Tonka Toys Look Books

Sears and Roebuck had their Wish Book. Tonka Toys had their Look Book. As a means of informing the consumer of the various models offered in the Tonka toy line, Tonka began to include a small catalog with each of their packaged toys. The consumer catalog or Look Book was basically a much smaller version of the catalog Tonka sent to toy retailers for them the use to make their decisions on which Tonka truck they wanted to put on their shelves.

Tonka issued their first Look Book in late 1953. Tonka continued to place the very popular catalog with their new toys through the mid 1970's. A little known fact is that Tonka did not publish a Look Book in 1971. Tonka was going through a downturn in business and to cut costs, decided to carryover the 1970 Look Book into 1971. Also of note: from 1953 to 1970/71, the Tonka Look Book listed all models available to the consumer, except for what Tonka collectors refer to as "private label" models. Beginning in 1972, Tonka just included a sampling of the models offered in the various series in the Look Book.

Featured below are the covers of Tonka Look Books issued from 1953 through 1975, only missing 1954. Thanks to Pactrick O'Neil for copies of his extremely rare 1953 Look Book. And thanks also to Mike for scanning a copy of his 1955, 1957, 1958 and 1959 Look Books.

Click on any Look Book cover and view the Tonka product line for that year.