| INTRO | PARTS |
SETS Moubal Jumbo |
MANUALS Moubal Jumbo |
MARKETING |
PRICE LISTS |
BUILDING |
MOUBAL RELATED |
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VAN MOUWERIK & BAL
Jump directly to: History of the Moubal Factory Other Moubal toys: - ELBA - MOBA Puzzle - De Groote Manoeuvres Moubal metal products 1926 Mobaco film by by Otto van Neijenhoff Moubal corporate history Moubal background information HISTORY OF THE MOUBAL FACTORY  On December 1st, 1915, Mr. Pier van Mouwerik and Mr. Cornelis Willem Bal established the trading company "van Mouwerik en Bal." In November 1918, they received a building permit to construct a sheet metal and extrusion factory in Zeist, at Dalweg Section H, parcel 1120. |
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 Image courtesy Alex Geelhoed |
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This facade drawing is from the building permit application. The address is De la Reylaan 16 in Zeist. Note the misspelling of Mouwerik above the front door. Supervising the execution is W.J. Boot. We're not sure when they moved into the new factory, but two identical ads in "Nederlandsch fabrikaat - orgaan der Vereeniging Nederlandsch Fabrikaat" on February 5th and on February 20th 1919 indicate that they were still in Utrecht, so they likely moved to Zeist after February 1919:  Image courtesy of delpher.nl Photograph of the factory at De la Reylaan 16 in Zeist. Between the headlights is Mr. Bal, and next to him, patting the dog is Mr. van Mouwerik. To his right is possibly Mrs. Bal, and on the left is possibly Mrs. Diet van Mouwerik-Venlet:  Photograph courtesy of René van Gruting Left is Mr. Bal and right is Mr. van Mouwerik. They are here at the annual Jaarbeurs trade fair in Utrecht. Date is unknown, but 1918 at the earliest (based on design of the signage) and 1924 at the latest (as Mr. van Mouwerik passed away in January 1925). In the middle is probably someone from Van Viersen & Co. Lasch- en Isolatiemateriaal in Enschede, at whose stand this picture was taken. We know that Van Viersen had a stand at the Jaarbeurs in 1918, so this picture may be from 1918:  Photograph courtesy of René van Gruting On 20 December 1920, the company was re-incorporated as N.V. Plaatmetaalindustrie van Mouwerik & Bal. In January 1921, they received a permit to install 5 electric motors. This south-facing aerial from appr. 1922 shows the inital factory in its environment. To the left are the rail lines and the Zeist train station, to the south is a vacant parcel with a balloon where a gas tank will later be built:  Photograph from Het Utrechts Archief, no. X48137-94772, courtesy of Leen Kalden This detail shows the first phase of construction, with the brick office building along the south side, next to it 5 bays with shed roofs and clerestory windows, and a bay along the sheds on the right side. Across the entrance court is a long, narrow building. In white letters on the north-most clerestory window, facing the camera, are the letters "Van Mouwerik & Bal - Plaatmetaalindustrie". A small crowd has gathered at the fence to watch the balloon going up:  Courtesy of Collectie Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie, Beeldbank no. 2011-2002 - detail Also: Het Utrechts Archief, no. X48137-94772 - detail, courtesy of Leen Kalden In September 1923, they received a permit to expand the factory on the adjacent parcel no. 1640. In this undated aerial, we see the first expansion, to the left:  Aerial courtesy of Collectie Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie, Beeldbank no. 2011-5311 - detail (same as no. 011-2935 and no. 2155_047842) In March 1924, they got a permit to expand the factory on adjacent parcel no. 1676 on the Bothadwarslaan with a painting and enameling shop and a loading area, and to make certain modifications to the existing factory. In January 1925, Mr. Pier van Mouwerik passed away at the age of 45. This is only a few months after the launch of Mobaco in the fall of 1924. Mr. Bal now runs the factory by himself. Portrait of Pier van Mouwerik, and two death notices in the Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant of 29 January 1925:   Photograph courtesy of René van Gruting. Newspaper clipping from Delpher.nl In 1925, the municipality bought a portion of Moubal's land to install a rail spur to a gas tank. In exchange, Moubal gained access to the spur. In 1927, they further expanded the factory on Parcel no. 1756 on the Bothadwarslaan. The photo's below, taken in the 1990's, show that the building along the rail line with the peaked roof was built in 1928. The rail line ran to the right of the building, where the curved fence stands. The building was demolished after 2005:   Photo's courtesy of Nick Cranendonk This picture from 1932 shows the original building (located to the right of the jog, with 5 bays+ 1 bay to its left), with expansions to the right (2 bays) and to the left (6 bays). The large tower in the background is the steeple of the Nieuwe Kerk- Hervormde Gemeente Bethel (Dutch Reformed Church), still standing.  Photo courtesy of Leen Kalden In 1934, they added a staining and soldering installation. This picture from 1934 shows the original building (left side, 5 bays) and the 2-bay expansion to its right. The right-most bay was later substantially altered, as can be seen in the 1965 aerial below.  This detail from an aerial taken some time before 1940 shows the factory before the expansion described next:  Image from Wageningen University & Research Image Collection, item no. 2011-0669 (detail) In May 1940, Moubal was awarded a permit to expand the factory with a spray paint facility ("spuitinrichting") and a packaging department ("verpakkingsafdeeling"). There is a wing behind the original building that has a mosaic above a double door with the number 1942 which indicates that this wing was indeed built:  Photograph courtesy of Nick Cranendonk This is confirmed by an areal reconnaissance photo taken by the British Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1945, which shows the above-mentioned wing (saw-tooth roof at the top of the photo):  Image from Wageningen University & Research Image Collection RAF aerial no 3122, taken on 19 April 1945 Production of Mobaco stopped during the war, probably after 1942. From advertisements we can infer that (limited) production resumed in 1948. When Jumbo took over marketing, Moubal continued making the parts. Mobaco appeared for the last time in the 1961-62 Jumbo catalog, but from date stamps found in Jumbo boxes it appears that the last boxes were filled in April 1959, which may indicate that Moubal made the last series of Mobaco parts in the fall of 1958. In 1963, Cornelis G. Bal, son of founder Cornelis W. Bal, took over management of the company. In 1964 his father retired (see newspaper clippings further below). This undated aerial shows the factory before the large 1964 expansion. To make room for the 1964 expansion, the U-shaped building at the top was demolished. Note that the base of the "U" already appears on the 1945 aerial above.  This undated photo is from around the same time is taken from the entrance at De La Reylaan. The oldest building is on the right, the 1942 expansion on the left. Beyond that appear the skylights of a warehouse building across the train tracks which is partly visible at the top of the photo above. Based on the cars and the number plate of the Volkswagen, the photo was taken after 1955 and before the construction of the new building in 1964. Click here to enlarge: _600dpi.jpg) Photo courtesy of Mrs. Bal-van Barneveld In 1964, a large new building is built behind (north of) the original building and its pre-war expansions. It houses a stampingg facility along the railroad, and beyond that a sheet metal shop and a plastics joint venture named NV Arcon that makes both thermoplastic and thermohardening plastic items:  Newspaper clipping Nieuw Zeister Courant dd. 17 April 1964, courtesy of Anneke Oldenburg The October 1965 aerial photograph below, made to commemorate Moubal's 50 year anniversary, shows the factory near its peak, with the new building at the top-right. The original building is at the bottom of the photograph, facing the large gas tank, with the 5 shed roofs behind it. The long narrow building directly adjacent to the gas tank was also part of the factory. The rail line carried passengers to Zeist until 1941, and freight until 1972, and has since been demolished and replaced with buildings:  Aerial courtesy of AVIODROME, Lelystad, photographed on 18 October 1965 In December 1972, Cornelis Bal, co-founder of the company passes away at the age of 89. Sometime before 1981, the 1964 building is expanded with two bays to the left. In 1981 the company closes. The aerial below from 23 May 1996, 15 years after the company closes, shows an expansion of the 1964 building with two bays to the left. The shed roofs of the expansion completed in 1942 have been demolished and replaced with a flat roof with blue metal cladding around it. The original walls were left standing. A small building along the railroad has been demolished, as well as the rail lines and the gas tank. The long, narrow building located on the foreground has just been torn down and its replacement is under construction (blue portal frames). But all-in-all, the factory is still mostly like Moubal left it:  Photograph from Het Utrechts Archief, no 828300 (cropped). Vervaardiger: Fotodienst_GAU This photo from the 1990's, taken from the North-East, shows the shed roofs of the original building, as well as a post-war expansion to the right. The white wood building on the left is also post-war:  Photograph courtesy of Nick Cranendonk Below left, the buildings in 2005. North is up. Not much has changed since the 1996 aerial above. In the aerial on the right from 2020, we see that the oldest buildings have been demolished and replaced, recognizable by their light-gray roofs, but the rest still stands. The long narrow building built in 1996 has been shortened a bit: 2005: 2020: 
 Source: Google Earth When the company closed, all assets were sold at auction, including 1.5 hectares of land (3.7 acres), 3300 m2 older buildings and 3400 m2 1960's buildings. The latter figure confirms that the 2-bay expansion of the 1964 building was done by Moubal. Below left, the impressive list of Moubal equipment that was auctioned off on 8 September 1981, as shown in De Telegraaf of 28 August 1981. It included 31 stamping machines, from 12 ton to 180 ton. Six months earlier, on 24 March 1981, the assets of the plastics joint venture Kunstoffenindustrie Arcon B.V. were also auctioned off, as shown below right in De Telegraaf of 16 March 1981:
Special thanks to Alex Geelhoed and Henri de Graaf for some of the historical information. A summary of their research is at the bottom of the page. |
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OTHER MOUBAL TOYS In addition to Mobaco, Moubal made a
construction toy ELBA, the MOBA Puzzle and De Groote
Manoeuvres board game. This section tells more about
them.
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| ELBA Jump directly to: - ELBA parts - ELBA Set A - ELBA Set A manuals - ELBA Set A manual version 1a (without patent no. & Plaatmetaalindustrie, spring? 1940) - ELBA Set A manual version 1b (without patent no., summer 1940) - ELBA Set A manual version 2a (with patent no. and new parts, fall/Sinterklaas 1940) - ELBA Set A manual version 2b (with K-number, fall/Sinterklaas 1941) - ELBA Set B - ELBA Set B manuals - ELBA Set B manual version 1 (with 4-story instruction model, fall 1940) - ELBA Set B manual version 2a (with 3-story instruction model, fall/Sinterklaas 1940) - ELBA Set B manual version 2b (on poor quality paper, fall/Sinterklaas 1941) - ELBA Nieuws, marketing leaflet (1941) ELBA was another construction system produced and marketed by van Mouwerik & Bal, producers of Mobaco. This budget system dispensed with the (expensive) wooden columns and thick ground plates. There were only 13 different parts, all cardboard. It allowed for more "modern" looking buildings. The system was an invention of Harmen Elsinga from Haarlem, a handicrafts and Dutch language teacher at the teacher's college in Haarlem and a fervent amateur photographer. He wrote several schoolbooks about woodworking and Dutch spelling, as well as a book on 3D photography. He published several articles in Focus, a renowned Dutch photography magazine. According to his daughter-in-law, he loved making things for his children and grandchildren, including 3D puzzles. The Patent for ELBA was filed by Harmen Elsinga on 27 January 1939 (application number 91694) and was granted on 16 September 1940 (Patent no. 49313), almost 21 months later! The patent number is mentioned on some of the the manual covers. It was transferred by Mr. Elsinga to Moubal on 5 November 1940. The patent lapsed on 1 March 1952. The name ELBA is a combination of EL (for Elsinga) and BA (for Bal). This was confirmed by Elsinga's daughter-in-law. There are two ELBA sets, Set A and Set B. There are several versions of each. The first Set A was introduced before the Patent was granted, probably in the spring of 1940. As explain below, I believe Set B was introduced in late 1940. ELBA was still available in November 1941 as shown in the ad below. Here an example of a building made with Set B. As can be seen, items don't fit very neatly. In concept it should work, but in practice, the slight angles of the notches result in irregular stacking. This, and the untimely introduction of these sets around the beginning of the war resulted in limited success. Used sets are rare today.   Model and photographs courtesy of Barend Westerveld |
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The very first
mention of ELBA is this ad in a book that commemorates
25 years of Dutch Manufacturing, which was published on
July 1st 1940:  Scans courtesy of Delpher The ad mentions that this construction set is "the very newest Dutch toy" and costs fl. 1.65. The wording clearly suggests that there is only one set, which would be Set A. So this "very newest Dutch toy" must have come out before July 1st, 1940 and Set B must have come out later. Other indications confirm this, see more detail below. At fl. 1.65, Set A's price was between Mobaco Set 000 and Set 00, which in May 1940 cost fl. 1.25 and fl. 1.95 respectively. This advertisement from a year later, on 20 June 1941 in Twentsch Dagblad Tubantia, is the first newspaper advertisement found so far that mentions ELBA:  Scan courtesy of Leen Kalden And this is the only other advertisement with ELBA, confirming that it was for sale for Sinterklaas 1941. It also mentions Mobaco. From Sneeker Nieuwsblad on 18 November 1941 and 21 November 1941:  Scan courtesy of delpher.nl, via Barend Westerveld |
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ELBA PARTS 
There are just 13 parts, stamped from hardened cardboard, similar to the production of Mobaco parts. The colors are similar to Mobaco. Unlike Mobaco which is based on imperial measurements (inches), ELBA is based on metric dimensions. Parts are not numbered. In ELBA Set A Version 2 and in ELBA Set B, the fence, parapet and plinth are different from Set A Version 1. See table below. For easy reference I gave each part a number, these numbers are arbitrary. In later sets (1941?), red or green parts are sometimes painted, probably due to war shortages.
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ELBA SET A
There are two known versions of ELBA Set A. Both have the same image on the lid, but with different text. Neither specifically mentions that it is Set A, although the larger A in ELBA may suggest that, but the included instruction manuals do. Version 1 mentions the full name of the company ("N.V. Plaatmetaalindustrie van Mouwerik & Bal - Zeist"), that a Patent has been applied for ("Nederl. Octrooi Aangevr.") and Netherlands Manufacture ("Nederl. Fabrikaat"). Version 2 simply mentions "Van Mouwerik & Bal N.V. - Zeist", without Plaatmetaalindustrie. Version 1 has 59 parts while Version 2 has 60 parts. Both have 11 types of parts. In Version 1, parts E08, E10 and E12 are all green, while in Version 2 the corresponding parts are different: E09 has more slots, E11 is red and with more slots, and E13 is red. The image on the lid was not adjusted to reflect the changed parts. ELBA Set A Version 1 is on the left, Version 2 on the right. The boxes are 176 mm wide x 293 mm high x 22 mm thick. The boxes have similar steel reinforcements in the corners as Mobaco sets, so they were probably also made by the Zuidhollandsche Cartonnagefabriek in Delft (ZHC). For dating, see analysis of the corresponding manuals A version 1 (spring 1940) and A version 2 (fall/Sinterklaas 1940).  Here the bottom of the same sets:  Photographs courtesy of Barend Westerveld Version 2 was more fun with its brighter blue box paper, interesting bottom paper and red parts! Here scans of Set A versions 1 and 2. Click to view a 300dpi scan of Version 1 and of Version 2: 
 Originals courtesy of Barend Westerveld Here the contents of Set A version 2. There is a smaller box inside the box that helps organize the parts and keeps things in place:  Image from the Deventer Speelgoedmuseum ELBA SET A MANUALS
There are two main versions of this manual, with subtle differences. They correspond with the two versions of the box. On the cover of Version 1, it states Patent Applied For ("Ned. Octr. Aangevr."), while on Version 2, it states Netherlands Patent No. 49313 ("Ned. Octr. No. 49313"). So Version 1 probably came out before the patent was issued on 14 September 1940, but after the patent was filed for on 27 January 1939. There are two variations of Version 1 of the manual. The oldest has "N.V. Plaatmetaalindustrie van Mouwerik & Bal" on the cover (Version 1a), and the later variation has "Van Mouwerik & Bal N.V." (Version 1b). The latter name is used in all future ELBA manuals. In the above-mentioned ad in "25 years of Dutch Manufacturing", the company name is the later variation and corresponds with Version 1b of the manual. I suspect that Version 1b must be from around the same time as the ad, so July 1940, just after the start of the war. That puts Version 1a of the manual somewhere between January 1939 and July 1940. However, since the ad speaks of "the very newest Dutch toy", it can't be much earlier, so let's say Spring 1940 for version 1a of the manual, and thus for Set A version 1 as well. Hopefully we will one day find other indications that confirm this. Version 2 of the booklet has a patent number on the cover and mentions Set B. In version 1 of the manual, there is no mention anywhere of a Set B and the rear cover is blank, while in version 2 there is a large building on the rear cover with the caption: "Elba Set B opens the possibility for the construction of larger buildings". In Version 2 of the Set A manual, two parts on page 2 have been redrawn ("hekje" and "daklijst"), and correspond with the parts drawn in the Manuals for Set B. Version 2 of Manual A must have come out after the patent was issued in September 1940. There are two variations of Version 2, one without a K-number (Version 2a) and one with a K-number (Version 2b). Since Version 2a does not have a K-number, it must have been printed before mid-July 1941 when K-numbers became mandatory. I suspect that Set A version 2 and the corresponding Manual A Version 2a came out for Sinterklaas 1940. And that Manual A Version 2b with the K-number came out for Sinterklaas 1941. Interestingly, in all variations of Manual A, the captions are in old Dutch spelling (with two o's in "Doozen"), while the instructions on page 3 use modern spelling ("Dozen"). I have no explanation for this, especially considering the manual was reset at least once. The Set B manuals are entirely with new spelling. ELBA Set A Manual - version 1a (spring? 1940)  213 x 141 mm 12 pages (incl. covers) B&W covers & interior 19 illustrations See pages DOWNLOAD 200dpi PDF (7 MB)  Original courtesy of Barend Westerveld ELBA Set A Manual - version 1b (summer 1940)  214 x 143 mm 12 pages (incl. covers) B&W covers & interior 19 illustrations See pages DOWNLOAD 150dpi PDF (3 MB)  Scans courtesy of Henri de Graaf ELBA Set A Manual - version 2a (fall/Sinterklaas 1940) Version 2 of the Set A manual exists with and without a K-number printed on the last page. The version with the K-number must have been printed after mid-July 1941 when the law requiring K-numbers went into effect. So version 2b is probably from fall/Sinterklaas 1941, and this version 2a is from fall/Sinterklaas 1940.  216 x 138 mm 12 pages (incl. covers) B&W covers & interior 20 illustrations See pages DOWNLOAD 150dpi PDF (4 MB) |
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 Scans courtesy of Leen Kalden |
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ELBA Set A Manual - version 2b (fall/Sinterklaas 1941) The principal difference with Version 2a is that this Version 2b has K 2607 printed on the back cover, which is the K-code for Drukkerij van Lonkhuyzen in Zeist:  However, if you look closely, you can see the entire booklet has been re-set using a different font, resulting in different line breaks here and there. This version must have come out after mid-July 1941 when the law requiring K-numbers went into effect, and is most likely for the fall/Sinterklaas season of 1941.  217 x 143 mm 12 pages (incl. covers) B&W covers & interior 20 illustrations See pages DOWNLOAD 200dpi PDF (8 MB) |
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Original courtesy of Ida Gerrits |
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ELBA SET B
ELBA Set B contains 13 types of parts (versus 11 in Set A), and has 100 parts total (versus 59 or 60 in Set A). The box is appr. 386 mm wide by 237 mm tall (larger than A4). The box has the same type of metal corner reinforcements as Mobaco sets. Set B has a more polished appearance than Set A. The ELBA logo is nicer, the illustration on the lid is more inviting, the manual is laid out better with more consistent lettering, and the narrative is more elaborate. It appears the Set B was prepared later than Set A and the box-illustration was done by someone else. DATING Several of the parts are different from Set A version 1, and the same as Set A version 2. Also, the manual in Set A version 2a mentions Set B, so most likely Set B was issued at the same time as Set A version 2, probably for Sinterklaas 1940. There are two known versions of the lid, the only difference being the typeface used to write the company name: one version has bold lettering, while the other has thinner and larger letters. Lid of ELBA Set B, Version 1 (click to enlarge):  Original courtesy of Barend Westerveld The ELBA Set B, Version 2 has a lighter but larger typeface than Version 1 above. Also, the border around the image is a bit wider.  Scan courtesy of Leen Kalden The bottom of ELBA Set B is covered with gold-colored embossed paper (the scan makes it look greenish):  Scan courtesy of Henri de Graaf Contents of Set B:  Photograph courtesy of Henri de Graaf ELBA SET B MANUALS
There are two versions of this manual. In one version, the instruction model shown in Figures 1 through 7 is a 4-story building with a cantilever balcony, while in the other version of the manual it's a 3-story building without a cantilever balcony (Figures 1 through 6). Which version of the manual came first? That becomes obvious when you count the parts needed to build the instruction model. The 4-story version requires more parts than there are in Set B. For instance, it requires 3 doors while there are only 2 in the set. And also other parts are lacking. I surmise that Harmen Elsinga originally envisioned a larger Set B, prepared the manual for that, then shortly before introduction of the set, the number of parts was reduced, perhaps for economic reasons. The reduced number of parts was correctly reflected in the parts list on the back page of the manual, but they are insufficient to build the instruction model. Perhaps pressed for time they decided to publish the "wrong" version of the manual (Version 1), soon followed by a corrected version (Version 2). In addition to having a different instruction model, Version 2 has been reset with a slightly smaller typeface and some of the other text is different as well. Both versions use modern Dutch spelling. Both versions mention "Nederlands Octrooi" (= Dutch patent) on the cover, so must have been printed after the patent was issued in September 1940. They were both printed by Drukkerij van Lonkhuyzen in Zeist, as shown on the back page:  Instead of printing a K-number, as imposed by the occupier in mid-July 1941, printers were also allowed to put their name on the print work. So it is possible that the printer's name on the back page is to fulfill that obligation. If so, all versions of the Set B manual would be from after mid-July 1941, and both Set B and Set A version 2 would have been issued after July 1941 as well. However, since the manual for Set A version 2 mentions Set B, and this manual exists both without and with a K-number, it's likely that Set A version 2a (without the K-number) first came out before July 1941 and thus Set B as well. So Set B likely first came out for Sinterklaas 1940. There are two variations of Version 2 of the B manual: one printed on nice paper (version 2a), and one printed on poor quality paper, probably as a result of the war (version 2b). In version 2b the lettering has been re-set and there are minor differences in the line breaks. Here the covers of ELBA Manual B versions 1 and 2a and the corresponding pages with illustrations 6, 7 and 8: - left version 1, without the patent number on the cover and with the 4-story instruction model (fig. 7) - right version 2a, with the patent number on the cover and with the 3-story instruction model (fig. 6) |
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 ELBA Set B Manual - version 1 (4-story instruction model) - fall 1940 With 4-story instruction model (figures 1 through 7) and "Dutch patent" on the cover, but without the patent number. 281 x 190 mm 12 pages (incl. covers) B&W covers & interior 27 illustrations Contents of Sets A and B Printed by: van Lonkhuyzen, Zeist See pages DOWNLOAD 200dpi PDF (13 MB)  Original courtesy Ida Gerrits ELBA Set B Manual - version 2a (3-story instruction model) - fall/Sinterklaas 1940 With correct 3-story instruction model (figures 1 through 6) and now with patent number on the cover. There are several small textual changes compared to version 1. 283 x 192 mm 12 pages (incl. covers) B&W covers & interior 27 illustrations Contents of Sets A and B Printed by: van Lonkhuyzen, Zeist See pages DOWNLOAD 150dpi PDF (7 MB)  Scans courtesy of Leen Kalden ELBA Set B Manual - version 2b (low-quality paper) - fall/Sinterklaas 1941 With 3-story instruction model (figures 1 through 6) and with patent number on the cover. The patent number is a bit to the left of version 2a. The text has been re-set with a slightly different font, especially the numbers look different. This version, printed on poor-quality paper, was likely printed in the war and probably came out in the fall of 1941 for Sinterklaas.  282 x 191 mm 12 pages (incl. covers) B&W covers & interior 27 illustrations Contents of Sets A and B Printed by: van Lonkhuyzen, Zeist See pages DOWNLOAD 200dpi PDF (13 MB)  Original courtesy of Barend Westerveld |
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ELBA NIEUWS marketing leaflet, september/october 1941 This leaflet was found in the depot of the toy museum in Oosterhout. Written and photographed by Harmen Elsinga himself, according to his daughter-in-law, it explains the system en extols its educational virtues. Not surprising for a school teacher! It's a fold-out sheet, sized 250 x 323 mm (x2), which is larger than A3. It's printed on very poor quality paper, probably as a result of the war. It shows that ELBA was available in the fall of 1941. Presumably, these leaflets were distributed to toy stores as marketing material. Click here for a 200dpi PDF: |
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    Original courtesy of Speelgoedmuseum "Op Stelten", Oosterhout |
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MOBA PUZZLE (1933) Jump directly to: - MOBA Puzzle Set No. B - MOBA Puzzle manual Van Mouwerik & Bal also put out a Tangram-like puzzle. It was introduced in 1933, as described in the clipping below. The patent was filed by Van Mouwerik & Bal in The Netherlands on 1 May 1934 (Application 69310) and published on 16 December 1935 as Patent 38135. The Patent Register mentions a priority date of 4 May 1933, accepted in the United Kingdom, so apparently the patent was first filed in the UK. The patent lapsed on 15 January 1937. This image is from the patent application:  This newspaper article in the Zeister Courant of 16 December 1933 describes the newly introduced MOBA PUZZLE in great detail. It is available at G. v.d. Bosch, Slotlaan, Zeist, who also sell Mobaco sets: 
On the very same day as the above article, 16 December 1933, the ad below appeared in De Groene Amsterdammer. The price of the puzzle was fl. 0.95, the same as a Mobaco Set 000 in 1933. This is the only MOBA PUZZLE advertisement ever found. The puzzle also featured prominently on Moubal's letterhead which was printed in November 1934, as indicated by the printer code at the bottom left of the page (which also shows that 10,000 copies were printed). It mentions "Octrooi Aangevraagd" which means the patent application has been filed. The patent was issued in December 1935. Considering how few examples have surfaced over the years, the Moba Puzzle probably was not a hot seller. Moubal let the patent lapse in January 1937, which may indicate that they had ended production by then. Ad from 16 December 1933: Letterhead from November 1934: 
 MOBA PUZZLE SET NO. B
This box is labeled No. B, suggesting there must have been a smaller set No. A |
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MOBA PUZZLE MANUAL 
160 x 100 mm20 pages (incl. covers) B&W covers & interior See pages DOWNLOAD PDF |
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 Scans courtesy Leen Kalden |
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DE GROOTE MANOEUVRES In 2022, Barend Westerveld and Leen Kalden found an advertisement for a family board game entitled De Groote Manoeuvres ("The Big Maneuvers") in a book commemorating 25 years of Dutch Manufacturing ("Nederlandsch Fabrikaat"), published on July 1st or July 2nd 1940, shortly after the war started. According to the ad, the game is "exciting - fun - educational" and "a Dutch game per excellence". It costs fl. 1.80 and is manufactured by Moubal in Zeist.  Scans courtesy of Delpher Despite a lot of searching we couldn't find anything about this. Until in 2024, after seeing the Mobaco exhibition in Zeist, Evert van Tellingen showed us a cardboard counter display of this game. So it exists! The illustration shows a board game for two players with planes, tanks and battleships. We have no idea what the rules were, nor who invented it. Here the name is just "Groote Manoeuvres", without "De".  Original courtesy of Evert van Tellingen This detail of the board appears to show tanks and airplanes, and perhaps also some ships. The board has lakes or forests on both sides, narrowing the battlefield in the middle.  Original courtesy of Evert van Tellingen At the bottom of the display is stated that "Sole representation is by "N.V. voorheen C. Motz", at the Oudezijds Achterburgwal 120 in Amsterdam." This store was specialized in household and luxury goods and had a toy section. Apparently they also sold BING trains, It was established around 1928 and re-incorporated in January 1936 as "N.V. Agentuur en Commissiehandel voorheen C. Motz". The company is last seen in the telephone directory of 1950, although on Mr. Motz's death notice, dated December 13th 1957, is written "Unexpectedly passed away today is our esteemed director" which indicates the store may still have existed in 1957:  Image courtesy of Delpher So far we haven't found anything that links C. Motz to Moubal. The back of the cardboard counter display is blank and shows traces of a triangular support so it would stand upright. The board is 176 x 248 mm, a bit smaller than A4. Download a high-res PDF. Now we still need to find an example of the game itself! In the same publication Moubal had three other ads: for Mobaco, for ELBA and for metal cases for gas masks: |
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MOUBAL METAL PRODUCTS
Van Mouwerik & Bal was primarily a metal stamping and extruding company. Mobaco was developed as a side line. I have no idea which portion of Moubal's profits were attributable to Mobaco, but it appears they put considerable energy into their toy line which may indicate that it was quite lucrative. Here some metal Van Mouwerik & Bal products found on the internet. Also a catalog of metal products. Although Moubal made their own branded items, the majority of their work was fabricating custom parts for third parties. Jump directly to: - Patent for Apparatus for annealing and collodioning gas light mantles - Bicycle combination lock - "Z"-model triple combination keyless safety lock with discs-cover - The "Telephone" lock - ETON luggage carrier and stand - Bicycle foot rest - "De Reiklauw", an innovative tool - Cable lugs ("Kabelschoenen") - ETON bicycle reflector & tail light - Earmarks for cattle - VEEGEE cassa - Ash tray with suction cup - Rumba cooking plate - Soap dispenser - Door stop (H.P. Bumper) - TENO telefoon lessenaar - Foot-operated trash can (Het Moubal vuilnisbakje) - Chest latch - Chicken feed and drinking dispenser - Letter sorting rack - ETON controleur - Sample holder for "Proost Papier" paper samples - Gas mask filter ("Gasfilterbus") - Carrying case for gas mask ("Draagbus voor gasmasker") - Ammunition stripper clip - Machine gun belt - M1 Garand ammunition clip - Black-out light fixture ("Verduisteringslamp") - Approved bicycle light shade ("Goedgekeurde lichtafschermer") - VEDOKA clothing rack - Electric heater - Hole punch - 1938 Moubal UK Trade Catalog |
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PATENT - APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING AND COLLODIONING GAS LIGHT MANTLES This patent was filed 31 January 1917 and granted 18 December 1917, Pat. No. 1,250,726 (USA). Click here to download the US Patent and the UK Patent.  BICYCLE COMBINATION LOCK Moubal patented this bicycle lock in 1920. Click here for PDFs of the Patent applications in French and English.  "Z"-MODEL TRIPLE COMBINATION KEYLESS SAFETY LOCK WITH DISCS-COVER Similar in shape to the above patent, but with turn knobs. These images are stills from a 1930's movie:   THE "TELEPHONE" LOCK - CIRCULAR MODEL TRIPLE COMBINATION KEYLESS SAFETY LOCK
Moubal patented this lock in 1924. Here three versions. Right-most picture is a still from a 1930's movie:    Patent application 12508 for "Combinatieslot met ringvormige schoot en sperschijven met stuitrand en bijzondere uitvoering van de schoot" was submitted 8 February 1923, granted 16 November 1924, and lapsed 1 June 1935.  This advertisement in an unkown newspaper shows that Moubal created a separate company for these locks, the Telephone Lock Cy., Zeist. For several years it even had its own listing in the telephone directory with its own phone number:  Original courtesy of Evert van Tellingen ETON LUGGAGE CARRIER AND STAND - 1924
Another patented Moubal product was the "Combined Carrier-stand for Bicycles, Motor-cycles and the like Vehicles", sold in the UK under the ETON brand name through R. Melville Brown. The patent was applied for on 22 March 1924, and granted 7 August 1924. Click here for a copy of UK Patent no 219,901. It appears there were several versions, with and without stand. They are mentioned in the 1939 Maxwell Bicycle Catalog - see example below.
From the Maxwell 1939 bicycle catalog:  Image courtesy of transportfiets.net BICYCLE FOOT REST - 1927
Dutch Patent Number 16924, "Voetrust voor rijwielen" (= bicycle foot rest). Patent for this device was applied for on 2 October 1925 and granted 16 July 1927. It expired on 15 March 1935 and was not renewed. I did not find the original patent. The foot rest was mounted on the tube between the handle bars and the pedals. The split pen suggests that the round bracket was permanently mounted to the bicycle while the foot rest was only attached when necessary. The three holes on each side of the bracket suggest that perhaps there were wooden dowels attached to one or both sides of the foot rest for comfort. The foot rest allowed for the installation of a child's seat on the horizontal tube between the handle bars and the saddle.     Stamped in the bracket is NED. OCTR. No 16924 (the patent number). Strangely the word Telephone is also stamped on the bracket. The letters are aligned along a curve, similar to the stamping on the Telephone bicycle lock above. Images courtesy of Fer Cools. "DE REIKLAUW", AN INNOVATIVE TOOL - 1926 In this 1926 article, the "reiklauw" is described as an invention by M. J. Prins, employee at Moubal, for which a patent has been applied for. It's a device to temporarily attach a guide to a wall. From what I can make of it, perhaps it looks like this picture. But I could be wrong! Below the translation of this verbose article.
CABLE LUGS (KABELSCHOENEN) - 1926 This advertisement states: Cable lugs  Image found on Marktplaats ETON BICYCLE REFLECTOR & TAIL LIGHT - 1927
 Moubal patented a bicycle reflector, UK
Patent 372,070, issued 14 April 1927. It is described in
the patent application as: "A reflector for use as a reflex light on a bicycle etc. consists of a single three-sided pyramid (tetrahedron) having two of its apex angles equal and slightly greater than 90º, while the third angle is exactly 90º; the reflector being fixed in a holder in such position that its base plane is vertical and the edge opposite the apex angle of 90º is horizontal." They also patented a "Back-Light for Cycles and Similar Vehicles", UK Patent no. 269,091, issued 14 April 1927. It is described as: "A rear light for cycles etc. comprises a reflector clamped against a cup shaped to fit on the interior of a mudguard etc., the bottom of the cup being fitted with a screw bolt for securing purposes. A sheet of red glass covers the reflector and is situated behind a faceted lens." To the left an ad for the ETON tail light, from 25 December 1937 in De Kampioen, reminding people that tail lights become mandatory on 1 January 1938. The ad touts all the advantages of Moubal's tail light, and states that they manufactured the very first tail lights and have the greatest experience. EARMARK FOR CATTLE - 1927 Found in De vee- en vleeschhandel; weekblad voor veehandelaren, slagers, exporteurs, enz. of 24 May 1927, of 29 July 1927 and of 15 June 1928. Translation: "Ear marks for insurance companies are manufactured bij Moubal": .jpg) Scan courtesy of delpher.nl VEEGEE CASSA - 1931 This cash register for petty cash was being marketed to households. It included an automatic pencil, a lever to open the cash drawer, and a paper roll to note expenses. The left ad is from 30 November 1932 in De Zeister Courant. The same ad was found in De Zeister Courant on 3 December 1932 and on 21 December 1932. The right ad (with translation) is from 2 December 1932 in De Telegraaf:
The Veegee Cassa is first mentioned in De Zeister Courant on 12 September 1931, in an article about the 1931 Jaarbeurs trade fair:
ASH TRAY WITH SUCTION CUP - 1931
This article about the Moubal display at the Jaarbeurs fair in Utrecht has a brief description of a metal ash tray with a suction cup that can be attached to any window. Zeister Courant, 12 September 1931.
RUMBA COOKING PLATE - 1933 Found in De Zeister Courant of 18 March 1933. Part of a report about the various Zeist stands at the Jaarbeurs Spring Trade Fair in Utrecht. Translation: The Rumba cooking plate, made by the Moubal company, also seemed a handy tool to us. When in use, it saves much gas, minimizes overcooking food, and stays warm long after the flame has been shut off, so that food can stay warm a long time without danger of burning. This plate can even be used as a bed warmer. We'd say, this tool couldn't be more economical. There is no known image of this item, but from the description it appears to be a thick, round piece of metal, possibly with a (removable) holder. It's unclear what the finish is, but it should be able to withstand direct exposure to a gas flame, and not soil bed-linens, so possibly enameled?  Scan courtesy of Zeister Archief SOAP DISPENSER - 1933 Left ad is from 21 July 1933 in De Telegraaf. Right ad is from 21 August 1933 in Algemeen Handelsblad. The device itself cost fl. 2.60, and soap refills, good for 300 to 400 hand washes, cost fl. 0.15, which should result in a 50% savings. These are the oldest ads with a telephone number (3 digits).   Scans courtesy of delpher.nl DOOR STOP (H.P. BUMPER) - 1934
Leen Kalden found this envelope with an illustration of said bumper:  The detail below shows it's a puck-shaped device installed with a single screw. Two are installed on the door jamb. The device consists of a rubber disk that is partially enveloped by either a chromed or bronzed metal cover. The device dampens the closure of the door. On the device is written NED. OCTR. AANG which stands for "Nederlandsch Octrooi Aangevraagd" (= Dutch patent applied for). Price is fl. 0.40 per pair.  Original courtesy of Leen Kalden Moubal patented this door stop in the UK, Application(?) number 442.019, Patent(?) number 621.521. Inventors apparently are H. Hartemink and P.L. Prins, both from Amsterdam, and NV Plaatmetaalindustrie van Mouwerik & Bal, Zeist, and the team is represented by E. and W. Meissner and H. Tischer from Berlin. These references were found in India Rubber World and Electrical Trades Review, Volumes 92 and 93, Lippincott & Peto, 1935 (via Google Books):   The name "H.P. Bumper" must have been derived from its inventors, H. Hartemink and P.L. Prins. In this article about the Jaarbeurs trade fair in Utrecht in De Zeister Courant of 17 March 1934, there is a description of the device:
TENO TELEFOON LESSENAAR - 1934 Somewhat related to the above product is this telephone note-taking device with a 50 m paper roll that can be torn off at any length (no paper waste), has an attached pencil and can be attached to the wall or placed on a desk. I did not find any pictures of it. This ad is from 7 July 1934 in De Zeister Courant, where the price was reduced from fl. 6.50 to fl. 5.00.
FOOT-OPERATED TRASH CAN - 1934 Left ad is from October 1934 in Moeder, Practisch tijdschrift voor de vrouw in het gezin. Right ad is from October 1936 in De Vrouw en haar huis. Both ads were in magazines oriented to the house wife. For the green version the price was fl. 5.50, for the white version it was fl. 6.75.   Images courtesy Leen Kalden CHEST LATCH - 1935? This metal chest latch ("kistsluiting") is advertised in the book Zeist - De parel der Stichtsche Lustwarande, published by van Lonkhuyzen in Zeist (date unknown): 
 Original courtesy of Evert van Tellingen CHICKEN FEED AND DRINKING DISPENSER - 1935? This chicken feed and drinking dispenser ("kippenvoeder- en drinkbak") is advertised in the book Zeist - De parel der Stichtsche Lustwarande, published by van Lonkhuyzen in Zeist (date unknown):  Original courtesy of Evert van Tellingen LETTER RACK (BRIEVENREK) - 1935 Found in Sport in beeld - De revue der sporten of 8 July 1935. Translation: "For every good club secretary a MOUBAL letter rack is indispensable!" .jpg) Scan courtesy of delpher.nl ETON CONTROLEUR - 1938
On January 1st, 1938, red-colored tail lights on bicycles became mandatory. A non-functioning light meant a ticket. Bulbs had a tendency to burn out. Van Mouwerik & Bal devised a contraption that attached to the steering column, allowing you to check whether the tail light functions. Note: the bulb in the device was connected in series with the tail light, reducing the brightness of the tail light. Also, if the bulb in the device burned out the tail light would no longer function, but at least you'd know something was amiss as the light in the Controleur was off.
HOLDER FOR "PROOST PAPIER" PAPER SAMPLES - DATE? Not sure from when this holder dates.       Images courtesy of marktplaats.nl GAS MASK FILTER (GASFILTERBUS)
These gas mask filters were produced for the Staatsbedrijf der Artillerie Inrichtingen in Zaandam. Their triangular A.I. logo as well as the MBZ logo (Mouwerik & Bal, Zeist) are visible inside the opening. Here two versions, both for gas mask model H. The version for use by the army was stamped with a B on the side, the civilian version did not have that stamping. For more information and more images, see DutchHelmets.nl. Example no. 1 - civilian version: 
 Photgraphs courtesy of dutchhelmets.nl Example no. 2 - military version:   Photographs courtesy of dutchhelmets.nl CARRYING CASE FOR GAS MASK (DRAAGBUS VOOR GASMASKER)
 The gas mask carrying case was a fairly
complex product requiring many steps in fabrication. It
shows what Moubal was capable of.This ad from 11 May 1940 in De Kampioen touts the advantages of Moubal's gas mask carrying case: - "steel" strong - gas mask cannot be damaged - gas mask always at hand - easy to carry - delivered to large institutions A Moubal product, of completely Dutch manufacture. The case is 325 mm tall and reinforced with longitudinal ribs. Inside the lid is a small storage compartment with spare parts. According to dutchhelmets.com, gas mask model H was in use until may 1940. After capitulation it was not requisitioned by the occupier, but distributed to various civil defense organizations. Here two examples of a carrying case for gas mask model H. The clasp has the MBZ (Mouwerik & Bal, Zeist) logo stamped into it. Example no. 1:   Photographs courtesy of Collectie Honger naar Bevrijding Example no. 2:      Photographs courtesy of dutchhelmets.nl Here the spare parts box inside the lid:   Photographs courtesy of dutchhelmets.nl. Note: these two images are of another manufacturer's (identical) carrying case. AMMUNITION STRIPPER CLIP
These clips held 5 bullets. The clip consisted of two parts, a U-shaped base and a wavy spring inserted from the side and held in place by tabs at the bottom that locked into holes in the base. Many manufacturers made these clips. Moubal's clips were stamped with MBZ (= Mouwerik & Bal, Zeist). Top:  Bottom:  Spring moved aside to reveal MBZ stamp. To the right, how these stripper clips were used (Wikipedia): 
 MACHINE GUN BELT
These links held individual bullets for a machine gun belt. The MBZ logo (van Mouwerik & Bal, Zeist) is clearly visible on the picture below:   Images found on Photobucket M1 GARAND CLIP
These ammunition clips for the M1 Garand feature the MBZ logo found on other ammunition clips. Dating is unclear, but probably post-WW2 as the Dutch army started using M1's in 1945:   Photographs courtesy of ebay.com This is what a loaded clip looks like:  Image courtesy of wikimedia commons BLACK OUT LIGHT FIXTURE (VERDUISTERINGSLAMP)
During the WWII, citizens were required to black out their homes. Outdoor lights were strictly controlled. Moubal made this porch light which met the requirements of the "Inspectie voor de Luchtbescherming" (I.L.B.), the Inspection for Aerial Protection, and was registered under I.L.B. No. 416. The minimum height from the ground is shown to be 1.20 m (4 feet), to avoid a bright spot on the ground which might be visible from the air.   Photographs courtesy of Collectie Honger naar Bevrijding APPROVED BICYCLE LIGHT SHADE (GOEDGEKEURDE LICHTAFSCHERMER) - 1940
During the war, there were strict rules about blacking out lights, including cars and bicycles. This metal plate with a small rectangular hole was placed behind the glass of a bicycle headlamp, to make sure only a minimal amount of light would come out. The design was approved by the "Inspectie voor de Luchtbescherming", the Inspection for Aerial Protection, and was registered under I.L.B. No. 026. The ad is from 12 October 1940 in De Kampioen. The photograph is from a different brand, but the design is essentially identical to Moubal's.   Photograph courtesy of Collectie Honger naar Bevrijding VEDOKA CLOTHING RACK - 1941
Several ads feature this steel clothing rack, which can be screwed into a wardrobe or hung from a door, and which fits up to 12 clothes hangers. It is made of painted metal, measures appr. 26 x 9 cm, and was sold in an inexpensive cardboard box, part of which is shown here. The price in 1941-1943 was fl. 0.95. Based on advertisements and such, we know it was available from 1941 through 1943 and again in 1952.     Original courtesy of Ida Gerrits In the box:  Image courtesy of marktplaats.nl Scans of the box (and at 300dpi):  Original courtesy of Ida Gerrits DATING: The first ad mentioning the Vedoka clothing rack is in De Kampioen of 29 March 1941. It has an illustration of the rack. An identical ad is in De Kampioen of 12 April 1941. Next is an article in Nederlandsch Dagblad - orgaan van het Nationaal Front from 2 April 1941, which describes various items on display at the Spring Jaarbeurs Trade Fair of 1941. Translation: "Handy for our modern homes with few wardrobes, is the Vedoka clothing rack, a metal holder, on which 12 clothes hangers can be hooked. As the Vedoka is placed perpendicular to the wall or door, there remains plenty of space for clothes hooks and such. It does indeed save space. Additionally, it can be relocated. For example, if you need to clear out a wardrobe for a guest, you don't have to desperately search for some space in other wardrobes for your dresses and suits, you unhook Vedoka and screw it in place somewhere else. This practical invention costs just 95 cents."   Scans courtesy of delpher.nl Next are three ads in Bolswards Nieuwsblad from Kantoorboekhandel Osinga, dated (in order) 13 February 1942, 9 June 1942 and 9 April 1943. 
 Scans courtesy of Kranten in de gemeente Sudwest-Fryslan The last time we see Vedoka is in an photo of the 1952 Jaarbeurs Trade Fair in Utrecht. By the way, this is also the last time we see Mobaco, see display at rear, right side:  Original courtesy of Mrs. Bal So all in all, Vedoka was available from 1941 through 1943, and in 1952. It was probably available between 1943 and 1952, and possibly afterwards too. But it is rare, so it probably wasn't sold for a very long time, or simply wasn't popular. ELECTRIC HEATER - 1950s?
1000 W electric resistance heater with two 500W coils. It's about 30 cm wide. There is an Art Deco graphic printed on the sides. Based on the plastic switch, this is probably a post-WW2 item, from the 1950s. The exposed heating wiring coils aren't very safe...         Photo's courtesy of marktplaats.nl MOUBAL HOLE PUNCH
This appears to be a post-war product, as there is a stamp on the bottom of the wood base dated August 1949.   1938 MOUBAL UK TRADE CATALOG
   Images courtesy Alex Geelhoed. Source: archief 2.06.081, Rijkscomissie werkverruiming, inv. nr. 325, C.294 - N.V. Plaatmetaalindustrie Van Mouwerik & Bal te Zeist |
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1926 - MOBACO FILM BY OTTO VAN NEIJENHOFF A film ratings report (Filmkeuringsrapport) from 1929 indicated a movie was made about van Mouwerik en Bal. It was 82 meters long and rated "all ages".  Mick Bal (presumably no relation), researcher at the Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid in Hilversum clarified that this movie was shot in 35 mm and is 1 minute and 54 seconds long. The original title was Van Mouwerik Speelgoedfabriek (= Van Mouwerik toy factory). The movie was made in 1926, but wasn't rated until 1929. Film ratings were introduced in 1928 and it took a while to get through a backlog of older films. The movie was made by Otto van Neijenhoff, who had the sole right to produce movies for the VNF (Vereeniging Nederlandsch Fabrikaat), the Association of Dutch Manufacturing, from mid-1925 until 1929. He made many films about Dutch manufacturers. The movie shows some stamping of metal parts, followed by the construction of Mobaco house #39, and finally a parade of large Mobaco models made with Sets 3 or 4. These large models appear in the Gnome construction manual which wasn't issued until much later (appr. 1931). The movie can be viewed on YouTube, and here is the metadata from the Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld & Geluid. Below a few stills from the film. Special thanks to Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld & Geluid for putting the film on YouTube!         MOUBAL
CORPORATE HISTORY
Mobaco collector Henri de Graaf put together this history based on archival research by Alex Geelhoed at the Chamber of Commerce. The text is in Dutch: Beknopte geschiedenis van Plaatmetaalindustrie van Mouwerik en Bal te Zeist en de bestuurders aan de hand van de gegevens van de Kamer van Koophandel. Op 20 december 1920 is bij notaris Alexander Pedro Schröder te Amersfoort door de heren Pieter van Mouwerik, Cornelis Willem Bal en Menno Ufkes de naamloze vennootschap Plaatmetaalindustrie van Mouwerik en Bal opgericht als voortzetting van de handelsvennootschap onder firma van Mouwerik en Bal (uit andere bronnen weten we dat deze firma omstreeks 1915 is opgericht). Het doel van de vennootschap was het vervaardigen en handel in uit plaatmetaal gestampte en getrokken massa-artikelen, het deelnemen in andere vennootschappen met gelijk of aanverwant doel e.e.a. in de ruimste zin van het woord. Op 21 april 1921 wordt door Cornelis Willem Bal in zijn hoedanigheid als directeur opgave gedaan aan de Kamer van Koophandel in Utrecht van deze oprichting met de volgende vermeldingen van bestuurders en commissarissen: · Pier van Mouwerik directeur · Cornelis Willem Bal directeur · Johan Casper Banz commissaris voorzitter · Menno Albert Ufkes commissaris secretaris De firma wordt door de KvK ingeschreven op 2 mei 1921 onder dossiernummer 460 Op 9 april 1925 wordt door C.W. Bal aan de KvK doorgegeven dat Pieter van Mouwerik uitgetreden is als bestuurder door zijn overlijden. Dit wordt in het dossier vastgelegd op 15 april 1925. Op 26 oktober 1931 wordt bij notaris Alexander Pedro Schröder te Amersfoort vastgelegd dat in de algemene vergadering van aandeelhouders een statutenwijziging heeft plaatst gevonden en dat C.W. Bal gemachtigd is deze wijziging notarieel vast te leggen. Op 6 september 1935 wordt door C.W. Bal aan de KvK doorgegeven en vastgelegd dat Johannes Paulus van den Berg als mededirecteur is aangesteld. Op 6 juli 1936 wordt door C.W. Bal aan de KvK doorgegeven en op 14 juli 1936 vastgelegd dat Henri Godfried Victor Hymans als President commissaris en Mozes Abraham Hamburger als commissaris zijn aangesteld. Op 17 december 1941 wordt door C.W. Bal aan de KvK doorgegeven en op 24 december 1941 vastgelegd dat H.G.V. Hymans als President commissaris is afgetreden. Op 17 december 1941 wordt door C.W. Bal aan de KvK doorgegeven en op 24 december 1941 vastgelegd dat Cornelis Maris als President commissaris is aangesteld. Bij brief van 13 maart 1942 beslist de Reichskommissar für die bestzten Niederlandische Gebiete (onderafdeling Commissaris Generaal van Financiën en Economische zaken) dat het bedrijf onder toezicht wordt gesteld door een bewindvoerder (Treuhänder) de heer Georg Ernst Fischer (Rijks-Duitser) onder gelijktijdige benoeming van een verkoopbewindvoerder (Veräusserungstreuhänder) de N.V. Nederlandse Maatschappij voor afwikkeling van Ondernemingen. Bij schrijven van 17 maart 1942 meldt de bewindvoerder dat hij tot nader order de heer C.W. Bal als directeur kan aanblijven. Op 20 maart 1942 wordt door G.E. Fischer (bewindvoerder) aan de KvK doorgegeven en op 7 april 1942 vastgelegd dat M.A. Hamburger als commissaris is afgetreden. Op 20 maart 1942 wordt door G.E. Fischer (bewindvoerder) aan de KvK doorgegeven en op 7 april 1942 vastgelegd dat hij is aangesteld als bewindvoerder en N.V. Nederlandse Maatschappij voor afwikkeling van Ondernemingen als verkoopbewindvoerder. Met een brief van 25 april 1942 meldt het departement van Handel, Nijverheid en Scheepvaart aan de KvK dat op grond van paragraaf 7 van de verordening tot verwijdering van joden uit het bedrijfsleven met ingang van 13 maart 1942 de heer G.F. Fischer als bewindvoerder is aangesteld. Deze brief wordt ingeschreven door de KvK op 28 april 1942. Met een brief van 17 juni 1942 heft de Reichskommissar für die bestzten Niederlandische Gebiete de aanstelling van bewindvoerder en verkoopbewindvoerder op. Dit wordt in een separate brief aan de heer G.E. Fischer meegedeeld. Beide brieven worden respectievelijk 21 augustus 1942 en 2 september 1942 bij de KvK ingeschreven. Op 19 augustus 1942 wordt door G.E. Fischer (bewindvoerder) aan de KvK doorgegeven en op 21 augustus 1942 vastgelegd dat zijn aanstelling als bewindvoerder en de aanstelling van N.V. Nederlandse Maatschappij voor afwikkeling van Ondernemingen als verkoopbewindvoerder worden ingetrokken. Deze intrekking wordt door de directie van Handel en Nijverheid van gelijknamig departement bevestigd aan de KvK middels een brief van 28 augustus 1942. Op 4 maart 1943 wordt door C.W. Bal aan de KvK doorgegeven en op 24 maart 1943 vastgelegd dat Cornelis François van Noppen als commissaris is aangesteld. Op 21 mei 1946 wordt door C.W. Bal aan de KvK doorgegeven en op 22 mei 1946 vastgelegd dat Egbert Meerbeek als commissaris is afgetreden. De productie van Mobaco is eind jaren 50 gestopt en daarmee is een eind gekomen aan een roemruchte geschiedenis van een Nederlandse speelgoedfabrikant. Op 16 september 1975 worden de statuten geheel gewijzigd en vastgelegd bij notaris M.A. van Rhijn in Zeist. Per gelijke datum treden aan als directeur en alleen bevoegd de heer Cornelis Gerardus Bal en als commissarissen de heren Frans Klinkvis en Johannes Henricus Hermanus Buys. Op 30 september 1975 wordt door C. G. Bal aan de KvK doorgegeven en op 8 oktober 1975 vastgelegd dat de naam van de firma wordt gewijzigd in “Beleggingsmaatschappij BAL B.V.”. Wat er sinds die tijd is gebeurd met het bedrijf valt nauwelijks te achterhalen. Alleen de wijziging in 1975 door de omzetting van het bedrijf in een beleggingsmaatschappij is gedocumenteerd. Op 7 juni 1989 komt er een einde aan de BV, statutair nog steeds in Zeist gevestigd maar feitelijk in Schilde België, doordat de arrondissementsrechtbank in Utrecht bij vonnis de BV ontbindt omdat bij beschikking van 21 maart 1989 het bestuur van de BV de bevoegdheid tot het verrichten van rechtshandelingen is ontzegd. Dit artikel is tot stand gekomen op basis van het onderzoek door de heer Alex Geelhoed bij de KvK te Utrecht. H.M. de Graaf, februari 2016 Renswoude |
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MOUBAL
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Here are items
found on the internet that may be of interest to
researchers. They are grouped by topic.
Jump directly to: - Moubal advertisements - Permits and construction - Miscellaneous news items - Correspondence - Job openings - Services during the hunger winter - Sports team |
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MOUBAL ADVERTISEMENTS These advertisements for metal products are listed in chronological order. |
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1919 Advertisement in "Nederlandsch Fabrikaat" Two identical ads in "Nederlandsch fabrikaat - orgaan der Vereeniging Nederlandsch Fabrikaat" on February 5th and February 20th, 1919, show their adress in Utrecht, at the Nobeldwarsstraat 13. They make stamped products. When they move to Zeist, they also start making drawn products: Image courtesy of delpher.nl 1923 Advertisement for stamped and drawn goods Moubal had a full-page ad on the inside cover of the Catalog for the 1923 Exhibition celebrating the 25-year anniversary of the Amsterdam Colonial Institute. It shows some of the items they produced. The text reads: We specialize in stamped and drawn volume products made of sheet metal up to 3 mm thick. Finished and semi-finished products. Custom items from drawings or samples. The illustrations show a cable lug, a bicycle carrier, an earmark for cows (393 was Moubal's telephone number!), all shown above, and a product I don't recognize (suggestions welcome!).   Scans courtesy of delpher.nl 1934 - General Advertisement Translation: Cable lugs Meter covers, washers Saddles, brackets Stampings Drawn items Sheet metal work Lacquered or spray painted, nickel plated, chrome plated, tin plated, etc Note the 3-digit telephone number. In the August 1934 Mobaco Price List (Version 2) there is a 4-digit phone number, indicating that Moubal transitioned from a 3-digit to a 4-digit phone number during 1934.  Scan courtesy of delpher.nl 1934? - Advertorial in De Zeister Lustwarande Date of the book is unknown, but based on the products described in the advertorial it must be from 1934 or later. Interesting is the mention of a display room ("monsterkamer") at the factory. Mobaco sets are described as "technical construction sets".   Original courtesy of Evert van Tellingen
1935? - Advertisement in Zeist - De parel der Stichtsche Lustwarande This undated book published by van Lonkhuijzen in Zeist features a Moubal ad with several metal products and with Mobaco. Listed are: bicycle accessories, feed and drinking troughs for chickens, cable lugs, cable saddles, brackets, washers, chest latches and hinges, "and many other items for industry and commerce." Dating is a guess:  Original courtesy of Evert van Tellingen |
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PERMITS AND CONSTRUCTION
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS ITEMS Here some random news items I came across.
MOUBAL CORRESPONDENCE This section features examples of correspondence that we found (in chronological order). Pre-printed payment reminder written on May 5th, 1937 to Keverling & Co. Koperwarenfabriek in Joure, 40 days after the original invoice. The printer code indicates that 1000 copies were printed in July 1934. Not sure who the printer is, possibly van Lonkhuijzen in Zeist. 2031 is either the client code or the order number:   Original courtesy of Evert van Tellingen Correspondence card written on July 23rd, 1948. The printer code at the bottom-left indicates that 1000 copies were printed in 1946 by Drukkerij van Lonkhuijzen in Zeist:   Images courtesy of marktplaats.nl Invoice written on May 6th 1952 for several Mobaco parts, with a packaging slip. A note indicates that since the columns in Set no. 2 do not fit properly, they included a new base plate #203. As far as we know, 1952 is the last year the original Mobaco was available, although spare parts were still sold until Jumbo took Mobaco off the market in 1961/62: .jpg)  Scans courtesy of Leen Kalden JOB OPENINGS Interestingly, the majority of the job openings are for "nette jongens" (boys in good standing) aged 14 to 16. Later the age is raised to 18 years.
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SERVICES DURING THE HUNGER WINTER During the Hunger Winter of 1944 - 1945, services for the Doopgezinde Gemeente (Baptist Church) were held in the cafeteria of the Moubal factory. From December through April, Ds. C. Nijdam led the congregation at 10:30 am:
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SPORTS TEAM Moubal had a soccer (football) team that played against other local companies from ± 1936 through 1944.
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Source: Delpher.nl
