Regular visitors to the Double Top Darts online store will know that Unicorn is one of the major brands we stock and it’s a very popular one. You might be familiar with the name and the products, but do you know anything about the brand behind the darts? Here’s a little information to wet your appetite and give you something to chat about over a pint and a game.
Unicorn Products Ltd began life in Forest Hill in London, having been founded by Frank Lowy, who was originally from Budapest in Hungary. Frank had just £6 to invest but had a keen desire to improve darts.
Having previously been an apprentice engineer, Frank applied his knowledge to design the "Silver Comet" dart, which was launched in 1937. Originally sold loose on market stalls, Frank then had the idea to package them up in sets of three and sell them to sporting goods stores.
After the end of World War II, the business grew rapidly and became the leading global manufacturer of darts and dart accessories. In 1945, Unicorn Products Ltd was the first company to launch plastic dart flights on a commercial level.
Keen to keep setting industry firsts, in 1949, the company was the first to sell darts classified by weight, something that we now take for granted as being standard. In 1955, they developed the one-piece plastic flight and even introduced flights with impressions on the wing.
In the 1970’s Unicorn launched the first commercial tungsten alloy darts, giving players the opportunity to play their darts closer together thanks to the slimmer design, as well as the world's first steel shaft with replaceable top.
In 1987, the company launched its titanium tungsten darts and a unique range of Golden Unicorn darts.
The company is now part of the Unicorn Group, which supplies sportsmen and women around the world with specialist darts and other sporting equipment, helping amateurs and professionals alike to be the best they can be. The Unicorn range today includes darts, flights, shafts, cases, dartboards and accessories. They also sponsor some of the worlds top darts players including Gary Anderson, Michael Smith and James Wade.
Want to be the best you can be? Check out our range of Unicorn darts.