TIPP & CO. was founded in 1912 in Nürnberg, Germany by Mr. Carstens and Mrs. Tipp. In the 1930's the Jewish owners had to flee Germany and the company was confiscated. Only in 1949 the company was given back to its legal owners and the rebuilding of the factory, destroyed in the war began.
A nice very looking stamped tinplate lithographed VW body design with details of the doors, front hood, rear hoods, headlights, taillights and rear Split Window with indented air louvers. The TIPPCO Split Window VW featured people’s faces in the windows of the lithograph design. Tin stamped chassis with a key wound clockwerk motor, with a protruding brake lever, and four metal button wheels. Along the door running board area, the lithograph reads “Made in U.S. Zone Germany.” The body was attached to the chassis with 6 bent over tabs of the body. There appears to be an early release variation with lithographed grey wheels and a red circle in the middle and the later release was equipped with only shiny steel button wheels. The lithograph color of the VW body design has been seen in various shades of blue and also a light orange color as well.
This TIPPCO Split VW toy was used in various TIPPCO track sets that had a lithographed metal fuel pump station platform that was attached to the track section and the hole in the rear fender of the VW Split VW toy was used for a gas pump hose nozzle, in the track set, to be inserted into the VW toy fender to simulate fueling at the pump station. The fuel pump station platform also had a metal shaft and ratchet lever design that would extend into the VW and wind up the clockwerk motor while at the fuel station, as well.
TIPP&CO is also known as TIPPCO or TCO (the company insignia) in the toy industry as well.
The TIPPCO - TCO company bought clockwerk motors, wheels, etc. for their toys from the company Paul Weiss Laufwerk Fabrik, also located in Nürnberg, Germany. Paul Weiss Laufwerk Fabrik existed from 1919 until 1969 and produced parts for tin toys as well as clockwork motors for many manufacturers. The Paul Weiss company logo was a multi-pointed star with P.W. in the star center.
This TIPPCO Split VW was also used for the Michael Seidel Game AUTOROAD 1001, with a marking on the roof: MS 1991 and the Seidel Goat-logo. These versions came without chassis, but with a magnet. Very rare!
