Maker record
Fun-Ho!
Fun Ho! was a New Zealand toy brand produced by Underwood Engineering. Its ranges included lead figures and animals, cast-aluminium vehicles and play equipment, and small zinc-alloy die-cast models. The larger aluminium toys included cars, trucks, trailers, tractors, motorcycles and aeroplanes; the later Midget range included cars, trucks and service vehicles. Lead toys were made from the 1930s, aluminium toys followed in 1941, and zinc die-cast models appeared in the 1960s. The miniature range ceased production in 1982.
- Founded
- 1935
- Final year
- 1982
- Countries
- New Zealand
- Locations
- Wellington, New Zealand · New Plymouth, New Zealand · 1945 · Inglewood, New Zealand · 1947
- Founders
- Jack Underwood · Ike Doak
The story of Fun-Ho!
H. J. Underwood began making lead toys in Wellington in the mid-1930s. Early products included figures, animals, trees and model vehicles. The Fun Ho! trademark came into use around 1939–40. In 1940 Underwood opened a foundry to make components for wartime use, and cast-aluminium toys followed in 1941. The factory moved to New Plymouth in 1945 and to Inglewood in 1947. New rules on lead use ended lead-toy production, while the company continued making larger aluminium toys into the 1970s. The range included cars, trucks, trailers, tractors, motorcycles and aeroplanes. In the 1960s, the company introduced small zinc die-cast models, initially promoted with Mobil Oil as Fun Ho! Mobil Midgets. The first nine models used dies from Australia’s Streamlux; later dies were made in Underwood’s toolroom. Production of the miniature range ceased in 1982 amid economic difficulty and competition from imported toys. The factory closed in 1987. Former employee and collector Barry Young opened the Fun Ho! National Toy Museum in Inglewood in 1990. Later reproductions were made for collectors on original factory equipment using original moulds and plates.