EMPIRE OF TARBORO was the successor to TARHEEL. I wrote to Empire in the mid-1990's but they were unable to send me anything about their history, which I've since attempted to compile on this blog. So it was with great interest that I found this pre-production EMPIRE toy listed on Ebay US, which has the original factory tag:
13" long, resin with plastic wheels Made by Empure, Tarboro, NC- with "Not a Production Sample" tag. Marked copyright Carolina Enterprises 1970 on the underside.
And here's the toy WORM once in production in 1973 with its box!
If only a pre-production TARHEEL SWORD toy or some paperwork would turn up! Now that would be a very enlightening!
The next question would be: What is "Carolina Enterprises"...
ReplyDelete- Arto
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI am LaYa I am 24 years old, I live in Los Angeles Ca. When I was just born in 1985 my parents thought I was going to be another boy so they invested in this tugboat for the bath by this copany called Rmpire Tarborno Inc. I believe its the same copany you are talking about. I haven't searched Ebay yet for the same toy I would like to buy for my 11month old son.
Hi LaYa
ReplyDeleteNice to hear from you. Yep. there's an Empire Tug Boat for $25 right now on Ebay! Hope you get it, Woodsy, UK
Copy and paste this link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-VINTAGE-1977-TUGGSY-TUG-BOAT-TOY-FLOATS-TOOTS_W0QQitemZ150381670926QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item230372320e