The decades that bracketed the turn of the twentieth century were the golden era of the genius-tinkerer. Heinrich Müller, founder and guiding personality behind Schuco, was very much a child of this age.

In November of 1912, well grounded in the basics of toy manufacture and confident in his own abilities, Müller and a partner founded the company that would grow to become Schuco.

By the late '20s Schuco toys were recognized throughout the industry as both well designed and well built. One writer has described Schuco toys as always assuring an "Aha!" effect. When the first cars were introduced in the mid '30s they were both technically revolutionary as well as artfully detailed. By 1939 Schuco had revolutionized the toy industry.

In 1949 Schuco returned to toy manufacture full time. In many ways the 1950's were the golden age for Müller and Schuco. He expanded facilities, reintroduced pre-war favorites and re-dedicated the company to marketing a new model each year. Now in his 60's, Müller was at the peak of his powers.

In 1951 the first Schuco Micro-Racer was introduced, and from the first model the line was an unqualified success! The die-cast replicas were well built, beautifully designed and detailed and, most of all, exceptionally fast.

When Heinrich Müller died in June of 1958 he was the much honored pater familias of the international toy industry, and holder of more than a thousand patents. But by March of 1977, his absence was felt, and his company was no more.

A small group of Schuco enthusiasts rallied around the embers of Müller's empire, determined to keep the flame alive.

In 1980 the Georg Adam Mangold (GAMA) Co. of Fürth (near Nuremburg) - a former competitor of Schuco - stepped forward to buy scattered assets and the Schuco name (and some of the Schuco tooling). GAMA shortly began to fabricate tinplate cars under the Schuco trademark.

Meanwhile, Werner Nutz, a former Schuco tool and die maker, obtained as part of his severance from the failed company the original tooling and some parts to build the Micro-Racer series as well as Schuco's Micro-Jets.

It was in 1988 that a group of American entrepreneurs - a group that not only remembered Schuco, but who were dedicated to the spirit of the age of Schuco - founded a company that would become Lilliput. In that same year, tool maker Werner Nutz died, his dream of restoring Schuco to its previous lofty heights unfulfilled. The Lilliput group purchased from Nutz' widow his remaining stock of Micro-Racers, a warehouse of replica parts, and the rights - and tooling - to begin once again the manufacture of the Schuco Micro-Racer line. As part of their dedication to this idea, Lilliput Motor Company became America's first exclusive Schuco dealer.

In the years they have been in business, The Lilliput Motor Company name has become to Schuco enthusiasts an assurance of quality and satisfaction. Using much of the original tooling - many designed by the hand of Heinrich Müller - and planning to innovate along the lines of the Master, Lilliput Motor Company is now building an extensive line of Schuco MicroRacers and other products in it's factory in Kony, Hungary.

The wonderful, enthusiastic family of Mssr. Istvan Skultety and his sons, are very much our partners in building Micro-Racers in the original Schuco tradition of excellence.

Our mission is quite simply to maintain the high standards for which Schuco is famous. At Lilliput Motor Company we dedicate ourselves to continue the spirit of Heinrich Müller and to earn the continued support and patronage of Schuco enthusiasts worldwide.

Our fervent hope is that this website, like our catalogue, will kindle (or re-kindle) your passion for the toys built under the Schuco name - and inspire (or re-inspire) your interest in owning examples of these truly unique collectibles.

We like to think that Heinrich Müller is looking down from up there somewhere - and he's smiling.