Gilbert Erector Sets

Gilbert Erector sets were produced from 1913 until 1988.  Actually, the sets from 1913 - 1916 were sold under the Mysto Manufacturing Company name.  The business was renamed the A. C. Gilbert Company in 1916.  The A. C. Gilbert Company went out of business in 1967 and was sold to Gabriel.  Sets were sold by Gabriel under the Gilbert name through 1976.  However, the Gabriel, CBS Toys, GAF Viewmaster and Ideal Toys sets that followed continued to use parts originally produced by the Gilbert company.

Collectors commonly divide Gilbert Erector sets in a number of categories based on the style of parts. The sets shown here are organized chronologically by period.

If you have a restored set for the gallery, send your photos and a description to the webmaster. Posted items will include credit for the submitter.

TYPE II - 1924 - 1962

These sets are characterized by their 5/8" wide trussed look girders.  Many specialized parts designed to build specific models were introduced from 1924 - 1932.  The Great Depression put a damper on elaborate sets during the early to mid-1930's.  By the late 1930's, sets were on the increase in size again.  Very few metal sets were produced during World War II, most likely sets put together from leftover parts.  After WWII, sets started small again, but gradually increased starting in 1948 with the introduction of the No. 12 1/2 Walking Giant set.  Sets and models remained mostly unchanged until 1958 when Musical Sets hit the scene for this year and 1959.  The end of the toy was in site as the quality of the sets started to deteriorate until the final demise in 1962.

Sets presented here are seperated by era, Classic Period from 1924-1932, Pre-World War II from 1933-42, and Post-World War II from 1945-62.

Classic Period - 1924 - 1932
Year - Set No. 1924 No. 1 1924 No. 3 1925 No. 4 1925 No. 7 1925 No. 10 1926 No. 000 1926 No. 1 1926 No. 3 1926 No. 4 1926 No. 7 1/2 early 1926 No. 7 1/2 late 1927 No. 1 1927 No. 7 1927 No. 7 1/2 1927 No. 10		Year - Set No. 1927 No. A 1928 No. 1 1928 No. 7 1928 No. 7 1/2 1928 No. 7 1/2 Trumodel 1928 No. 8 1928 No. 77 1928 No. C 1929 No. 1 1929 No. 3 1929 No. 4 1929 No. 6 1929 No. 7 1929 No. 7 1/2 1929 No. 8		Year - Set No. 1929 No. 9 1929 No. 77 Trumodel 1929 B 1930 No. 1 Little Jim 1930 No. 1 Steel Tech 1930 No. 1 Trumodel 1930 No. 10 1931 No. 1 1931 No. 6 1931 No. 7 1931 No. 7 1/2 1932 No. 3 1932 No. 7 1932 No. 7 1/2 1932 No. 8 1/2

Pre-World War II - 1933 - 1942
Year - Set No. 1933 No. 1 1933 No. 3 1933 No. 4 1933 No. 6 1933 No. 7 1934 No. 1 1934 No. 4 1934 No. 6 1934 No. 7 1934 No. 7 1/2 1935 No. 1 1/2 1935 No. 3 1/2 1935 No. 4 1/2 1935 No. 6 1/2 1935 No. 7 1/2 1935 No. 8 1/2		Year - Set No. 1935 No. 9 1/2 1936 No. 2 1/2 1936 No. 4 Sears 1936 No. 4 1/2 1936 No. 5 1/2 1936 No. 9 1/2 1938 No. 1 Sears 1938 No. 1 1/2 1938 No. 4 1/2 1938 No. 6 Sears 1938 No. 6 1/2 early 1938 No. 6 1/2 late 1938 No. 8 1/2 1939 No. 3 1/2 1939 No. 8 1/2 1939 No. 9 1/2 1940 No. 3 1/2		Year - Set No. 1940 No. 7 Sears 1940 No. 7 1/2 1940 No. 8 Sears 1940 No. 8 1/2 1940 No. 8 1/2 Sears 1941 No. 1 1/2 1941 No. 2 1/2 1941 No. 3 Sears 1941 3 1/2 1941 6 1/2 1941 No. 7 1/2 1941 No. 8 1/2 1941 No. 9 1/2 1941 No. 10 1/2 1942 No. 3 1/2 1942 No. 4 Sears

Post-World War II - 1945 - 1962
Year - Set No. 1945 No. 1 Erector Junior 1945 No. 3 Erector Junior 1945 No. 5 Erector Junior 1946 No. 4 1/2 1946 No. 7 1/2 1946 No. 9 1/2 1947 No. 3 1/2 1947 No. 4 1/2 1947 No. 6 1/2 1947 No. 9 1/2 1948 No. 2 1/2 1948 No. 6 1/2 1948 No. 12 1/2 1949 No. 1 1/2 1949 No. 2 1/2 1949 No. 4 1/2 1949 No. 6 1/2 1949 No. 6 1/2 late 1949 No. 12 1/2 1950 No. 10 Junior Erector 1950 No. 2 1/2 1950 No. 2 1/2 -2 1950 No. 8 1/2 1950 No. 10 1/2 1950 No. 12 1/2 1951 No. 2 Junior Erector 1951 No. 1 1/2 1951 No. 2 1/2 1951 No. 7 1/2 1951 No. 8 1/2		Year - Set No. 1952 No. 10 Junior Erector 1952 No. 4 1/2 1952 No. 6 1/2 1953 No. 4 Junior Erector 1953 2 1/2 1953 No. 6 1/2 1954 No. 2 1/2 1954 No. 4 1/2 1954 No. 6 1/2 1954 No. 10 1/2 1955 No. 2 Junior Erector 1955 No. 4 Junior Erector 1955 No. 1 1/2 1955 No. 3 1/2 1955 No. 4 1/2 1955 No. 10 1/2 1956 No. 1 1/2 1956 No. 6 1/2 1956 No. 7 1/2 1956 No. 12 1/2 1957 No. 1 1/2 1957 No. 2 1/2 1957 No. 5 1/2 1957 No. 7 1/2 1957 No. 12 1/2 1957 No. 100 1957 No. 10051 1958 Tube Sets 1958 No. 10026 1958 No. 10031		Year - Set No. 1958 No. 10041 1958 No. 10052 1958 No. 10062 1958 No. 10072 1958 No. 10082 1958 No. 10092 1959 Tube Sets 1959 No. 10042 1959 No. 10053 1959 No. 10063 1959 No. 10073 1959 No. 10083 1959 No. 10093 1959 No. 18000 1960 Tube Sets 1960 No. 10037 1960 No. 10053 1960 No. 10057 Sears 1960 No. 10063 1960 No. 10084 1960 No. 10094 1962 Carton Sets 1962 No. 10016 1962 No. 10064 Sears 1962 No. 10181 1962 No. 10211 1962 No. 10221 1962 No. 10231 1962 No. 10301