original c. 1960's vintage hand-painted molded plastic instructional model of the human heart with original box, stand and instructions for assembly. decal numbers were likely added to the model shortly after being painted. the life size heart retains all of its original components. fabricated by the pyro plastics corp., union, nj. sold with box. founded by inventor william lester and his first wife, betty, pyro plastics corporation of union, new jersey, became a leading producer of custom-made parts for producing injection-molded plastics. the company is also remembered today for its manufacture of plastic toys, many of which are now popular collectibles. beginning in the late 1940's pyro made plastic clicker-type toy pistols, and in the early 1950's became a leading maker of military toys during the korean war. with increasing popular interest in science fiction, pyro turned to making space toys, including artfully designed spaceships and ray guns (including the pyrotomic disintegrator of 1952). these early toy spaceships and ray guns inspired 1970s filmmakers such as george lucas, whose star wars films and toys show the obvious influence of pyro and similar products. the lesters sold the company in 1972.