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EspañolHess, 1826 Nuremberg Germany, model railway manufacturer trains information
Name: Hess
Country:
Germany
- Nuremberg
Founder: Matheus Hess
Founded: 1826
Hess history
Hess is recognized as one of the earliest and most significant German toy manufacturers, with its production dating back to 1826 in Nürnberg, a town renowned for its toy-making history. Information about the company’s early years is sparse, but research indicates that Hess began producing toy trains in the 1850s, initially in the form of trackless push/pull models made from pressed steel. Over time, the company expanded its range to include toy cars, boats, roller toys, and military models. These toys were typically powered by either friction, flywheels, or clockwork mechanisms.
The company was founded by Matheus Hess, and after his death in 1886, his son Johann Leonhart Hess took over the business. Johann Hess ran the company until his passing in 1934, after which the factory closed. It’s important to note that this company has no connection to the Amerada Hess Corporation, which started producing toys in the mid-1960s. The initials "JLH," whether individually or as a monogram, found on a penny toy, identify it as a creation of Johann Leonhart Hess.
At the turn of the 20th century, Hess trains were made of tinplate, using the same stamping, cutting, bending, and hand assembly techniques that are still common in the production of inexpensive tin toys today. Early trains featured cast metal wheels, which were later replaced with stamped tinplate wheels. Early toys were either spirit varnished or hand-painted, but Hess was a pioneer in the use of lithography for tin toy production. By the early 1900s, most Hess toys were lithographed, a process that allowed for cheaper production and a higher-quality finish compared to hand-painted toys.
Hess also produced smaller, simpler trains, typically unpowered or driven by flywheels or clockwork mechanisms. In the 1870s, Hess, along with other companies like Issmayer and Lehmann, developed miniature, mass-produced clockwork mechanisms that were both strong and affordable. While high-end manufacturers like Märklin focused on detailed, scale model trains, companies like Hess catered to the more affordable, whimsical end of the market.
In addition to its own designs, Hess subcontracted work for other toy makers like Carette, Issmayer, and Bing. The Hess #575 locomotive, produced in various versions, became one of the company’s most enduring models, in production from the late 1800s until the company ceased operations in 1934. It was also made for other manufacturers, including Bing, Issmayer, Carette, Schumann, and even a French version marked “Marke Sonne.”
