Company Name/s: Fuji Press Kogyosho Co., Ltd.
Name Derivation / Meaning: Possibly from the Japanese family name Fuji. Press refers to the machinery used in making tinplate products like toys. The significance of the lettering "m.n" is not known.
Location/s: Katsushika Ku, Tokyo, Japan
Trade Mark/s: The letters "m.n" at the base of a mountain motif.
Dates: Founded not known - dissolved not known
Notes: Fuji Press seem to have specialised in the manufacture and/or distribution of plush covered, mostly novelty toys. There is little or nothing in the way of planes, trains, cars etc. The toys are made from tinplate pressings but are covered with material of various types. It's an ideal combination for the production of sweet and cuddly toys which when combined with various ingenious mechanisms have a very strong appeal (see also Shuco). As a result there are many furry animals playing instruments, chasing butterflies, somersaulting etc. in the Fuji output. Lithography is at a minimum with only the occasional base or accessory being tin printed in the normal way. The vast majority of Fuji Press toys are powered by clockwork motors with just the occasional item being battery operated. The company name, Fuji Press, suggests that it may have been a manufacturer rather than just a distributor. A press being the large machine used to press out toy parts from sheet metal.
Checklist For Fuji Press Tin Toys (links lead to images in my photo-gallery).
COMPILING NOW - Last Updated 15/02/2017 - Added 537 Bear Hunter-
Earlier (Unnumbered boxes).
Available In 1969 (Numbered boxes).
503 - Romp Chick - W/U.
510-B - Dancing Doll - W/U.
517 - Hopping Dog With Basket - W/U.
519 - Bunny Jockey - W/U.
524 - Santa On Reindeer - W/U.
543 - Musical Elephant - W/U.
545-B - Jumping Dog - W/U.
549 - Flapping Goose - W/U.
550 - Jumping Rabbit - W/U.
552 - Dwarf Rider - W/U.
565 - Mascot Playing Dog - W/U.
572 - Hoppie The Rabbit - W/U.
573 - Hoppie The Squirrel - W/U.
584 - Twin Puppies - W/U.
585 - Lovely Duck - W/U.
593 - Hopping Chick - W/U.
602 - Happy Monkey - W/U.
603 - Monkey The Drummer - W/U.
607 - Happy Duck - W/U.
612 - Happy Bunny - W/U.
614 - Waddling Duck - W/U.
615 - Musical Monkey - W/U.
631 - Mascot Dog - W/U.
644 - Playful Cat - W/U.
649 - Monkey-A-Go Go - W/U.
652 - Hungry Couple - W/U.
653 - Walking Puppy - B/O R/C.
654 - Eating & Loving Bunny - W/U.
655 - Playful Dog - W/U.
656 - Happy Puppy - W/U.
658 - Walking Pig - W/U.
660 - Hunting Duck - W/U.
661 - Tea Cup Pets (Dog) - W/U.
662 - Tea Cup Pets (Monkey) - W/U.
663 - Tea Cup Pets (Cat) - W/U.
664 - Bell Ringing Pup - W/U.
665 - Tottering Spaniel Pup - W/U.
666 - Ding-Dong Doggie - W/U.
667 - Duckling In Tea Cup - W/U.
668 - Jook-O-Stick - W/U.
669 - Tea Cup Penguin - W/U.
670 - Naughty Pup - W/U.673 - Jumping Dog - B/O R/C.
800 - Mascot Dog - W/U.
810 - Mascot Bunny - W/U.
815 - Mascot Squirrel - W/U.
945 - Jock-O-Panda - W/U.
Other Toys (Numbered).
537 - Bear Hunter - W/U
558 - Nice Soldier With Drum - W/U. Lithographed tinplate.
589 - Happy Doggie - W/U.
611 - Lovely Lady Bug - W/U. Lithographed tinplate. String pull mechanism.
625 - Boxing Bunny - W/U.
638 - Acrobat Clown - W/U.
685 - Jolly Kitten - W/U.
692 - Walking Family Duck - W/U.
693 - Happy Kitty With Butterfly - W/U.
699 - Frisky Bunny Band - W/U.
727 - Ducks Family - W/U.
Most Fuji toys are not marked although they may have a "Made In Japan" label attached to them. Boxes are marked with the Fuji logo and may even have the company address included on them. Late examples (after 1971) are marked with the Japanese ST (Safe Toy) mark.
558 - Nice Soldier With Drum - W/U. Lithographed tinplate.
589 - Happy Doggie - W/U.
611 - Lovely Lady Bug - W/U. Lithographed tinplate. String pull mechanism.
625 - Boxing Bunny - W/U.
638 - Acrobat Clown - W/U.
685 - Jolly Kitten - W/U.
692 - Walking Family Duck - W/U.
693 - Happy Kitty With Butterfly - W/U.
699 - Frisky Bunny Band - W/U.
727 - Ducks Family - W/U.
Most Fuji toys are not marked although they may have a "Made In Japan" label attached to them. Boxes are marked with the Fuji logo and may even have the company address included on them. Late examples (after 1971) are marked with the Japanese ST (Safe Toy) mark.
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| Hunting Duck No. 660 |
Abbreviations Used.
N/M = no mechanism.
H/O = hand operated.
Friction = friction wound flywheel mechanism.
Crank = crank wound flywheel mechanism.
W/U = wind up / clockwork (spring) mechanism.
B/O = battery operated.
B&G = bump and go / mystery action.
R/C = remote control.
Name In Italics = exact name unknown (updated when I spot an original box or obtain an original catalogue).
N/M = no mechanism.
H/O = hand operated.
Friction = friction wound flywheel mechanism.
Crank = crank wound flywheel mechanism.
W/U = wind up / clockwork (spring) mechanism.
B/O = battery operated.
B&G = bump and go / mystery action.
R/C = remote control.
Name In Italics = exact name unknown (updated when I spot an original box or obtain an original catalogue).
Pinterest Board for Fuji Press - Pictures and links to other pages with Fuji Press tin toys. Includes items for sale on auction sites etc.
IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON FUJI PRESS I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
Yo Yo Playing Bear was another one. I have two versions, beige face with red rubber hands and grey face with white painted rubber hands.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a complete list. I'm sure there are many other Fuji Press toys. Unfortunately it's very difficult to find any information at all on the company. The only catalogue I have at the moment (for 1969) only shows the toys available. It doesn't include any information on the company itself.
DeleteHey Kevin....DannyK here (Grand Old Toys), you're site has only gotten better although many of the links need updating. Hope you're still around, but it looks like you may have abandoned your work....hope not. Anyway, here's another toy to add to your Kogyosho Co. Ltd. list, #537 Bear Hunter. Wind up bear dressed as hunter raises and shoots (using noise) a rubber shot gun. Please send me an email just so I know you're out there. Same address. Thanks and all the best....
ReplyDeleteHi Danny, Nice to hear from you! There's been a bit of a gap where I haven't been able to add much to the blog. I've been doing up a house so not much time to spare. I'm just starting to add info again now. Googles change from Picassa to Google Pictures seems to have broken all my links so I guess I'd better fix them first. Will add 537 Bear Hunter to the list. Speak to you later!
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