Toys have been a part of our lives since the dawn of time. From the earliest days of cast iron toys to the modern-day Barbie doll, toys have been a source of joy and entertainment for children and adults alike. But which toy is the most successful in history? In this article, we'll take a look at some of the companies behind the most successful toys in history, from Mattel to LEGO to Wham-O.Mattel is one of the biggest toy manufacturing companies in the world. It's home to some of the most iconic toys ever created, such as Barbie, the most popular toy doll in history, Fisher-Price Toys and Hot Wheels.
Barbie has been a mainstay of popular culture for more than 50 years, with over a billion dolls sold. It's safe to say that she will be around for a long time. Wham-O is another major toy company in the world. It's responsible for creating some of the most classic toys for kids, such as the Hula Hoop, Frisbee, Slip 'n Slide and Boogie Board. All of these toys have been enjoyed by generations of children. LEGO is another major player in the toy industry.
The Danish toy manufacturer usually runs side-by-side with Mattel for the coveted No. 1 spot. Both companies consistently rank among the largest toy companies in the world. Hasbro is another major toy company that has been around for decades. It's best known for its Easy-Bake oven, which was released in 1963 and has sold more than 30 million ovens and 150 million blending refills since then.
Hasbro also owns Kenner, which produced Star Wars action figures from 1978 to 1985 and sold more than 300 million action figures during that time. Rubik's Cube is another classic toy that has been around since 1974. Despite its relatively short lifespan, it has managed to sell more than 350 million cubes. It's still a popular toy today. Silly Putty was created by Scottish engineer James Wright in 1943 while he was working in a laboratory at General Electric in New Haven, Connecticut. Since its inception, over 300 million Silly Putty eggs have been sold. The Etch A Sketch was invented by Andre Cassagnes in 1955 when he noticed that an image had been transferred to a decal after peeling it off a switch plate. More than 175 million devices have been sold since 1960. To explore the beginnings of the American toy industry, we must go back before the Civil War when pioneering toy manufacturers were just starting out.
John & Elisha Stevens from Cromwell, Connecticut is credited as being one of the first US companies to produce cast iron toys. They produced sadirons, garden tools and later guns and supplied cast iron wheels to numerous toy manufacturers. The Tower Toy Company was established in the 1830s and produced doll furniture, toy tools and toy boats. Milton Bradley also set up a publishing and lithography business and invented The Checkered Game of Life, which was the forerunner of The Game of Life. The Civil War slowed down the toy industry but it picked up again when Mattel introduced Barbie Doll in 1959. Created by company co-founder Ruth Handler, Barbie has sold over 350,000 dolls in its first year alone and continues to be one of the most successful toys ever created. Finally, Bandai Namco is a parent company of toys that you may recognize from popular franchises such as Power Rangers and Gundam Wing. They are one of the biggest toy manufacturers in Japan and have contributed millions or even billions of dollars to their creative and manufacturing teams.
