Can Anyone Identify This Fine Toy?

April 5, 2019
Overcast and Cool
3 Celcius 37.4 F

Can Anyone Identify This Fine Toy?

   I received an e-mail from a reader. He wanted to know if I could identify his fine toy - a team of  oxen along with a stagecoach. There were many toy manufacturers in the early part of the last century, who manufactured these cast iron toys. The chances of finding out who manufactured this toy, was far above  my level of information. Therefore, I am putting this fine toy in front of everyone, and asking that you investigate this, and see if you can find who might have manufactured it.

    I think that this stagecoach  was made  in a mold  (mould) from a molten alloy, and the team of oxen are cast iron. The golden-coloured wheels appear to be also cast iron.  I'm guessing that the size of the stagecoach is 6" (152 mm) long and the oxen are about4" (112 mm).

So that's it for today, and I hope someone will be able to identify this fine toy.

Thanks for dropping by,

And as always,

Have a great part of the day or night,

Wherever you may be.

A New ebay Seller from Portugal

Sunday, November 13, 2016
Cloudy with sunny breaks
9 Celsius  48 Fahrenheit

A New ebay seller

from Portugal

Please click here to visit this fine ebay seller

I was very surprised when I found the Odiabogosta store on ebay. Here was a store that had very fine, very old and rare European manufacturers of pressed steel toys. Many of the toys had battery-operated headlights, and one bus had headlights, and an inner ceiling light as well.

Naturrally, I wrote to the Odiabogosta storeowners, and in a few days received a ver nice reply.

The stores are worldwide, and are owned by 

Mr. Jorge Santos and his grandson Mr. Gonçalo Rueda.

In Their Own Words:

Hello Mr. Bindman, good day,

Congratulations on your very nice blog. Always happy to confirm the passion for these little treasures is alive and well.Feel free to use our pictures for your project. I only ask that you let me know whenever you post an article with any of them.We are a small family business and work in several areas of the collectibles world. This part focused on quality antique toys is run by me and my godson (Jorge Santos & Gonçalo Rueda). Always on the lookout for antique toys, we get them from wherever we can, whether it be from private estates, flea-markets, toy fairs, and even collectors themselves by trading.

All my best, and warm greetings from sunny Portugal,
Jorge Santos

If you've a regular reader to my blog, you know that lately,I like to take a toy photo and present it against a white background and foundation (what the toy rests on). When I first saw Mr. Santos' photographs, I was so excited that I was ready to work on them immediately. However, it wasn't going to be easy. It's a lot of work to remove a toy from its' foundation and background.  Also, I found the background and foundation a bit distracting from the fine and rare toys. I  decided to experiment with how the toy would best be presented.First I left the photo alone, then I did some colour-balance exposure corrections, and better shadow detail. I then tried removing all the colour in the photo, except for the toys. Lastly, I decided to remove everything, and leave the toy against white.

Details, details!

In the end, I liked the velvet-looking red curtains in the back, and the fine leather and gold embossed table mat that the toy rested on. This projected the toys with a  majestic quality. The toys presented themselves regally, and the background and foundation complimented the fine toys, but didn't detract from the toys themselves. So I worked out a solution. I would remove the colour from the surrounding, but leave the toy intact, except for some photoshop correction, and present some toys in their entirety but with some Photoshop correction.

Up for sale, an exceedingly scarce example of a beautiful GAMA #43/5 tin wind-up Fireman with wheeled extendable ladder, rarest variation with the lithographed wheeled ladder instead of the plain red one. Near impossible to find in any condition. An incredible piece with striking colors and amusing mechanics. In a luscious near mint condition, has minimal wear and performs flawlessly.

Length:  8 5/8" ladder 21 1/4" fully extended

22 cm / ladder 54 cm when fully extended

When the fireman is secured to the ladder, and the wind-up is wound, he will start to climb up the ladder.

An exceedingly rare example of an amazing 1908 Hess tin flywheel Avanti Peking-Paris race car. Celebrating the crazed race of 10th June 1907 from Peking to Paris, this is an incredible historical piece with striking artwork and details. 

Length: 5 1/8" 130 mm

1920's Distler JDN 3704 Tin Wind-up Large Bus Coach w/ Opening Roof Doors Lights

 Up for sale, an exceedingly rare example of a most spectacular 1920's Distler 3704 tin wind-up large deluxe bus. Has steerable front wheels, opening side doors, electrical headlights, electrical interior lighting, and opening roof to decorate the interior with additional figures. Only two known examples in private collections. 

Length:  15 3/4" 400 mm

Extr Rare 50cm Original 1930s PAYA Tin Wind-up Horch Gran Sedan Oldtimer with Light

Up for sale, an exceedingly rare example of an incredible original Paya Gran Sedan, in its most elusive and desired color scheme cream/chocolate brown/orange, deep blue interior. Huge and heavy high quality construction, measuring 50cm long. Has steerable wheels, electrical lighting system, opening doors/trunk and folding seats. In a stunning condition, has minimal wear and performs flawlessly, especially considering its age, and state of disarray in which they usually show up, when they show up.  Small touch-ups to body. 

Length:  19 5/8"  500 mm

Extr Rare 1930s Tippco (Tipp & Co) TCO Tin Wind-up Pullman Horch Closed Sport Coupe

Up for sale, an extremely rare example of a most elegant 1930's Tipp & Co. tin wind-up sport closed cabriolet coupe with driver, electrical lighting system and opening trunk. In excellent condition, has minimal wear and performs flawlessly. See pictures for details. Roughly 31cm long. A scarce high grade collectors piece that will display magnificently in any tin toy anthology.

Length: 12 1/4" 31 cm approximately

Extr. Rare 1930's Tippco Tipp&Co TCO Salmon Tin Wind-up Horch Coupe Oldtimer

An extremely rare example of a most elegant 1930's Tipp & Co. tin wind-up sport coupe with driver and electrical lighting system, rarest of this series with the salmon colored variation. In excellent condition, has little wear and performs flawlessly. See pictures for details. Small rust spots underneath. 

Length:  Approximately 11 3/8"  29cm  

What I find most interesting is that not only are the toys very old,  but they are in very good condition considering how old they are. Also, they still work with regards to their battery-operated headlights, and wind-up mechanisms. Of course, these exemplary toys also come with their high prices. When the toys are at this level of collecting, there are people who will gladly bid on them!

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

A Rare Marklin Ship Comes to Auction

Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Cloudy with Sun
26 Celsius / 79 Fahrenheit

A Very Rare Marklin Ship Comes to Auction

    If you've never been to the Bertoia Auctions website, you should venture over there. Bertoia Auction is one of the premium and best toy auction companies in the USA. It's family-owned, and they always have great auctions. Sometimes an entire collection form one collector will go to Bertoia's facilities for exclusive auction.

Please click here to visit this particular auction (May 20-21, 2016)

   The auction had plenty of fine old and antique toys. Sometimes I'll search for toys by price, with the highest price beginning, and descending to lesser values after. I happened to catch this fantastic 

early 1900's Marklin Oceanliner in "pristine condition". You might want to check the final auction bid for this particular.  For something so rare, and in such condition, it truly garnered a very high final price.

Description

MARKLIN OCEANLINER "AMERIKA"
Germany, circa early 1900's, as found, an all original museum quality example that represents the finest of its kind ever offered at public auction. This four funnel, clockwork powered toy vessel, is a startling visual of world's finest in craftsmanship, scale and overall detail. Dry docked and ready for a new port of call, its lifeboats, masts, upper deck appointments, extraordinary color coordinating paint scheme and sea worthy hull proudly await this May's auction. 38" Overall length. One lifeboat repainted, overall (Pristine Condition)

As you can plainly see, for such a rare toy, Bertoia's photographer took plenty of photographs.

These toys, in this case an Oceanliner, were actually played with in small lakes in parks.

The toy is a windup with clockwork mechanism.  I assume that if the boat did not come back to shore, then perhaps a park attendant would go into the lake and retrieve the toy.

I decided not to write too much because the photographs speak volumes for such a unique toy.

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)