The Distler Racers

Saturday, January 14, 2017
Clear skies & cold
-12 C  10.4 F

The Distler Racers

Please click here to visit this fine American toy auctioneer

History

"Johann Distler, Nuremberg, Germany, 1895 - 1968. Produced lithographed tin penny toys, comic and erratic action transportation toys. The company "Johann Distler KG" was established in Nürnberg in 1895. Johann started as a penny-toy manufacturer, specialized in lithographed tin toys but his range of products comprised 500 items. In 1917, Distler took on Brown & Mayer as partners. His partners took over when Distler died in 1923. Eventually, in 1935, they sold out to Ernst Volk.

After the Second World War Distler started to produce electric trains and, later, electric toy cars as well. Distler's electric model of the Porsche 356, produced since 1955, was beautifully designed. Distler's also made more simple models, but these were usually sold in department stores. Unfortunately, in the beginning of the 1960s, the company could no longer maintain it's position against the larger brands like the German Marklin, and Trix, and the British Dinky Toys.

The production in Germany was discontinued in 1962. The company was sold to a firm in Belgium (including machines and production rights), where Distler Toys S.A. in Nivelles continued to produce under the Distler brand name until 1968.Distler not only made toys, but also electric shavers." *

*History Courtesy Fabtintoys.com on ebay

Germany, a fabulous oversized tin lithographed racer, striking graphic pipe images 

on sides,bonnet (hood) vents embossed, spare wheel graphics on tail rear, 

seated tin driver, features electric headlights and clockwork (wind-up key) mechanism.

Length:  20"  508 mm

 A bright German-made tin lithographed car with separate side pipes, spare tire 

mounted on side, seated driver, clockwork wind-up by key.

Length:  12 1/2" 318 mm

Circa 1930's

Lithographed tin by Distler of Germany. The design is based on an AUto-Uniobn racer by Bernd Rosemeyer*. Seated driver, clockwork driven by a key wind-up, nice detail to rivet graphics on body.

Length:  13 1/2"  342 mm

Circa: 1930's

*Please click here to visit Wikipedia for a very interesting history of Berndt Rosemeyer

Mermany, lithographed tin, large scale example with separate side pipes, embossed pattern,

seated driver, electric (battery-operated) headlights, clockwork mechanism by wind-up key.

Length:  20 1/2"  520 mm

A well-detailed oversized German-made toy.  

Tin lithographed, with pipes mounted along the sides.

Electric (battery-operated) spot light is hood mounted.

Clockwork mechanism by a wind-up key.

Length:  13"  330 mm

Thanks for dropping by,

and as always, have a great part of the day or night,

wherever you may be.

Stacey Bindman

toysearcher@gmail.com

The 1930's Toy Racers

Tuesday, November 21, 2016
Overcast and cold
0 Celcius  32 Fahrenheit

The 1930's Toy Racers

Please click here to visit this fine American Seller

Almost as soon as the  automobile was invented, races of various sorts were organized. The first recorded race was in 1867. Early races were more for the reliability of the automobiles, in order for manufacturers to exhibit the reliability of their products. By the 1930's specially-constructed automobiles were constructed exclusively for racing.  There were long distance races, racing on a specially designed oval with angled embankments, and there were the famous land-speed racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats (Utah, USA), as well as on the beaches of Daytona (Florida, USA).*

* Citation:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_racing

Most of the autos presented today would race around a closed-circuit oval, with the audience seated in the grandstands.  However, there are 2 autos that were designed exclusively for land-speed records. They are the Kingsbury Golden Arrow,  the Lindstrom land speed race car, and the Buffalo Blue Bird Land Speed Racer.

Most  toy racers were manufactured from pressed steel or tin, and would have been lithographed with the design and colours of the toy. Of course, in the 1930's cast iron was still used for many toys, and several manufacturers did design and manufacture race cars.

Like all popular real-life things, toy car racers were quite popular for people to go to watch, and these events were photographed for newspapers. As such, most of the toy manufacturers manufactured toy car race cars for the marketplace.

French Tin Clockwork Race Car

Extremely thin pressed tin.

Lithographed tin with clockwork "motor".

Circa: 1930's

Length: 8"  204 mm

Buffalo Toy Company Silver Dash Racer

Light weight tin, lithographed tin men.

Movement via the spiral rod winder that was used on most of their toys.

Scarce racer.

Circa 1930's

Length:  13 1/2" 342 mm

Citroen (France) Clockwork Racer

Large heavy pressed steel with rubber tires.

Key wound clockwork mechanism.

Circa 1930's

Length:  17"  430 mm

Lindstrom Land Speed Race Car

Lithographed tin with clockwork wind-up (key) "motor".

Circa 1930's

Length: 5 1/2" 140 mm

Hubley Cast Iron Closed Cabin Racer

Painted cast iron with nickel-plated driver.

Rubber tires on wood rims (appear replaced).

Circa 1930's

Length:  8"  203 mm

Kingsbury (USA) Golden Arrow Land Speed Racer

Pressed steel based on the famous Golden Arrow Land Speed Racer.

Painted pressed steel with clockwork motor.

Circa 1930's

Length:  19"  482 mm

Buffalo Toys Blue Bird Land Speed Racer with Original Box

Rare to find an accompanying original box with this toy.

Painted light weight tin.

Powered by a long pull rod attached to a coiled spring.

Circa 1930's

Length:  21"  520 mm

Mettoy 1930's Tin Racer

Lithographed tin with a windup clockwork "motor"

Marx Rocket Racer

Very light weight construction.Difficult to find in this condition.

Wind-up clockwork mechanism

Circa 1935

Hubley No. 5 Cast Iron Racer

A smaller-sized cast iron Hubley racer.

Painted cast iron with nickel-plated driver.

Pressed steel wheels with nickel-plated driver