Monday, February 17, 2014

Irish Mail Tin Toys

Monday, February 17, 2014
            (Sunny and still very cold)


Irish Mail Tin Toys

 Yesterday I wrote about Paul who is a fabulous craftsperson who restores the "real" ride  Irish Mail toys. I had decided this week to follow up Paul exceptional restorations with the smaller-sized collectible tin toys. Before I wrote about toys, I had never heard or even seen such a toy or ride called an "Irish Mail" toy - but now I know.

  Europe made most of their toys from tin in the early 20th century, while the USA was using making their toys from cast iron. THe European toys at that time were more complicated with moving mechanisms, and produced more elaborately with color lithography on tin.


The above is a "real" rideable Irish Mail  coaster.
I added one just in cast you just came to this post.




As you can see, some of the tin toys came as tandem (two riders).
The above one is ornately designed with beautiful gold designs on the back of the sats. This particular toy is quite large and received a high bid price at auction.






Most of the toys were key wound.


This last beautiful toy moves by a friction wheel, which is rarer than the usual key wound mechanism of the time. What I can say is that for a specific type of toy, there were certainly 
plenty of these toys made at the time, and with many beautiful different designs to them.

Thanks for dropping by,
and have a great part of the day or night
wherever you my be,
Stacey
My e-mail address is toysearcher@gmail.com




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