe Jouncing Jeep (1944), Unique Art Howdy Doody Xylophone, Unique Art Li'l Abner Dogpatch band, among other toys.
Where was Unique Art Manufacturing Co. located?
Unique Art Manufacturing Co. was based in Newark, NJ.
What kinds of toys did Unique Art Manufacturing Co. make?
Unique Art Manufacturing Co. is categorized under tin toys, clockwork, mechanical toys.
How can you identify genuine Unique Art Manufacturing Co. toys?
Look for "UNIQUE ART MFG. CO." lithographed on the base or body with "Newark, N.J." and "Made in U.S.A." Trade names are printed on the toy, which makes identification straightforward when the lithography survives. Some Unique Art designs were later produced with Marx markings from the same tooling.
Are Unique Art Manufacturing Co. toys valuable?
Multi-figure animated toys — the band pieces in particular — must have all their figures and a mechanism that performs the full action; incomplete examples are worth far less. Lithography condition governs value, and original boxes add heavily and help confirm attribution. The Li'l Abner and Howdy Doody licences carry crossover collector demand beyond tinplate specialists, which raises prices for those pieces.