The Inventor Who Saved Christmas

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August 24, 2010 by Rich Whittle | 1 Comment

Choosing not to pursue a medical career, Alfred C. Gilbert co-founded a company manufacturing magic sets in 1909. This company would later become the A. C. Gilbert Company, according to Wikipedia.

Gilbert invented the Erector Set, a popular construction toy, in 1913. His inspiration was steel construction girders being used on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad.

In 1918, with the United States embroiled in World War I and the Council of National Defense considering a ban on toy production, Gilbert argued successfully against it. The press gave him the nickname “The man who saved Christmas.”

The Erector Set is believed by many to have been the subject of the first national advertising campaign in America for a toy.

By 1935, he had sold more than 30 million of the sets. He also added chemistry sets, microscope sets, and other educational toys to his product line, accumulating more than 150 patents during his 50-year career.

Gilbert is also credited with originating the concept of providing benefits for his employees, co-founded the Toy Manufacturers of America organization and was its first president.