Carter Tru Scale & Eska Farm Toys

Joseph Carter founded Carter Machine & Tool Company January 1, 1940 in Rockford Illinois, and began to build dies and special machines. In 1945 Carter made his first toy, and entered the toy business by making scale metal models of tractors and farm equipment under the Tru-Scale name. Carter also made models for Rockford-based Nylint Toys until Nylint began in-house production. In 1948 Carter designed and built the tooling, and stamped the metal for another farm toy producer called Eska located in Dubuque, Iowa. In 1950-51, Carter bought out Eska and eventually moved the manufacturing to Rockford Illinois. Between 1951 and 1956, Carter and Eska were synonymous in the type of toys made, until 1956 when Carter began the Tru-Scale line of toys. In 1958, Carter purchased the former Landstrom Furniture factory, located at 1916 11th St, in Rockford Illinois. That brought all facilities under one roof of 190,000 square feet. 

Eska stayed in business, manufacturing pedal tractors with trailers, chainsaws, snowblowers, and lawn mowers. Eska fully exited the toy business in 1961 when Ertl bought the licensing for John Deere, International Harvester, Oliver, Allis Chalmers, and Case. Eska went out of business in 1986, after involvement in outboard engine manufacturing. 

Carter Tru Scale was bought by Ertl in 1971, and the name disappeared shortly thereafter. The Rockford headquarters building was demolished in 2014.

T-401 Tractor

S-403 Spreader

W-402 Wagon

F-413 Flat Bed

P-404 Plow

D-405 Disc Harrow

L-407 Loader

C-406- Combine

B-408 Baler

T-302 Trailer