The Auburn Rubber Company was one of the largest producers of vinyl and rubber toys in the world during its production time. Intially starting out as the Double Fabric Tire Company in 1913, it became the Auburn Rubber Company in the 1920’s. Toy production started in the 1935 including toy soldiers, animals, cars, trucks, and tractors. Production stopped at the onset of World War II and production shifted to soles for combat boots and Jerry can gaskets. Production of hard rubber figures resumed around 1950 (although I haven’t been able to determine if the rubber soldiers were produced post-war) but switched to plastic injection molding of vinyl in 1952. The company finally closed in 1969 when it filed for bankruptcy.
Auburn Rubber Gallery
The only medical figures produced by the Auburn Rubber Company are nurse and doctor figures painted in white or khaki as well as a stretcher bearer and wounded figure for the stretcher. They did produce a not-to-scale ambulance and doctor car as part of a set seen in the Masback Hardware Catalog from 1941.
R O’Brien. Collecting American-Made Toy Soldiers: Identifcation and Value Guide. 3rd ed. Books Americana; 1996.
