A Few Suffragate Toys

Friday, November 24, 2023

Cloudy and Cold

-6 Celsius / 21.2 Fahrenheit 

 

 Some Suffragette Toys

    The Suffragette movement was a movement in the early 20th century that related to women who wanted the right to vote. At the time, women were not allowed to vote. The first country to allow women to vote was New Zealand. That was in 1893. Eventually many women in countries worldwide started to march, protest, and pressure legislatures to allow women to vote. The USA Congress passed legislation on June 4, 1919. On August 18, 1920, the legislation was ratified, and the 19th amendment was ratified, granting women in America to vote.

    I was searching the Internet for a topic to write about today, and decided to search out Althof Bergman Bell Toys. I came across one website, and lo and behold, there were several of their toys described as "Patriotic Suffragette toys".

   Whoa!   Did I just read that? That toys were made to honour women who  fought for the right to be allowed to vote? And that's how today's post evolved!  I was euphoric, and I learned a great history lesson!! 

       Most of the Althof Bergmann Suffragette toys were made in the 1870's. There are a few more that were made at the time, and when I have more time, I will look for them.

So thanks for dropping by,

And as always,

have a great part of the day or night,

wherever you may be.

I can always be reached at:

toysearcher@gmail.com

My name is (Mr.) Stacey Bindman,

and you are always welcome 

to send questions, or even send me photos of your

special toys, that you might want me to write a post.

   

Another Beautiful Omnibus

Saturday, January 27, 2018
Overcast with Rain
4 C  39.2 F

Another Beautiful Omnibus

Please click here to visit the search results for "Omnibus"

 My previous blog post was about Dan Morphy's exceptional Omnibus.

So I decided to do a search on Liveauctioneers and found another fine toy from Bertoia Auctions.

France, circa 1890, impressive scale and detail, hand painted tin example has stunning attention to fretwork and fully railed steps on both sides of top deck, destination side boards read, "Ville de Marseille â Longchamp + Joliette," this piece is truly museum quality and a rarity in the offering from the Max Berry Collection, the two horses drawing this tram molded in true scale and meticulous embossing appeal. Mint & Box Sale example. 

Length 42 inches 166 mm

I can't believe how large this toy is! 42" or 166 mm long. It's truly exceptional, and I'm sure the toy was very expensive in the 1890's. Whomever received such a toy much have been very happy. Then again, how would a young child get the toy out of the house - the toy was probably even taller than the boy or girl who received it!

Thanks for dropping by,

and have a great day or night.

Stacey Bindman

toysearcher@gmail.com

The Martin Auction Co

Friday, January 26, 2018
Overcast
-7 C    19.4 F

The Martin Auction Co

Please click here to visit this fine American Auctioneer

About the Martin Auction Co

The Martin Auction Co is located in Anna, Illinois (USA) and is at the southernmost tip of the state. The company under Mr. Red Martin has been in business for 48 years.  The company

prides itself in bringing the very best in antique furniture, glassware, and collectibles.

When you are searching for the Martin Auction Co, please be sure to type in the search  area 

"Martin Auction Co". The reason for this is that there is another company with the same name but is called Martin Auction Company with the word company spelled in full. What you don't want to do is mix the 2 companies up.

 Martin Auction Co is affiliated both with  Auction Zip, and Liveauctioneers. You can find their current auctions and past auctions on Liveauctioneers.

While I was looking for toys on liveauctioneers,   I find  that the Martin Auction Co had a very good amount of tin toys. These toys were made in the 1850's-1890's's and later in the USA. What I like about these very old toys, and true "antiques" is their simplicity. They remind me of American folk art. Two of the more famous companies at the time that made these toys were Altoph Bergmann and George Brown.   However, in this auction, none of the toys have been identified by the name of the company that manufactured them. I would think that there were a lot of minor  other companies who also produced these toys.

 Large Early Tin Wagon & Horse Toy

Circa 1880's - 1890's

Painted tin with iron wheels

Length x Width:  20" x 7 1/2"  (509 mm x 191 mm)

(Sold for $ 474.00 US)

Early Tin Horse & Rider on Platform Toy

Pull toy with wheels

Length x Width:  4" x 3 3/4"  (102 mm x 95 mm)

Painted tin with iron wheels

Earlt Tin Delivery Wagon & Horse Toy

Length x width:  11 1/2" x 6"  ( 292 mm x 152 mm)

Painted tin with iron wheels

Early Tin Horse and Cart Toy

Length x Width:  16" x 6 1/4"  (405 mm x 159 mm)

Circa 1880's-1890's

Painted tin with iron wheels

Earlt Tin Goat on Platform Toy

Circa 1880's - 1890's

Length x height:  7" x 9" ( 178 mm x 228 mm)

Mobile toy with wheels

Painted tin

Early Tin Key Wind Locomotive Toy

Unpainted tin with iron wheels

Length x width: 8 3/4" x 6"  (217 mm x 152 mm)

Early  Toy Train

Circa 1880's

Each car measures  6 1/4" (158 mm)

Painted and stencilled on tin

Thanks for dropping by,

and have a great part of the day or night.

Stacey Bindman

toysearcher@gmail.com

Ives,Blakeslee, & Williams Co. Catalogue - Part II

Sunday, October 10, 2016
Overcast and Raining
17 Celsius / 63 Fahrenheit

Ives, Blakeslee, and Williams Co.

Catalogue Reproduction

(Part II)

Yesterday, I added a post about a catalogue reproduction of an 1893 original. Yesterday's content was exclusively iron pull toys, that would be pulled along the road or sidewalk by a string. Today's entry is about the "mechanical toys" or wind-up toys. These toys once wound up , would be able to move by themselves or feature moving people doing some kind of action, such as dancing, or playing a musical instrument.

The toys below can run in a straight line, or if a part of them are turned, will run in a circle.

The toys below can run in a straight line, or if the front axles are turned, will run in a circle.

Below's toys are more sophisticated in nature. The horses (middle photo) move around in a circle, until there is no more energy, and the winner is the one that lines up with the # 60 on the base of the toy. The cat toy has the animal playing a violin on the top of a house roof.

Below are assorted toys that will perform different actions. The largest one (immediately below) 

has 3 people doing different actions and when wound, will run for 60 minutes.

These American toys  developed after the high-quality and lithographed toys from Europe were imported into the United States. The European were more colourful,as the Europeans, especially the Germans had developed lithography (printing) on metal, and had very sophisticated and multi coloured colour themes.

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)

Wood Toys from Pook & Pook

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Wood Toys from

Pook & Pook

   I've been returning to people and companies who have helped me out in the past. SO when I was looking at my posts, I found Pook & Pook,Inc.

The History of Pook & Pook

"The firm of Pook & Pook Inc. was founded in 1984 by Ronald and Debra Pook. Located in Chester County, Pennsylvania, approximately thirty-five minutes west of Philadelphia, Pook & Pook’s offices reside in an old stone inn built in 1761. The auction company grew out of the Pook’s antique business, which they had started a decade earlier in the same location. Right from the start, the auctions at Pook & Pook were a draw for major museums, estate representatives and serious collectors."

Please click here to visit this fine American appraiser and auction house

Wood toys have always been popular among children and manufacturers as well. From early history, wood, a readily-available natural material could be used.

 A "pull toy" is a toy that is either pulled with a stick or a long piece of cord. 

Before wind-ups and electricity, many toys that were not played with by hand, could be pulled.

You can see several pull toys in the 2 following photographs.

Even in Japan and other countries around the world, there are wooden toys.

The 2 larger horses and a donkey (mule) are also pull toys. THese happen to be made of lithographed paper images glued on to wood. 

The clown and chick toys are "animated" when they are pulled. THe clown swings and moves his weight, while the young baby chicks are in a pulling "tug-of-war" for the worm. 

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

Happy Holidays 2014

Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Overcast,heavy rain, and mild temperatures

Happy Holidays

2014

   I can't remember creating a "special" post for the special holiday period, so I decided to make one this year. It's simple and plain, in keeping with the holiday spirit, which once upon a time was more in spirit than in commerce. I was able to find 2 very nice Christmas toys that are both rare, but are also quite attractive.

Please click here to visit this exceptional American auction company

You'll have to look at these 4 composite photos to best appreciate the fine detail in the 2 magnificent and rare toys. I especially like the contradiction of the toy below in terms of Santa riding a modern mode of transportation in 1912.

There's lots of detail ,and the lustre finish on the toy  gives it a porcelain shine.

But my favourite of this toy is the small bear to the right and left of of Santa, and after that the small items scattered all over Santa 'scar.

It's a massive 27" ( 686 mm) in length, but its the detail of the figures that makes this toy what it is.

Each reindeer has a slightly different "expression" and pose, and the tails, the skin folds, and the tails are so realistic. The the skin that Santa is seated on adds to the old character of the toy.

I don't want to say more, but please enlarge this in the slide mode.

This piece is simply magnificent!

It's December 24 ,here in Montreal,but for those of you who celebrate Christmas, 

Santa  Claus has already passed over where you are living,and you are celebration the start of Christmas.

And for those who don't celebrate the holiday,

I wish everyone a happy restful period, and a Healthy and Happy New Year.

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