DUX was the toy label name for the German firm, Markes & Co. The company was founded in 1904 by Karl Markes in Lüdenscheid. From the 1930s, DUX production evolved into tin model car kits. Production changed over to plastic in the 1960s and toy production ceased altogether in 1981. At the 1950 Nuremberg Toy Fair, Markes & Co. of Lüdenscheid introduced the first split window VW miniature as a construction kit.
This construction kit consisted of a one piece tin plate body with cut out windows except for the rear split window that was solid and painted silver. Front hood metal trim, bumpers and headlights. Metal chassis with a clockwork motor, forward and reverse lever and front wheel steering. Chassis was stamped “DUX” and bolted to the body with screws. Different chassis versions are known and the chassis with the 4 screws is the first release. The second chassis only had 3 screws.
On the first chassis version, there are also different versions of the bumper and bumpermountings known! The first chassis version initially featured 2 holes for the bumpermountings featuring a rod; the bumpers were attached to the rod. The bumpers were castings; a shorter and a wider versions are seen. The second bumper variation showing 6 holes and the bumper directly fits to the four new holes, leaving empty the original holes. These bumpers were made of tinplate. The later version models have only the four holes, eliminating the original casting.
This VW sold in a kit by itself or was included in a larger kit with several other types of construction vehicles. The VW kit numbers were 60, 60a, 61 and 62.
