Construction set:Original Tinkertoy - "Prep No. 116"

The Prep No. 116 represents an early product of the Toy Tinkers company, original makers of Tinkertoy building sets. The company, founded by Charles Pajeau and Robert Petit, began making its Tinkertoys in 1914; other toys followed in ensuing years including dolls, bowling sets, rattles, building blocks, and flying toys. Tinkertoys, however, proved to be the company's biggest seller, and by 1941 the company sold only the sets. At the height of the toy's popularity in the years of America's baby boom, 3 million Tinkertoy sets were sold each year.