We are pleased to offer this special 1950s vintage battery powered remote controlled GEE-I-JEEP, in the Andy Gard line by General Molds & Plastics Corp. of Leetsdale, Pa. By 1960, the company had been purchased & renamed for the fine line of injection molded toys, offered for almost 20 years, Andy Gard. This handsome jeep is original in its box, and is a real collectors item in wonderful condition.
Andy Gard Corporation, of Leetsdale, Pa., was the name taken from the recognized trade name, after the buyout of the parent General Molds & Plastics Corp. in the latter 1950s. A 1961 filing with the SEC seeking registration of 200,000 shares of common stock, to be offered for public sale on an all or none basis through underwriters headed by Van Alstyne, Noel & Co., was the beginning of a new era for Andy Gard. Initially, the underwriter agreed to sell to Anthony J. Barnish and Arthur R. Pasekoff (principles) 750 shares each as a finders' fee. The company (formerly General Molds and Plastics Corp.) was engaged principally in the design, manufacture, and sale of molded plastic toys under the Andy Gard trade name. Recently entering the field of plastic house wares with Dolly Dell buckets, the company also conducts a custom molding business whereby certain plastics are molded to customer specifications, as well as manufacturing new dies & molds to customer specifications, for their independent production of plastic articles. Of the net proceeds from the stock sale, $250,000 was used for construction of an additional plant, warehouse and shipping facilities. $500,000 was spent for the purchase of additional injection molding machines and other equipment, and the balance was used for working capital. The corporate structure was closely held at that point, as the officers owned 57.04% of the outstanding 415,939 shares of common stock, of which Anthony Mangretta, director, Andrew N. Giardina, President, plus Samuel R. and Vincent J. Giardina, Vice Presidents, owned 22.37% 12.17%, 11.3% and 11.2%, respectively. Products in the Andy Gard line included plastic home recording platters (record disks), 1950s & 1960s toy Coca-Cola dispensers and battery driven remote controlled vehicles. Subsequent to a wildcat strike at both the old Leetdale and Coraopolis plants in 1967, we can find almost nothing about the company following 1970. **** This is a live auction on eBay in front of live floor bidders in Killen AL -- eBay's clock is the hammer. You can Watch and place bids using our APP on Sunday. WatchNow (link on this auction page below) -- earn coins for bidding or watching even if you do not win. Share with friends (future) on Facebook -- contact us for more information see our section on combined shipping rates also. |
