Buddy L Toys
Fred Lundahl started the Moline Press Steel Company around 1910 which later changed to the Moline Pressed Steel Company. The company flourished stamping out fenders, door panels and other steel truck and auto parts in an East Moline, Illinois factory. Lundahl did business with International Harvester and many other automobile makers. His son, Arthur Brown Lundahl was born Nov 16, 1915. He was nicknamed "Buddy L", as there was already another Buddy living in their neighborhood. This nickname stuck, and later became the name of the company when they transitioned to making pressed steel toys. The Buddy L line of toys started in 1921. Fred Lundahl was working on a large contract for sheet-metal parts for the International Harvester Company and he made a small miniature model of the International truck for his son. He was doing this more for recreation with the thought of making something for him that would hold up and not break easily. He hoped it would also interest Buddy L in the work. The toy was a hit and all the other neighborhood boys wanted one. Soon thereafter Fred made a few samples and off he went to the New York City Toy Show to try and market them. Obviously they made an impression ... and the rest is history!