Masudaya

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Masudaya, also known as Masudaya Modern Toys, [1] [2] [3] [4] is a Japanese toy maker that became known as a leading builder of mechanical and battery operated toys in the post-World War II era. Its longevity may in part be due to its involvement in the early days of the airsoft boom during the early 1980s. The company is known for essentially creating the "skirmishable" airsoft gun. It was first to design airsoft guns for use in combat simulation as opposed to backyard target shooting.

Contents

Masudaya normally identifies its toys using the M-T, or Modern Toys logo. Most of the guns it produced, particularly the TradeMark series, are extremely rare. The Detachable series are the most common, followed by the Bolt series. Many sources in the airsoft community in Hong Kong and Japan believe there are only a handful of each version of TradeMark guns still extant. Masudaya guns can be seen packaged either as Masudaya or TradeMark; for example, some version of the Thunderbolt display "TradeMark" on the box and others only "Masudaya." Beyond its airsoft products, Masudaya's robot and space-themed toys have been auctioned by high-profile auction houses. [5] [6] [7]

Products

Masudaya has produced hundreds of toys through the years, many of them vintage wind-up or battery-operated tin toys, in addition to the following Airsoft replicas:

BS Buffalo and Detachable Series:

Bolt Series:

Masudaya also produced a small line of guns under their "TradeMark Air Guns" name. These guns included:

References

  1. ↑ Office, United States Patent (1953). Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office. The Office. p. 292.
  2. ↑ Birdthistle, Elizabeth. "Mountbatten heirlooms offer insight into glamour of a dazzling dynasty". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  3. ↑ Staff, Antique Trader (29 September 2020). "Robot Conquers Auction". Antique Trader. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  4. ↑ Kolesnikov-Jessop, Sonia (2010-11-18). "Asia a Fertile Hunting Ground for Toy Collectors". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  5. ↑ Maksel, Rebecca. "Space Toys". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
  6. ↑ "Live Auction 6596". Christies. 1994. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  7. ↑ "Batman Japanese Tin Batmobile Race Car with Original Box (Masudaya, 1966)". Heritage Auctions. 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
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