"HiBoy" "Porky," "Bunny Boy," "Boston Bully," London Bully," "Bobby" Cat, "Chowy" Wolf, "Bengal Bennie," "Cubby," "Roarin’ Rexie," and the dinosaur, "Old Timer" are just some of the pet names for the fabulous Twistum Toys. These cute toys were made in Oakland, California (home of the Raiders Football Team" between 1922 and 1932. "Sensationally famous" at the time (according to their own advertising), Twistums are now rare and hard-to-find due to the short period of time they were manufactured. The small factory employed about 50 people during its hey-dey. Artistically colored and finely finished, Twistums have been valued since their beginning not only as unusual toys but as mascots and ornaments as well. Capable of performing amusing stunts and amazing changeable poses, they not only effect spontaneous attraction but people do not tire of them. Collecting sets or groups was popular.

(This area is noteworthy as the home of the favorite saloon of the writer Jack London, and is where he "hung out" when staying in Oakland.) The building that housed the Twistum Toy Factory is still standing and is now used by a steel manufacturing company.

For a year or two before moving to Oakland, the toy factory was located in Atascadero, California, at the Poppy Doll Factory. When the company first moved to Oakland they called themselves the "Atascadero Doll

 and Toy Factory." It is unclear exactly when they changed the name of the company to the "Twistum Toy Factory," but an article about the company in the Oakland Tribune, dated February 25, 1923, still refers to the company as the "Atascadero Toy and Doll company." Labels on the bottom of pieces can be found with either "Twistum Toy Factory " or "Atascadero Toy and Doll Factory, Inc.". This should provide a clue to which pieces are the earlier. The U.S. Patent Office recorded the "Twistum" trademark on June 14, 1927, but notes that the company claims use of the trade mark since December 28, 1921.

Twistum toys were patented June 29, 1920. In the hopes of cashing in on the popularity of the Schoenhut Circus Animals, the Twistum Toy Factory made high quality, acrobatic toy animals at a lower cost than Schoenhut. Twistums are made of large wood and wood composition bead-like sections that are molded under high heat and pressure. They are practically unbreakable. They are then painted with bright gloss enamels in a wealth of color combinations. They have hand-painted features and "Modern Art designs," which the company advertised as making Twistums world famous. It is known that despite the small size of the factory, Twistums were shipped internationally. A 1931 article in the Oakland Tribune business section informs the reader that, "the toys are distributed throughout the United States, as well as in foreign countries, particularly in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, India and South America." Has anyone out there from outside the U.S. ever owned or seen a Twistum?

Instead of being strung with elastic cord, as were Schoenhuts, a piano wire spring anchored in a swivel joins the parts and permits countless poses and tricks and makes Twistums very "twistable." Originally, pegs were supplied with the animals (except the giraffe and auk.) Two or more animals can thus be joined for team stunts. Detachable wheel sets were supplied with all the animals as well (except the giraffe and auk), which turned the Twistums into pull toys. (Unfortunately, the wheels did not stay with the animals, and I have yet to find a Twistum with its original wheels.) Twistums were packed in display boxes which could be formed into toy cages for the animals. A reproduction of one of these boxes will be added to the page of pictures shortly.

Furnished free with all orders to dealers were 8" x 10" photos of moving picture stars posing with Twistums. A picture of Patsy Ruth Miller posing with a Twistum giraffe is shown on Jeanne's Twistums page of this site. Other famous actors who posed with Twistum animals included Mary Astor, Margaret Livingston, Myrna Loy, "Our Gang," and "Rin-Tin-Tin!"

The nine different animals in the regular or smaller size group of the Twistum Animal Circus retailed for 75 cents or $1.00 The larger size and the Plain Golfer were priced at $1.50 and $2.00 for the Crackle Golfer. The more expensive models in order of pricing included the Plain Long-Tailed Cat "Mascot Tommy" at $1.25; at $1.50, the Camel "Sahara Humpy," "Jumboy," the Elephant, "Wampas Tommy," the Luminous Wampas Cat, and the Plain Golfer, "Parboy." The Dinosaur "Old Timer," and the Crackle Golfer, "Holinwon" retailed for $2.00 each. The most expensive Twistum was the Giraffe, "Hiboy," who retailed for $2.50.

For a list of all the toys and their current estimated values, see the Price List page of this site.

In addition to the circus animals and the two Golfers, Twistum also made a clown with a circus tent and a number of football players with letters for various college football teams.

Twistum also made a doll called, "Funny Fuzzee Twistums." These retailed for 50 cents each. They were eight inches tall. There are four dolls, "Jerree, "Fairee," "Brownee" and "Clownee". There are also four "Gazooks": "Tommee," "Wuzzee" "Kittee," and "Suzzee." They have shoulder and hip joints made of flexible wire and soft beautifully colored yarn. Heads are of enameled wood with hand-painted features. I have never seen one to my knowledge. If anyone has, I would love to know about it.

This article was contributed by Jeanne of Jeanne’s Animals. Jeanne works in Oakland, California and buys and sells Steiff, Schoenhut, and Twistum animals. She has been collecting Twistums for a little over two years and has 16 different Twistum figures and some duplicates of animals in different colors. She can be e-mailed at jayzed@earthlink.net, or written to at P. O. Box 71627, Oakland, CA 94612. Jeanne has a few animals available to sell and is always interested in buying more.