Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Sometimes I venture into the 1950's

Thursday, August 14, 2014 
                  Cloud and rain

Sometimes I Venture 
into the 1950's

  If you've read enough of my posts, you'll know that my daily schedule is to get up in the morning, go for a coffee and low-fat muffin, walk our dog Buddy, open the computer, check the mail, then start looking for inspiration for the next several posts.

  Yesterday, I was looking on Liveauctioneers, when I saw an eye-catching rubber train from  AmbroseBauerTrains. The Company promotes themselves as "The Nation's Foremost Marketplace of Toy Trains & Toy Train Auctions". If I had the time, AmbroseBauerTrains and the vast archives would keep me busy for the next 20 years writing just about model trains! However, I've learned in my writing a blog, to always look what else an auctioneer might sell, and I've had many pleasant surprises on the AmbroseBauerTrains website finding items that were not train-related.

  I was this beautiful intense orange diesel engine yesterday made by Auburn Rubber. The company had made rubber toys in the 1940's and I discovered them a few years ago on my journey of writing this blog. I even purchased a few Auburn, and other manufacturer's toys to see them "up close". I was amazed at how well made they were, and how thy had lasted for so long. 


Of course, whenever an original box, abbreviated "OB" in the description is included, the value of 
any toy escalates.  However, what attracts me to this toy is the ability for the rubber and the mould process to capture small detail. An example (without even enlarging these images) is the windshield wiper blade.


Today rubber toys have mostly been replaced with plastic toys. What I especially like about rubber is how long these toys last. Also, rubber (like plastic) is able to form and contour into small impressions in the mould to which the hot material is poured into.




The wheels are not  that impressive, but they're functional. The toy designers were smart enough to make the sides of the toy low-profile (low to the ground) so that the body covered the black wheels!
Nevertheless, you can see how the Auburn Rubber company was still producing fine toys into the 1950's - a place that I rarely visit, but if I live long enough I will - for my next blog!


Thanks for dropping by,
and as always,
have a great part of the day or night,
'wherever you may be.
Stacey
toysearcher@gmail.com


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