Gebr. Märklin & Cie. GmbH (MÄRKLIN) was founded in 1859 by Theodor Friedrich Wilhelm Märklin and is based in Göppingen in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. It originally specialized in doll house kitchen accessories, but after 1891 the sons of T.F.W. Märklin focused on tin toys and trains when they acquired the Firm of Ludwig Lutz. Although they were most famous for trains, they also produced some beautiful tinplate and diecast toys also. The VW toys were initially meant as accessory for the train sets.
Zinc diecast body with cut out windows and details of the front and rear hood, doors, headlights and taillights. No chassis, plastic wheels on metal axles and inside the body is stamped “MÄRKLIN Pico 9 Germany” and “KdF” cast on front and rear bumpers. MÄRKLIN catalog number reference No. Pico 9 and box number of 5519/9. Over the years, the diecast metal becomes very brittle and can easily break with temperature change and handling.
