oldworldtoys- A Very Interesting Website (Part 2)

Tuesday January 23, 2024

Some sun with mostly clouds

-4° Celsius / 25° Fahrenheit

All About Old Toys

(A Very Interesting website)

(Part II)

Please click here to visit this fine website

This post is the second of 2 posts presenting to everyone

this excellent and very resourceful toy website.

Within the website is a section that sells toys from a circus.

The images below are from a collector who collected over time.

He happens to live in the Carolinas (in the USA),

hence the name of this group of toys. being called

"The Carolinas".

I've barely shown much of this exceptional website.

Not only are is there information about circus toys, but there are

lots of photos, as well as sections of toys for sale, besides these fine circus toys. 

Jim Sneed

most certainly has spent lots of time over the years to create

such a wonderful website.

Not only is the photography superb, but the information on this 

website is "superlative".  I've been blogging for since January 19, 2011,

and I can't even imagine the time and effort that has gone into this unique and encyclopedic website! 

Thank you, Jim 

for this wonderful website.

As always,

Thanks for visiting,

And have a great part of the day or night,

wherever you may be.

I can always be reached at toysearcher@gmail.com

and my name is (Mr.) Stacey Bindman

I Finally Identified an Unknown Old Toy

Tuesday, December 24, 2014
Overcast, sleet and warm

I Finally Identify an 

Unknown Old Toy!

   I occasionally get e-mails from people asking to identify a toy for them. Most of the time,I don't get any photos,so when I then ask for photos, I other get them, or the person stops communicating. If you are going to ask for identification,  please sense large-sized photos and plots of photos. The photos should be of the left and right sides, close-up details such as special toy features and also a top and underneath view to show any markings.

Hello,

I enjoyed all of your blog and info on antique toys. 

I have a toy that could be bliss. It is a rooster pulling a wood wagon. The rooster is wood with paper but the moveable parts, the wing are paper on tin. When pulled the wheels of the wagon and the feet of the rooster move and his head goes up and down. The only mark is Pat.Pend. 

I did a lot of search on Bliss but see mostly doll houses and ships. 

If I can get some help to identify it you are welcome to use it and photos in your blog.

Looking forward to your reply.

I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Augusta*

* Text used with courtesy of Augusta

  I have to be honest, and for a few minutes, I couldn't remember much about the Bliss Company.  So I did a search using different sets of wording, and came to  an excellent,excellent website that I had wrote about. It was the oldwoodtoys.com website.  Mr. Jim Sneed is the owner of the website,  while Judith Lile has a site on Jim's webesite that discusses and has nice examples of wood toys.  

  Aha,Eureka, By Jove!  I knew right away that the toy that Augusta described was not a Bliss toy. Bliss toys were pull toys.They did not have much metal if at all  to their parts,and they were not animated (moving parts). So I was in luck! I did more searches on Jim & Judith's website for "Rooster toys, wood rooster toys, rooster and wagon, animated rooster", and finally saw something. 

It was a rooster and wagon toy with metal framing that appeared to allow the toy rooster to move its wings and legs.  This seemed to fit Augusta's description!

   I sent Augusta 3 or 4 e-mails as I was searching.  I suggested that she check the oldwoodtoys.com website,then Gibbs Toys on the website, then a specific image of a Rooster and Wagon or cart) with movement.  And then I promised not to send any more e-mails! Sometimes when I get involved, I get all excited,and instead of sending 1 cohesive and all inclusive letter, I send small e-mails!

Please click here to visit this fascinating website about wood toys

Augusta had mentioned that she would send me photos to use for a post,and she did that as soon as I had identified her toy. I start to do my "whitening effect", but changed my mind. I liked the nice white satin material,ad if my guest went to that effort to photograph the Gibb's rooster and wagon toy,the least that I could do is use the nice photos "as is", with some minor photo-editing.

This toy was manufactured in 1928 ( a mere 86 years old). There are certain characteristics to different toys that I am always amazed with.In this cast, we have lithographed paper glued on to tin wings and a wood body.

How can the paper remain in such excellent condition for so long?

I've written about the Bliss toys (lithographed paper on wood), and that was the first time I saw even older toys (110 year olds) in fine condition. I just commented to someone in a letter reply that I was more amazed at how paint could stay on an 80 year old cast iron toy, compared to a mere scratch on my car and the paint comes off!

When you look at the rooster from the side, the wigs appear quite wide due to the shadowing (painting) on the edges of the wings.Yet looking at the toy from the view below shows you how thin the tin wings actually are!

Another thing that I enjoy about certain animal pull toys is the selection of animals that go with pull carts. I've seen ostrich, lions, zebras to name a few, and I can't ever see such animals ever even pulling a cart in real life, although  I have seen real photos of ostrich pulling carts.

And now we have a rooster pulling a cart or wagon!

 This close below shows you how well-made the toy was assembled. Also you can see how the yellow and beige paint of the rooster's legs have stuck to the tin.

And here's the  left side view of the rooster.

I don't want to "strut like a rooster", but I finally was able to identify this toy.

And of course, being a writer of sorts:

A hen that struts like a rooster is often invited for dinner - pride goeth before the fall

(Meaning: Don't show off, and boast too much)

I found the above idiom (expression) at the address below:

Please click here to visit this website about chicken and rooster expressions

Thanks for dropping by and as always,

have a great part of the day or night,

wherever you may be,

Stacey

toysearcher@gmail.com

Old Wood Toys Revisited

Sunday, November 9, 2014
Overcast, windy, and cold

Old World Toys Revisited

   Yesterday, I was able to post a nice "story" involving several  one company and an association that I already had made friends with. The third person was new - Mr. Richard Mueller Jr. - an avid toy collector who has a fine post about toys.  The other 2 connections were the Lloyd Ralston Gallery, the Late Mr. Lloyd Ralston and ATCA (Antique Toy Collectors of America).  The post made writing a story that I enjoyed very much.

  Yesterday's  I introduced  Richard Mueller Jr. briefly, and was going to write a complete post about him and his fine website. He's however stopped working on his fine website, and has given a good portion of his material to  two fine people that I had met before, and helped me in 2012 with my blog. When Richard mentioned their website and company, and I went to their site, I immediately recognized them. They are Jim Sneed and Judith Lile who have a great website by the name of Old Wood Toys.  What makes today's post another enjoyment for me is to see how so many toy people in the States (USA) know each other by direct contact or via the Internet. 

  When I went to my original posts about Jim and Judith, I couldn't believe how "rough-edged" my posts were just a mere 2 years ago. I knew I was going to revisit Jim and Judith, but I'm surprising them with this post. I'll inform them after I post, and see what they say.

   Jim and Judith have a unique niche in the world of old and antique toys. They focus on wood toys. I periodically write about wood toys, but it's always nice to see toys made from natural materials such as wood, especially since most older toys were made by hand.  I'm presenting OLd Wood toys and Jim and Judith again, but today's post is just more of a "reintroduction". It's just not possible, nor would I want to write just 1 post on these important people to the toy world, and I wouldn't.

Below is part of the opening page on Jim and Judith's website

I've made this image large so that you can see it better in the Blogger slide mode.

Old Wood Toys

Please click here to visit this exceptional website

Below is another screen-capture of the  extensive resources that Tim Sneed and Judith Lile worked on to compile. As well, Richard Mueller Jr. also helped with giving some of his resources to them.

Along with the encyclopedia of information at this website, Jim and Judith sell toys. 

Jim also repairs toys, and you can contact him his e-mail address in the above yellow square.Each one has their own sub-site where their sold items and currently-available items are for sale.

Jim's Toy Shop

Here are  2 fine samples of items available from Jim.

Bisque Clown Roly Poly

Nice condition. Upper body is fabric. Very cute and unusual.

Circa:   Probably 1920's

Height:   6"   152 mm

Clown Tinker

Painted wood, fair condition.

Circa 1926

I just used 2 photos of the Folk Art Circus from Judith Lile's Antique Toy Shop.

Have a look at the many other photos for this set up for sale.

Folk Art Circus

Crafted in wood and hand-painted, some parts made of fabric and some dressed in elegant costumes.

There are 13 in all:  2 monkeys, 1 dog, 2 lady performers, 1 male performer, 2 clowns, e elephants, 1 fancy Palomino horse, 1 large black platform horse, and 1 bear.

The faces are painted with very fine, precise strokes, an interesting contrast to the simple forms 

of the early animals and people.

Probably early 19th century.

The figures average from 8 1/2"  to 9 1/2" high ( 216  mm - 241 mm).

Mary and the Lamb Set

Early "pretty face" Mary with her desk, very rare spelling book, and painted-eye lamb.

 All aspects and accessories are original. Mary's costume is coloured with age but complete. A slight tear on the back of her skirt. A wonderful set. Very good to excellent condition. 

(Already sold)

I did my "usual" whitening of the background and foundation (what an item sits on), but the photography quality is all Jim's and Judith's. 

I'm glad I reconnected to Jim and Judith, thanks to Richard Mueller Jr. and I hope that you enjoy their fine wood toys and their superb resources for toy collectors and buyers.

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