Features of ado toys
Recognize the toys by Ko Verzuu
Pay attention to:
We often get asked whether something is real ado. Sadly, most of the time, it is not. Ado toys are quite recognizable though, which is why we have listed their key features below. We start with the most obvious one: the mark. Then come design (shape and colour use), materials, shop labels, and replicas.
Maker’s mark on ado toys
In the fight against illegal copying, ado marked their products. Most ado items bear a mark. Over the years, different stamps, burn marks and badges were used, which can help date the toys.
Pencil
mid-1920s
No mark yet, just the product number, colour code and price
Pine tree
mid-1920s
A stamped or burned-in pine tree
Letters ‘ado’
early 1930s
‘ado’ spray-painted on the hood of the cars
Letters ‘ado’
from around 1930
A burn-mark on the bottom with the letters ‘ado’
White metal badge
from around 1934
The first metal badge, cream-coloured or in white
Black and silver-coloured
late 1940s
Other coloured badges with embossed details
Flat surface
1950s
Green, black, and silver badges with a flat surface
Sticker
from around 1959
A sticker featuring the pine tree, the final mark
Pencil
mid-1920s
No mark yet, just the product number, colour code and price
Pine tree
mid-1920s
A stamped or burned-in pine tree
Letters ‘ado’
early 1930s
‘ado’ spray-painted on the hood of the cars
Letters ‘ado’
from around 1930
A burn-mark on the bottom with the letters ‘ado’
White metal badge
from around 1934
The first metal badge, cream-coloured or in white
Black and silver-coloured
late 1940s
Other coloured badges with embossed details
Flat surface
1950s
Green, black, and silver badges with a flat surface
Sticker
from around 1959
A sticker featuring the pine tree, the final mark
Pencil
mid-1920s
No mark yet, just the product number, colour code and price
Pine tree
mid-1920s
A stamped or burned-in pine tree
Letters ‘ado’
early 1930s
‘ado’ spray-painted on the hood of the cars
Letters ‘ado’
from around 1930
A burn-mark on the bottom with the letters ‘ado’
White metal badge
from around 1934
The first metal badge, cream-coloured or in white
Black and silver-coloured
late 1940s
Other coloured badges with embossed details
Flat surface
1950s
Green, black, and silver badges with a flat surface
Sticker
from around 1959
A sticker featuring the pine tree, the final mark
Shape and colour
Over the years, ado’s product range changed quite a bit. Designer Ko Verzuu’s use of form and colour evolved as well. Because of this, you can get a sense of how old your doll’s furniture, toy car, or block box is by just looking at it.
Dollhouse furniture
During the 1920s and 1930s, ado produced a wide variety of dollhouse furniture, in different colours and scales. That changed from the 1940s, catalogs from that time featured only a handful of furniture pieces, only in cream, white and blue. So most ado furniture you come across is from those earlier years.
Ko Verzuu’s early ado cars
The ado cars changed more gradually than the doll furniture. Verzuu’s Bouwmaterialen (No. 904, 1932 and 1935) and Bouwbedrijf (No. 964, 1937) show how the designer made his vehicles sleeker and more appealing over time.
There are two major differences. The first is colour. Ado’s earliest cars were usually painted in dark tones, until Verzuu swapped grey and brown for brighter colours like blue, yellow, red, green, and orange. The second is shape, Verzuu gave his cars a more aerodynamic, ‘fast’ look by streamlining the once boxy cabins.
Ko Verzuu’s early ado cars
The ado cars changed more gradually than the doll furniture. Verzuu’s Bouwmaterialen (No. 904, 1932 and 1935) and Bouwbedrijf (No. 964, 1937) show how the designer made his vehicles sleeker and more appealing over time.
There are two major differences. The first is colour. Ado’s earliest cars were usually painted in dark tones, until Verzuu swapped grey and brown for brighter colours like blue, yellow, red, green, and orange. The second is shape, Verzuu gave his cars a more aerodynamic, ‘fast’ look by streamlining the once boxy cabins.
Late ado car fleet
The developments didn’t stop in the 1930s, ado cars continued to evolve into the 1950s. Just look at Kipwagen (No. 357) and Transportwagen (No. 501).
Again, there were two main changes. First, the colours: they initially became lighter, but around 1955 many cars were finished with a clear varnish. Second, the shape of the cabins changed. The angled, protruding hoods were replaced with flat fronts, and square windows made way for round ones.
Late ado car fleet
The developments didn’t stop in the 1930s, ado cars continued to evolve into the 1950s. Just look at Kipwagen (No. 357) and Transportwagen (No. 501).
Again, there were two main changes. First, the colours: they initially became lighter, but around 1955 many cars were finished with a clear varnish. Second, the shape of the cabins changed. The angled, protruding hoods were replaced with flat fronts, and square windows made way for round ones.
Material use and wear
Ado toys are special, but they are still toys and were made to be played with. After years of fun, many were damaged and ended up in attics or garden sheds. Signs of wear are part of their authenticity. Here you will discover what materials were used, and how they hold up after more than 90 years.
Timber and paint, splinters and scratches
Ado toys were made using both solid wood and plywood, supplied by the Utrecht-based firm Jongeneel. After sawing, sanding, and assembling, the toys were painted with glossy Japan lacquers from the company Varossieau & Cie. This incredibly strong, poison-free lacquer was applied with a spray gun. Details were added by hand with a pencil, and text was stenciled using a metal template.
Over time, the timber and paint often show signs of wear, depending on how the toy was used and stored. Splinters may be missing, a plywood layer might have come loose, or the wood may show woodworm holes. The paint might be cracked, faded, powdery—or, in some cases, still surprisingly shiny.
Worn marks
Marks on the same model car or block cart can look completely different today. They have worn differently over the years, and parts of the top layer may be missing. Compare the first two badges used (cream-coloured/white and black) to see the difference.
Wheels and tires
Different types of wheels were used on ado cars over the years. At first, they were made of wood and produced in the workshop. From around 1932, metal wheels with rubber tires were introduced, in various sizes and with different rubber and rim colours. By the mid-1950s, these were gradually replaced with Dunlop tires.
Rubber ages. Tires either go soft and misshapen, or hard and full of cracks. Neither is ideal!
Shop labels on ado toys
In addition to the maker’s mark, ado toys were often labeled by the shop or department store that sold them,usually with paper stickers. Sometimes, those labels are still intact. Because we know when the shops were in business, the labels help us date the toys. Each store has its own story. Click an image to read more.
Copy or original?
Because of the appeal of ado toys, they were often copied. Some early copies were made by skilled family members, while later replicas were produced for collectors. One example is the orange ado tax (No. 374) Two are shown here, but only one is the original from 1953. The other is a 1999 copy made by the Sociale Werkvoorziening (Sheltered Workshop) in the town of Zeist. This workshop produced most ado replicas—at least five to ten different models—in production runs of around 250 each. Examining the details reveals which is the copy.
Click here to read more about other imitators of ado toys
Ko Verzuu jr.
Ko Verzuu’s son made a small number of replicas marked with the playful name ‘ko-py-ado’. They were produced in limited runs and were not intended to be sold.
Herman uit de Bosch
As a hobbyist, Herman recreated all kinds of ado items, sometimes in collaboration with Verzuu jr. Herman used new replica metal marks for his works.
Get in touch
By now, you’ve hopefully got a feel for what ado toys look like. Still curious about something? Or maybe you’ve got a idea to share? Just drop us a message!