Thursday, December 15, 2016

Kingsbury Toys Revisited

Sunday, December 18, 2016
Overcast and very cold at night
-1 C 30 F



Kingsbury Toy Revisited



The company started out as a sewing machine and clothes wringer manufacturing and repair company in 1875. In 1890, James Wilkins took over the company that was renamed as the Triumph Wringer Company. The company got into deep financial trouble, and the company was purchased again by a local bike shop owner who was very inventive and was adept at mechanical problem solving. IN 1890, the company started to make cast iron trains and fire engines. The bike shop owner who purchased the company invented and patented (1902) a clock-spring motor that propelled  toys.  That clockwork-driven motor would remain as the only mechanism for all of the toys that the comp would make throughout its' history. At the time, the company was making toy horseless carriages (as cars were known as then).  The inventor (Harry) not only invented the motor, but he also designed toys and built the machines that made the toys.  As the company grew, many different types of toys were designed and built. These included boats, cars, airplanes, submarines, trucks, and blimps.In 1918, the company changed its' name to the Kingsbury Manufacturing Company.*


Kingsbury (J.C.Penny) Covered Delivery Truck
Pressed steel, painted in green overall,
Little Jim decals on side, Huckster styled body
white tires with orange disc wheels, box has .
Length:  14 1/2"  368 mm
Circa: 1927


Kingsbury No. 446 Sedan
Pressed steel painted in green overall with gold accent stripe, black fenders features electric lights, clockwork motor, spare mounted on rear body, rubber tires with orange centres.
Length:  12 1/2"  317 mm
Circa: 1932


Kingsbury # 444 Coupe
Pressed steel, painted in blue body, Fisher label on side,
white rubber tires on orange disc wheels, motor driven.
Length: 12 1 /2" 307 mm
Circa: 1931

Kingsbury Brougham Sedan
Pressed steel painted in tan and red body, electric headlights
rubber tires with green centres.
Length:  12 1/2"  337 mm
Circa: 1928


Kingsbury Roadster # 342
Pressed steel, early model with wire frame, clockwork motor
Length: 12 1/4"  310 mm
Circa: 1927
 Kingsbury "Aristocrat" Ice Cream Autocar
Very rare example, pressed steel hood and fenders, wood cab and body,
comes with two small boxes of ice cream cans, wooden wheels.
Length:  660 mm

Kingsbury Station Wagon
Pressed steel, painted in tan body, embossed sides, blue fenders, orange tires,
red disc wheels, silver trimmed radiator, interior seating, great condition, and rare.
Length:  10 3/4"  273 mm

If you go to Bertoia Auctions, and find the page showing you all of their past auctions, you can enter a search in the search box for "Kingsbury". The search will yield 8 pages of Kingsbury toys
for you to look at.

Thanks for visiting,
annd have a great part of the day or night,
wherever you may be.

Stacey Bindman
toysearcher@gmail.com


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