ADO speelgoedtrein

ADO toy train

Wooden toy from around 1950, made in the sheltered workshop of Dutch toy manufacturer ADO. The acronym ADO originally stood for ‘Labour By the Impaired’ (‘Arbeid Door Onvolwaardigen’ in Dutch), but this derogatory description was later replaced by the Dutch words meaning ‘Unique, Purposeful and Indestructible’. These sturdy but expensive toys were sold mainly in large department stores such as Metz & Co and De Bijenkorf.