Christmas is coming! Any child in the early 20th century would have been excited to see their very own pony cart under the Christmas tree. This dapple pedal pony has leather ears, glass eyes and a tail made from horsehair. One of the hub caps has South Bend stamped in it indicating that it was made by the South Bend Toy Company.
The South Bend Toy Company is probably most famous for its Studebaker Jr. farm wagons. As early as 1897, these wagons and other South Bend toys were sold through Sears, Roebuck and Company.
Started in 1888 as Badet and Teel, the company made croquet balls, mallets, sticks. In 1895, they introduced to their line a wicker doll carriage. Over the years they continued adding to their product line with coaster wagons, wheelbarrows, stick and hobby horses, ball bats, doll furniture, goat and dog pulled carts and children鈥檚 furniture. In 1960, South Bend Toys became a wholly owned subsidiary of Playskool and in 1968, Milton Bradley took over Playskool and South Bend Toys. In 1985, South Bend Toys closed.