1925–1968: New ownership and expansion ĭuring the early years of the company, Adolf Gund was the mentor to Jacob Swedlin, a Russian immigrant who came to the United States in 1907. The company was eventually sold when Adolf Gund retired in 1925. It continued to market its products under the moniker GEE up until the late 1920s, as evidenced in various advertisements in Playthings and other toy magazines. Gund created many of the industry standards in its early years, including safety standards and the manufacturing processes for toys. Gund also secured many other patents for toys such as the wind-up walking plush, dancing toys, and walking toys. The ride-on duck was produced by Gund for approximately 10 years commencing in 1912. It had wheels that operated a working duck bill which moved up and down as the wheels turned. One of the company's most notable patents was for a "ride-on duck" which was a duck for children to ride on. Once such patent was for what was described as a "springing dog." The design called for a mechanism to be placed inside the stuffed animal which would cause it to jump, "bringing it to life." Another patent was for a walking mechanism which allowed the plush to walk. In the early 1900s, Gund received numerous patents that introduced various mechanisms into plush toys. The moves were all prompted by the need for larger manufacturing quarters. It moved from location to location as it expanded, starting off on Third Avenue and eventually moving to Ninth Street by 1922. Gund produced its first products in loft factories around New York City. In the early years, Gund used GEE as the company slogan in advertising on product labels. He started Gund as a small toy and novelty company which was incorporated under the name Gund Manufacturing Company in 1910. He was born in Germany and resided in Norwalk, Connecticut before settling in New York City. Progression of Gund logos from inception through 2016. History 1898–1925: Formation through retirement of Adolf Gund In the 1980s, China became one of Gund's primary sources for stuffed toys. Gund is headquartered in Edison, New Jersey and currently a division of Spin Master, which acquired the company from Enesco in March 2018. It has won multiple awards during its 120+ years and was also the face of a United States Postal Service stamp. The company is best known for its line of Teddy bears, and holds or has held licensing agreements with companies such as Sesame Street, Peter Rabbit, Curious George, Studio Ghibli, Hello Kitty, PAW Patrol, and Toca Boca. Gund is currently run by third generation family owner Bruce Raiffe whose grandfather Jacob Swedlin purchased the company from the original founder (Adolph Gund) in 1925. The company is based in Edison, New Jersey, and distributes throughout the United States and Canada as well as in Europe, Japan, Australia, and South America. Gund is a Canadian-owned manufacturer of plush stuffed animals.
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