In 1945, Matsuzou Kosuge, used a left over empty tin can to manufacture a U.S. army jeep. He then received permission from U.S. authorities to manufacture toy cars for the U.S. market, so that the former Japanese wartime factories could be used for something civilian. This was the start of his company. Mr. Kosuge’s factory was sub-contracted by MARUSAN to produce many different toy cars. Therefore, many MARUSAN boxes of that time also mention the KOSUGE factory along with the mark of MARUSAN.
The KOSUGE Toys Industrial Company, LTD., Japan, produced this tin body with cut out windows and good details of front and rear hood, door seams. The rear oval window with 12 lightly stamped recessed air louvers. Tin body parts include headlights, hood trim and windshield trim. Tin chassis with tin bumpers and a friction motor and rubber tires with hubcaps. Some had solid black plastic wheels. Chassis stamped JAPAN. Original box shows a front three quarter view on a yellow colored Oval Window Volkswagen Sedan cruising along at high speed. Box is marked VOLKSWAGEN, JAPAN and the SKG letters signifying KOSUGE as the manufacturer. This KOSUGE Oval Window VW is very similar to the T.P.S. (Tokyo Plaything Shokai Co., Ltd.) and the UNKNOWN OW METAL 02 VWs.
