Bing was a manufacturing company founded in Nuremberg, Germany. Originally producing kitchen utensils, Bing went on to be one of the world’s largest toy producers.

The company was formed by two brothers, Ignaz and Adolf Bing in 1863. They branched out and started manufacturing toys in 1880. Bing produced numerous toy lines including trains, boats, ships, cars, trams, magic lantern equipment and slides, optical equipment, electric and steam motors and components, hot air engines, and induction coils. The company also made experimental electrical equipment such as Gessler and Rontgen tubes, dynamos, powered fountains, science kits, office equipment and early telephone products.

Bing distributed toys across Europe and America. In the U.K the company developed a business partnership with toy and hobby distributor Bassett Lowke to manufacture toy trains that more closely reflected British railway prototypes and practice.

By 1914 business was thriving with Bing employing 5000 people and exporting to customers all over the world. With the outbreak of the First World War production shifted to helmets, canteens, military cookware and knapsacks. The war also restricted access to Bing’s export markets, which combined with the economic turmoil in Germany after the war contributed to a significant downturn in the success of the company.

In the 1920s Bing re-entered the American market and produced the world’s first ‘00’ gauge trains in partnership with Bassett Lowke . However these ventures didn’t improve the company’s fortunes, and by 1927 Bing was in significant financial trouble.

In 1932, Bing was in liquidation, and the Bings, who were Jewish, fled to England because of the rise of Adolf Hitler. The company went out of business for good in 1933. Much of its tooling was acquired by rival toy companies who continued to manufacture the original Bing products for years afterwards.