Latest Akro Box? Akro Showroom?

[Steph]

No, I don't really have a candidate yet. This ad from March 1946 is the latest I've seen so far with box photos. But check out the "counter box" photo. That moss agate pic was first used about 15 years before.

(click to enlarge)

This March 1950 ad is the latest of any sort I've seen for them so far -- not counting the one for the sale of the property.

What do we know about the Akro showroom in New York?

Oh, I see they mentioned a showroom in a 1938 ad also, different room number.

[Scoop]

A showroom in NY in 1938, would likely have been at the World's Fair??

[Steph]

I wondered if that was it.

Having a showroom in 1950 didn't fit though.

Turns out that 200 Fifth Avenue is "famous" -- to the right people I guess. Some sort of toy expo center I gather. Seems that it might have been evolving into something major in the 30's or 40's.

No clue yet about how long people would have their showrooms for. Like for special toy events, or in season, or all year around.

[Scoop]

Back in the 70's, when I was in high school, I worked for a gift shop... Each year... I think it was in late summer, early fall to consider the "holiday market," there was a "Gift Show" in Boston.... This was set up in a similar manner as room sales at a marble show... Usually at a hotel... Each vendor had a room to display their products. Store buyers would go from room to room and place their orders...

Later, a set of perminant buildings called "Trade Centers" opened for the same purpose in Burlington Mass (I remember because they were built on swampland and started to "sink"... 'Had to be removed... )

This site 200 Fifth Avenue looks like it could have been a similar sort of trade center for the toy business.... ??