Maarten Toonder's Economical Impact

Maarten Toonder's creations have been published in dailies and periodicals all over the world.

In 1938 his creation Dom Sombrero is published in Sweden and Tom Puss in Argentina and Tsjechoslowakia.

In 1946 the Tom Puss comic appears in 50 national and international news papers.

In early 1954 Toonder designed a new series: 'Koning Hollewijn' which appeared in the reborn De Telegraaf until June 1971, and which also found a market in Denmark, Sweden and France.

Tom Puss and Oliver B. Bumble ('Olivier B. Bommel' in Dutch) success caused an increasing demand for merchandising products such as picture postcards, puzzles, toys, calendars among others. The characters are also available as stuffed animals, produced by the famous Steiff company.

On June 13th 1998 The Maarten Toonder Museum was founded in Zoeterwoude, The Netherlands. It was officially opened by his son Eiso J.G. Toonder. Entrance is free and you can find all his works, national and international publishings and all kinds of merchandise, displayed here.

In honor of Marten Toonder's 90th birthday,the city of Rotterdam erected this six-meter public monument on Friday, 12 July 2002, featuring several characters from the famous Toonder comic 'Tom Puss and Oliver Bumble'.

Toonder has received a great many awards and honorary distinctions for both his illustrating skills and the quality of his literary output.