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Gilbert was founded in 1909 in Westville, Connecticut , originally as a company providing supplies for magic ( Alfred Carlton Gilbert was a magician). Gilbert invented Erector in 1911, inspired by railroad girders, and the construction toy was introduced two years later. By 1935, Gilbert was also producing microscopes.

In 1938, Gilbert purchased American Flyer, a struggling manufacturer of toy trains. Gilbert re-designed the entire product line, producing 1:64 scale trains running on O gauge track. Although these are sometimes referred to as S scale or S gauge trains, they are technically O27. At the same time, Gilbert introduced a line of HO scale trains, which were primarily marketed under the brand name Gilbert HO.

By 1942, Gilbert was producing equipment for military aircraftThis article refers to the tool of travel. There is a separate article about the movie Airplane An aircraft is any machine capable of atmospheric flight. Categories and clasification Aircraft fall into two broad categories: Heavier than air Heavier than a for use in World War IIWorld War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history of the world, involving the great majority of the world's nations, being fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of lives. The war was fough.

Gilbert introduced S gaugeS gauge is a scale in model railroading. Modeled at 1:64, S gauge runs on two-rail track with the rails 7/8 inch (22. 2 mm) apart. S gauge is sometimes confused with standard gauge a large-scale standard for toy trains in the early part of the 20th centur model railroads in 1946Events January January 4 Theodore Schurch becomes the last person to be executed for offences committed under the Treachery Act of 1940 January 7 Allied recognize Austrian republic with 1937 borders the country is divided into four occupation zones Januar, mostly in response to the shortcomings of O scaleO scale (or O gauge is a scale commonly used for toy trains and model railroading. Originally introduced by German toy manufacturer Marklin around 1900, by the 1930s three-rail alternating current O gauge was the most common model railroad scale in the Un utilized by LionelLionel, LLC is a designer and importer of toy trains and model railroads, based in Chesterfield, Michigan and currently in bankruptcy. Its roots lie in the 1969 purchase of the Lionel product line by cereal conglomerate General Mills. Although Lionel, LLC and MarxLouis Marx and Company was an American toy manufacturer from 1919 to 1978. Its boxes were imprinted with the slogan, "One of the many Marx toys, have you all of them?" The Marx logo was the letters "MAR" in a circle with a large X through it, resembling a. These newer American Flyer trains were smaller and proportioned more realistically than either the pre-war American Flyer trains or its post-war competition. Although these new trains were popular, Lionel outsold American Flyer nearly 2 to 1.

Gilbert struggled somewhat after the death of its founder in 19611961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first "upside-down" year i. one that looked the same upside down since 1881, and the last until 6009. Events January January 1 The farthing coin, used since the 13th century, cease. Gilbert's family sold out its shares, and the company was never profitable under its new ownership. By 1967, Gilbert was out of business. Erector was sold to Gabriel Industries and American Flyer was sold to Lionel.

Although A. C. Gilbert has not existed as a company for several decades, Gabriel continued to use the brand name on its Erector set and microscope products, a practice that subsequent owners of the Erector brand have continued. Current Erector toys have the words "The construction toy from A. C. Gilbert" on their packaging. Lionel also uses the brand name on its American Flyer products, along with the old Gilbert catchphrase, "Developed at the Gilbert Hall of Science," on its product packaging.