S.G.I-figures have traditionally been categorized as Reisler figures among collectors and that is understandable. It is quite impossible to fully separate the production of the two firms Reisler and Skandinavisk Gravør Industri (S.G.I.). Below is an attempt to describe the relations mainly based upon adverts in Legetøjstidende, which was a monthly magazine for everybody involved in the Danish toy business. This would never be enough to tell the whole story, but it does give a fair impression of the historic relations. This is a chronological listing of facts that can all be verified from linked sources:

Motive from Ref.10.

1949, July: Manufacturer Erling Møller Nielsen and accountant Kai Reisler start making plastic figures. I June 1950 the name of the company is A/S Skandinavisk Termo Plastic residing in Studiestræde 16 in the centre of Copenhagen. The products are sold through the grosser Firma Otto Pedersen. Ref.01.

1950: The company is split and the two makers continue under the same roof as Skandinavisk Gravør Industri and Firma Kai Reisler respectively. Many of the moulds stay in the posession of E. Møller Nielsen. Ref.02.

1951, May: Kai Reisler moves from the shared address at Studiestræde 16 to a newly built factory at Højnæsvej 62, Vanløse. Ref.03.

1953, autumn: the situation is tensing and a serious war on prices is threatening. Ref.04.

1953, Sep.: Advertising a new line of cheap figures (imports?) in Legetøjstidende S.G.I. enters into a direct competition with Reisler. An agreement is reached however, and the announced "Prairie-series" and "Soldier-series" never enter the market. Ref.05.

1953, Oct.: An agreement of production is arranged resulting in Reisler producing figures at foot and S.G.I. mounted ones and the two firms are cooperating on the market. Ref.02. Ref.06. Ref.07. Ref.08.

The agreement has a calming effect on the Danish toy market. Ref.09.

1954: But the agreement was short lived it seems. In early 1954 they are both advertising men at foot and mounted figures. 

1954, Nov.: From this date the advertising of S.G.I. in legetøjstidende ends and soon the production of figures comes to a halt. Reisler takes over and continues the mounted series and this may be one of the explainations why there are a few variations of each figure.  S.G.I. improved on the earliest figures themselves also. Ref.10.

1955-1964: During this period the former S.G.I. mounted series appear in Reisler's sales material and it will probably never be possible to tell which figures were produced by whom. The other S.G.I. series were discontinued and the short production period has made them quite rare today.

Legetøjstidende, Jun e 1950

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Legetøjstidende, November 1953

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Legetøjstidende, May 1951

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Legetøjstidende, October 1953

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Legetøjstidende, September 1953

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Legetøjstidende, October 1953

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Legetøjstidende, October 1953

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Legetøjstidende, November 1953

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Legetøjstidende, November 1953

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Reisler sales photo, ca. 1964.  ( The box showing an S.G.I. sign on the fence to the right).
Boxes like these are depicted in Reisler Catalogue 1955, but they are almost unidentifiable.
This newly discovered photo (Jan. 2008) shows clearly which figures they contain.
Series I-IV not included though. For figures see: "Figuroversigt"

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