econtampan: Built-Rite #56-4 Drug Store

For the collector of vintage paper toys one of the names which will be instantly recognizable is 'Built-Rite'. Built-Rite toys were made by the Warren Paper Products Company of Lafayette, IN and founded in 1921. The company originally made setup boxes for jewelry, candy and other items. During the Depression there was a demand for cheaper toys and in the early 1930s Warren stepped in by making a series of dollhouses from paperboard. Puzzles, forts, and a miniature town would soon be offered. It is this miniature town series that Toys & Stuff will be presenting over the next few weeks.

For those who have followed our Kellogg's UK Paper Village series over the past couple of months be assured that you are not forgotten. I did say that a diorama is in the works and so it is. However, it will take some time to get everything together for the effort and in the interim we'll simply be looking at some other toys. Now, to be clear, I don't yet have all the Built-Rite buildings from this particular series, but I do have enough for a heck of a good start. I think what I'll do this time is have one post showing a photo of the built-up structure followed by scans - you adventurous types can perhaps use the scans to build your own versions of these terrific little buildings. Then, the following week we'll present a complete series of isometric photos.

These are great buildings and their sturdiness can be attested to by their longevity. Some 80 years later good examples can still be found at reasonable prices. Let's get started, and, as always - Enjoy!