Saturday, February 10, 2018

Exceptional Vindex Salesman Samples

Sunday, February 11, 2018
Overcast with Snow
-3 C    26.6 F


Exceptional Vindex Salesman Samples


The Vindex Toy Company was a sub-division of the National Sewing Machine Company.
Vindex was the name of a product line of National Sewing Machines. The company teamed up with  Farm Mechanics magazine. The purpose was for the magazine to offer children toys if the parents signed up for the magazine. The company was founded in the late 19th century, and closed in 1957, after less-expensive sewing machines from Japan entired the US market.

Of all the cast iron toy companies, Vindex seems to be one of the rarer companies. These
toys are in high demand, and if you go to Liveauctioneers and search the past auctions of Bertoia Auctions (or go to Bertoia Auction's website). There you will be amazed at the high prices these fine toys achieved upon auction.

A salesman's sample was exactly that. A salesman would travel to different cities and carry the sample to the merchants and department stores. These "salesman's sample" added more to the rarity of the  toys. Most of the salesman's toys come with a cardboard label, while others were in fact the same, but the tag or label was lost.


Vindex 1929 Salesman Sample Fokker Airplane
Cast iron body with nickled wheels with 
salesman sample tag.Wingspan:  10"  254 mm

Vindex Salesman Sample Pontiac Roadster
Cast iron with nickled wheels
Circa: 1929
Decal on cast iron spare tire
Opening rumble seat
Length:  7 1/4"  184 mm

Vindex Salesman Sample Wrecker
Cast iron with nickel-plated disc wheels
Another extremely rare sample
Provenance:  Donald Kaufmann
Circa: 1929
Length:  7"  188 mm

Salesman Sample Vindex Oldsmobile Sedan
Provenance:  Mr. Fred McAdams
Cast iron with nickeled spoke wheels
Vindex decal on spare tire
Mint condition
Circa:  1929
Length:  8"  223 mm


Vindex "Lansing" Cement Mixer
Cast iron with nickel-plated sid elever and spoke wheels
Length::5 3/4"  146 mm

Vindex Salesman Sample Stake Truck
Cast iron with nickel disc wheels
decal on rear
Circa:  1929
Length:  9 1/2"   242 mm

Vindex "Lansing" Cement Mixer
Nickel hopper and lever
Probably the most elusive of any construction equipment
Circa 1929
Length:  8"  203 mm

Vindex John Deere Combine
Rare toy
front mounted engine
Circa: 1929
Length:  18 1/2"  470 mm


Very Rare Vindex Packard Club Sedan
Considered the rarest of the Vindex toys
Provenance:  Dick Ford, Donald Kaufmann
Cast iron with nickled wheels
Circa: 1929
Length: 9 1/2"242 mm

Salesman Sample Vindex 1929 Packard Club Sedan
Tag has been lost
Provenance:  McAdams , Donald Kaufmann
Cast iron with nickled wheels
Length:  9 1/2"  242 mm


Vindex Motorcyle and side car
Henderson inspired toy
Manufactured for only 2 years
Cast iron with rubber tires mounted on spoke wheels
Length:  8 1/2"  211 mm

If you go over to Liveauctioneers and do a search for Vindex, you will be able to see almost all
of the cast iron toys that they manufactured from the 1929 toy catalogue.


© 2018
All images are copyright of Bertoia Auctions and Liveauctioneers.com

Thanks for dropping by,
and have a great part of the day or evening.

Stacey Bindman
Toysearcher@gmail.com

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