An Interesting Antique Fire Station Toy

Friday, April 20, 2018
Unseasonably Cold 
and Overcast
+4 C  39.2 F

An Interesting Antique

Fire Station Toy

I was searching for a toy company by the name of J.H. Co. The toy is an antique hay loader.

Unfortunately I couldn't find any information on the toy. I've asked the person who wrote me to send me photos of her toy and a close-up of the name, and I would write a blog post for her.

If you have a J.H.Co toy, or have any information about the company, please write to me.

One of the great places that I visit periodically is Antiquetoys.com

As I was searching their data base of toy manufacturers, I came across a nice fire station toy.

The toy is made of wood ,possibly mahogany, and cast iron.

Please click here to visit this excellent website

Toy Description:

Ives Fire House and Horse Cast Iron

Materials:  

Primarily made of wood ,possibly mahogany.

The windows, moldings, doors, front face, and horses

are made of cast iron.

Wind-up mechanism.

When a lever is pulled (upper right hand of the station house),

the toy chimes about six times, and the fire house doors open,

and the pair of horse run down an inclined plane.

Circa: 1893, patented 1891

Size:

Depth x width x height:

15.5" x 8"  x 12"

39.5 cm x 20.3 cm x 30.3 cm

There is also a fire cart, but it is not shown in the photos.

 This toy is quite rare, and Antique Toys is offering the toy 

at $ 7000.00 U.S.dollars.

Have a visit to this seller, as it is a great resource to 

read up on, as well as selling all kinds of toys.

Thanks for dropping by,

And have a great part of the day or night,

Wherever you may be.

Stacey Bindman

toysearcher@gmail.com

The Ives Fire Station and Pumper

Monday, October 27, 2014
Mainly sunny and seasonally milder

The Ives Fire Station and Pumper

   It's the time of year when you have to prepare fir winter - at least for those of us who live in the Northern hemisphere, and especially Canada. Yesterday, I built a small shelter to cover our swimming pool hear pump and water filter, repaired a broken fence slat, and then replaced the central air filter and the batteries for the smoke alarms. I also had to replace 2 smoke alarm detectors.  

   SInce I just received an excellent Ives, Blakeslee, and Williams Company reprinted catalogue, I examined it again, and found a fine fire station and pumper. This particular toy is quite large. I had found tomorrow's post time earlier in the week, but was looking for an item to compliment that "piece de resistance" and to start this week. And so I found the Ives station, and tomorrow, you will see a really spectacular item - both part of the  exceptional Max Berry Collection to be auctioned via Bertoia Auctions.

Please click here to visit this fine American auction house

The fire engine house and the fibre engine (pumper) certainly were the "de riguer"  (very fashionable ).Ives and partners had used an entire catalogue page to present this pair of toys. What of  special interest is the fact that these two items were very expensive at $ 5.00 and $ 1.00 respectively for 1893.

It would be interesting to know if the value of an antique toy is directly related to its original price . In other words ,I would think that the more expensive the toy, the fewer that are sold, and the rarer they become in 100 years when antique you collectors vie for them at auction or buy them at antique toy stores.

 Have a look at the weight of the fire engine house itself  at the bottom left part of the above page.

It weighted 14 pounds or  6.36 kg

I now understand why the toy was made both of wood and cast iron. Had the entire toy been made of cast iron, it would have been both too expensive to sell, and would have weighed too much for the average child to move about. Even at 14 pounds or 6.36 kg, it's a super-heavyweight!

The toy must have been lots of fun for young children. The key wound up the clockwork mechanism. A release would fling open the from doors and the fire engine (pumper) with the horses would come out of the inside.

There are a few of these old fire stations left in Montreal, but they've been relegated to tourist attractions or use by the City of Montreal for tourism.

These particular toys are rare, and have received excellent final prices at auction, but not what I would have thought. However, tomorrow's fire-related item is even much rarer!

Thanks for dropping by,

and as always,

have a great part of the day or night,

wherever you may be,

Stacey

toysearcher@gmail.com

Matching Ives Catalogue Illustrations to Actual Toys

Sunday, October 19,2014
Sunny and seasonally cold

Matching Ives Catalogue Illustrations

to Actual Toys

   I recently introduced everyone to N.E.T.T.E. Auctions  (October 8, 2014). They are a fine auction company that specializes in  trains. However, as I have learned, you can sometimes find true non-train treasures within a specialty auctioneer. I was both surprised and not surprised when I did a search for Ives toys. The company i sactually called the Ives, Blakesles, & Williams Co., and I found some beautiful toys from a long time ago!

Please click here to visit this fine auctioneer's website

The scanned page above is from an 1893 catalogue that was reprinted and sold to members of the MBCA (Mechanical Bank Club of America) in 1965. One of their members, Mr. L.C.Hagerty, a collector of iron toys and mechanical banks, loaned the Club an actual original copy of the catalogue. The Club sells old catalogue reproductions at their conventions,and ~I was able to purchase one on ebay.

The figure in the above immediate illustration is described as a "Negro Rider", which I'm unsure if he is. Also, the item below was described in the auction as a boy. This toy  was quite expensive for its time, and the boy figure was certainly very fancily dressed for play!

A velocipede is a two or three-wheeled  vehicle or early bicycle that is propelled by a rider. In this case, the movement is done by hand. I sometimes see velocipedes on the Lachine Canal bicycle path here in Montreal. Sometimes these are propelled by  people who are paralyzed in their legs, and sometimes I'll see people who prefer to use their hands for movement. In both cases, it's amazing how muscular these people are developed on their arms.

The clothing on this boy rider is quite ornate and nicely sewn.

add the description to a photo, so here it is:

" One of Ives first Clock work toys.  Dressed boy riding velocipede, hand painted and stenciled, wooden platform

with tin hobby horse on front.  Clockwork working with key ,nice smooth motion. Original silk clothes show minor fading with no holes visible, super face with original hat that is often missing on this rare toy. C7+ (condition) Super! 

The height x width x length dimensions are 8" x 5" x 10"  (203 mm x 127 mm x 254 mm).*

* Description Courtesy of N.E.T.T.E. Auctions

Once again, I forgot to add the written description from the auctioneer. So here it is below, courtesy of N.E.T.T.E. Auctions:

RARE BOXED IVES PERFORMING MONKEY

Circa 1893, originally from the Perlman Museum, this early Ives toy is in very nice original condition. All its clothes are present,though his pants have been taped to his body. One of the bells is loose and his leg is missing a piece of fir covering. Clock work with key, wooden box with original cover, paper label is 90%.

Over all, this toy grades C7 Super.*

* Description Courtesy of N.E.T.T.E. Auctions

N.E.T.T.E. Auctions describes the toy as having been acquired from the Perelman Museum.

Please click here to read the excellent written story of Mr. Perelman and the Museum

The article was written by Ms. Lita Solis-Cohen for The Philadephia Inquirer on August 31, 1988.

It's interesting that this toy came in a wooden box, just like many of the cast iron toy banks of that era. The face of the monkey is quite realistic, and I wonder what the material was made of.

Thanks for dropping by to visit,

and as always,

have a great part of the day or night,

wherever you may be,

Stacey

toysearcher@gmail.com