Antique Toys

Prewar Tinplate Prototype, The New York Central S-motor

2006-05-24T13:12:00.000-04:00

As younger generations begin to explore the wonders of prewar tinplate such as Lionel, Ives and American Flyer many may ask themselves, “were there really trains that looked like these?” The answer of course is a resounding yes.

In 1906 General Electric and Alco paired to produce the S-motor class of electric locomotives. The most prominent examples of these were the New York Central S-1’s, S-2’s and S-3’s. Toy manufacturers of the time saw these locomotives as ideal representations of future motive power. Even better, these were electric and what better to prototype electric toy trains from then the new electric locomotives appearing on the East Coast. For a detailed review of the S-motor’s history I recommend you check out http://alfredbarten.com/oldmaude0.html.

Today, some of the finest and most desirable prewar tinplate is derived from the S-motors. Two of my personal favorites shown here are the IVES 3240 in gauge 1 and the Lionel 1912 in Standard Gauge.
Notice the cast rivet detail of the IVES 3240 and the beautiful, although not protoypical “thin-rim” wheels of the Lionel 1912.

Comparisons between these tinplate-era locomotives and the S-motors they copied show that toy manufacturers were as interested in showing the future of railroading in their time as they are today, perhaps even more so. Stay tuned for more prototype/tinplate comparisons in upcoming articles.

The search for Voltamp

2006-05-01T09:39:00.000-04:00

Many of you have read my visit to the Schieble factory blog from a few months ago. Now, I am on a quest to locate the original Voltamp factory building, if it still exists. If anyone has early Voltamp literature listing an address please reply to this blog. Currently I know that they were in a building called the Nichol Building in downtown Baltimore but I have not located a street address. Voltamp was in business around the turn-of-the-century and made electric novelty toys and early tinplate trains. The company was started by Manes A. Fuld who lived in Baltimore from 1863 until his death in 1929. He was the son of a stove dealer who lived on Orleans Street in downtown Baltimore.

Thanks for the help. Image from Bertoia Auctions.

American Horsedrawn Trolley Toys

2006-04-06T10:06:00.000-04:00

The days of horsedrawn trolleys are something most of us can hardly imagine today. However, the American toys of the 1880’s and 1890’s provide a time capsule for these nostalgic vehicles. In the late 1800’s the famous photographer Alfred Stieglitz captured an image of a prototypical horsedrawn trolley. Entitled “The Terminal,” this photograph was made outside the New York City trolley terminal.

As with many toys of the late 19th century, lightweight tin toys gave way to heavier cast iron models. This 1880’s trolley is by Fallows and retains much of the original staining that gives the piece its color. Few good examples of tin trolleys have survived today because of their fragility.

This next trolley is an early cast iron example by Wilkins.

Here a slightly later example which lacks much of the detail but remains a rugged plaything (probably by Arcade or Kenton.)

Finally, a large and detailed cast iron trolley by Wilkins from the 1890’s.

For many of us, the draw of early American toys is indelibly linked the romantic images of the past they conjure in our minds. Although they represent a fairly short period of time, the toy horsedrawn trolley is a wonderful keepsake of the early American city.

Introducing the Gauge Gauge

2006-03-10T10:34:00.000-05:00

I recently built the “Gauge Gauge” to help me clarify the multitude of wheel gauges used over the last century by toy train manufacturers. The idea is simple; starting from the Zero Point the wheels of the train should fall on a line with a listed gauge and possible manufacturer.

This is my first attempt at the Gauge so I’d love feedback on what I have missed and information I should include. Feel free to download and print it out. To get the correct size image you must click on the picture above which will open the bigger file. Then right click and save this file to your computer.

Overall, let me know if this is a useful tool. Some of the manufacturers represented are Marklin, Bing, Ives, Lionel, Plank, Schoenner and Carlisle & Finch. If you would like a higher resolution file of the gauge leave me a comment with your email address and I will send it to you.

The future of the hobby: Ebay vs. Auctions vs. Meets

2006-02-27T11:21:00.000-05:00

Recently, I‘ve noticed a large number of early spring toy actions with some excellent quality items for bid (picture is from the Spring Lloyd Ralston Gallery offering.) These have got me thinking about recent statements I've heard such as, “auctions are destroying the hobby,” and “toy meets will soon be a thing of the past.” So, up for discussion this week is this question, what is the future of antique toy buying? What is currently the best way to purchase the gems we all seek? I for one have been mulling this over for some time and decided to list my current experiences. If you are reading this please add your comments to the discussion. I am very interested in the current state of the hobby. Okay, here goes:

Ebay: Recently I have watched numerous Ebay auctions run wild. It seems that more often than not Ebay items are advertised as “exceptionally rare” and in “excellent condition for its age.” I do a lot of Ebay-ing and have great luck selling on Ebay, but only marginal success buying. As someone who generally knows what the items I am looking at are, I have some concept for quality vs. price. My feeling is that items on Ebay are often overbid for the quality offered, especially when compared to auctions. Some of the automation is very nice such as automated favorite searches but these advantages seem unbalanced by overzealous buyers who seem willing to overpay just to beat the next guy out.

Auctions: Currently Stout, Ralston and Morphy are all offering some very nice items. With a few obvious exceptions, it seems these items go for very fair prices and the condition is generally far better than what I am seeing on Ebay. Granted these auctions are more difficult to bid on than Ebay due to pre-registration requirements and potential travel, but through the addition of LiveAuctions this seems to have improved. My only complaint with auctions I have participated in is the excessively high absentee bidder fees charged. I recently paid 17.5% to Stout for a very nice, rare early Schoenner live steam engine and feel I still got a good deal, but it would be nice if they could get things down closer to 10% like Noel Barrett did for the Ward Kimball auctions.

Meets: Are they dead? Well, I attend both Spring and Fall York every year and can definitely say they’re not dead. However, for the collector who likes his trains more esoteric than Lionel and MTH I feel like I’m hunting for the proverbial needle in a haystack. But if you enjoy the hunt and don’t mind long slow walks on cement floors, nothing beats the excitement of 1200 tables full of potential diamonds. That said, prices at these meets are always negotiable and the internet has not managed to replace the good natured spirit of such shows.

In closing, what is your favorite way to find toys? What is your most successful? I for one think the future is brighter for the hobby thanks to new technologies that benefit those who can’t travel due to impairment or finances. What do you think?

Book Review: The Golden Years of Tin Toy Trains

2006-02-14T10:23:00.000-05:00

Anyone who is serious about collecting antiques realizes that research is central to the hobby. Therefore, I have decided to review a number of books recently added to my shelf. These reviews will be scattered among the many topics discussed in this forum. I begin with a look at Paul Klein Schiphorst’s “The Golden Years of Tin Toy Trains, 1850 - 1909,” published by New Cavendish Books.

I’ve had this volume for over a year and find myself constantly drawn back to its beautiful production value and extremely rare trains. Schiphorst begins the book with a brief chapter on pre-1850’s trains and then splits the remaining chapters into French manufacturers and German manufacturers. The author begins by telling us that his own collecting interests began with accessories which he felt were much underrepresented in existing literature. Therefore, he has included both a train and accessories chapter for most of the represented manufacturers.

The French chapters begin with a timeline describing the development and mergers of various manufacturers. I found this extremely useful from a research standpoint and wish the author had done the same for the better known German manufacturers. This would have been especially useful for companies such as Rock & Graner and Ernst Plank. However, his coverage of both the trains and accessories of these companies is exceptional, providing images of little seen or known makes and models. Indeed, as is New Cavendish Books’ creed, this volume gives average collectors the chance to own a piece of something most could never afford.

The 1000+ color photos expertly photographed by the author make this a coffee table book beyond comparison. Rather than simply depicting “mug shots” of the trains described, the author has propped them with structures and figures that are era-specific. He even goes as far as including early lead flats figures with the earliest trains. The author’s eye for detail in this area is truly exceptional. Additionally, this volume was not slighted on production value. It is beautifully bound with gilded edges and sold with a protective slip-box. Overall, “The Golden Years of Tin Toy Trains” has an heirloom quality which separates it from other books on my shelves.

If there is one criticism I have of this title it is the limited written descriptions of the trains and accessories depicted. From a research standpoint it would be nice to have the same amount of detail on the Marklin and Bing trains as we are given on those of French manufacture. However this information is available through other publications, and its neglect in this volume does not reduce its value as the greatest book produced on trains of this era. Now, if only someone would do this for early American Tin Trains, hmm maybe a project for my retirement years.

Unusual Ives Gondola

2006-02-01T12:50:00.000-05:00

Well, this next post came a little later than expected due to the birth of my first child (aka next in line to inherit the collection.) But now, I'm getting back to the blog. Up for discussion this week is an unusual 1880's Ives gondola I recently purchased on Ebay, unusual because it is painted bright orange rather than the usual red.

Ives manufactured a number of cast iron floor train sets in the 1880's and 1890's in both clockwork and pull-train form. In 1900 the Ives factory burned to the ground and most if not all of the casting moulds were lost (paraphrased from Louis Hertz's book "The Messrs. Ives of Bridgeport").

I'm a big fan of the 2-2-0 high smokestack locomotives of this period and have actively searched for all the elements to make a complete set. I believe that a complete set contains a locomotive and tender with two gondolas and two cast brakemen. Until recently all I had located was the locomotive pictured above, but last week I found this bright orange CP RR Ives gondola and purchased it off Ebay.

Rick Ralson's "Cast Iron Floor Trains" does not list an orange gondola. So, here's the question, is this a repaint or did Ives produce early cars in this color. The paint definitely looks original with very heavy signs of wear. In chipped areas I don't see any other tones showing through. So, any thoughts, is it original or a very early repaint? If Rick Ralston is out there and reads this I'd love to get his input as well.

Thanks to everyone who has started responding to this Blog and special thanks to Marc Kuffler for adding a link to us from his site.

Visit to the Schieble Toy Company Part 3

2005-12-08T09:17:00.000-05:00

When it comes to early friction toys, patents and patent wars drove much of the development. Looking at DP Clark, Dayton and Schieble one will quickly see many striking similarities. The differences are a bit harder to detect. As history goes, well recapped in Lillian Gottschalk’s American Motortoys, DP Clark was the first to patent the friction toy with a partner whose name escapes me. A few years later, Schieble became a partner in the DP Clark operation. In the early 1900’s Clark left the company and Schieble began making his own toys under the Schieble Toy Company moniker. Just a few years later, Clark returned to toy manufacturing with the Dayton Toy Company and the lawsuits began. I’m not sure anyone is quite clear on who sued who but both Schieble and Dayton spent many years and a great deal of money fighting for rights to the friction mechanisms begun at DP Clark.

So, what does all this mean to the collector? Basically, it has caused a good amount of confusion when it comes to the identification of these three makes. One thing is for certain, DP Clark precedes both Dayton and Schieble toys and seem to range from the late 1880’s through about 1905. Dayton and Schieble meanwhile managed to make toy friction cars into the 1930’s.

IDENTIFICATION

DP Clark cars are easily identifiable due to a large squared off flywheel usually directly contacting both axles and the use of wood in the car frame. Most Clark toys have wheels closely set together (although this is not always the case as is illustrated in Gottschalk’s book.) The flywheel mounting mechanisms on these vehicles vary over time but the overall mechanical designs are very similar. The Clark mechanisms often function very well even 100 years later. My own cars all roll very smoothly. Indeed this is one of the most appealing aspects of DP Clark toys.

Dayton toys utilize a slightly smaller flywheel that connects to only the rear wheel through a more complicated rear mount with pressure wheels. These cars are completely made of metal. The friction mechanisms have not held up as well as the Clark mechanisms and are more prone to problems such as binding and drive mechanism slip.

Image from ebay seller opamerica

Early Schieble friction toys utilize a set of spoked third wheels which contact both the ground and the flywheel. While not as complicated as the Dayton vehicles, Schieble toys also suffer from alignment, binding and slipping problems with the friction mechanism. Later Schieble friction toys utilize a sealed friction mechanism located near the rear axle.

As a collector of these three toy manufacturers I find that all three created wonderful primitive toys that appeal to toy and car collectors alike. These toys illustrate the earliest days of the automobile from electric runabouts to gas touring cars. Additionally, they are unique in function. I have personally fallen in love with the DP Clark designs. They reflect a Victorian America about to enter a technological revolution unlike anything seen before. Indeed, these toys are time capsules of that age.

Visit to the Schieble Toy Company Part 2

2005-11-22T12:23:00.000-05:00

So, one week later I was working in Dayton, Ohio with a free afternoon on the horizon. I gave Steve Seboldt a call and we arranged to meet at the Ice Avenue Lofts. If you haven’t been to Dayton before you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you find. Dayton has a quaint downtown district filled with medium high-rise buildings that look from the freeway like a pre-plasticville Lionel layout. The Ice Avenue Lofts were easy to find but access controlled, so I found myself lurking around for someone I didn’t know outside the building. After about ten minutes, a group of ladies clutching bottles of wine stopped and asked me what I was doing. Hmm, difficult to know what the best answer would be. I could tell them the truth that I’m here to see the original building for a toy car factory that was here about 90 years ago or… but just then one of the ladies asked if I was here to see Steve. She probably thought I was meeting him about real estate. I gave a uncertain, “yes” and she let me into the lobby.

Upon entering the building I was struck by how “designed” everything was. What once was a factory had been converted into a sheik hipster pad that should definitely appeal to 20 and 30 somethings who want to live in the city. An elevator was on one side and on the other wall, a beautiful print of the building as it looked in 1918 (see picture in part I). On a glass end table lay a set of brochures entitled “The History of 215 Ice Avenue Circa 1918, Schieble Toy and Novelty Company” compiled by Steve Seboldt (see picture excerpt above.) Obviously, I had found the right guy. Just then I heard a friendly, “are you Brent?” I turned around and met Steve. A confident looking man in his late 30’s with a comfortable smile a beer in hand.

Steve and I took the elevator to the top floor where his apartment overlooks the city though large brick archway windows. Steve explained that he had been directly involved in the renovation of this building and that when it was complete he couldn’t resist living in it. From where I stood I could see why. The apartments are spacious and the ceilings a very high complex of crisscrossing girders and wooden beams. All interior walls are new additions and the supporting walls are all left exposed showing the antique brickwork. Steve offered me a beer and we sat in his beautifully appointed kitchen overlooking his living room and the city of Dayton. Steve explained that the building had been abandoned for many years but that some early equipment had remained. Among all the building remnants he had discovered the end of an original Schieble wooden crate. This was now proudly displayed over the kitchen wall. Even with all the renovation it wasn’t difficult to image what this factory used to look like. Heavy equipment for bending and shaping metal on the ground floor, accounting offices on the second floor and executive offices on the top floor. This building looked as if it turned out a lot of toys, and indeed the Schieble Toy and Novelty Company did just that. In part three, I will give a little more history on the DP Clark, Dayton, Schieble connection and take a look at a few friction cars by these companies.

Visit to the Schieble Toy Company Part 1

2005-11-17T13:16:00.000-05:00

My current job subjects me to a fair amount of travel. In order to break up the monotony I sometimes arrange to visit a local site of interest such as a museum or collection.

Last summer I had the unique opportunity to spend some time in Dayton, Ohio. As a collector of DP Clark, Dayton Friction Toy Works and Schieble Toy Company friction cars I thought it would be fun to track down the original factory location for one of these businesses. Little did I know at the time that one week later I would be standing in the Schieble Toy Company's original factory building. What follows is the story of how I came to be there and what I learned about the company.

One week before I was scheduled to travel to Dayton, Ohio I began my websearch. After a good deal of websearching on these three companies over three days, the only thing I ran across was an obscure reference to a building called The Ice House and a real estate agent by the name of Steve Seboldt. On a whim I decided to send Steve an email. Here is what I said:

Steve,

I ran a across a reference to you and the Schieble Toy Company in Dayton Ohio while researching the Dayton Friction Toy Works and the Schieble Toy Company. In this reference I interpreted that the Ice Avenue Lofts may be the original location of this company. Do you have any information on this? I am a collector of Schieble Toys and will be in Dayton and would like to find the building if it still exists.

Thanks for your help,

Brent

One hour later I received Steve's response. Here it is:

Cool.

I am writing you from The Schieble Toy Company. It is now called the Ice Avenue Loft. I live here. I have some info I can send you. I also have a picture from 1918 (seen above.) I will send you a picture of how the building looks now.

I am 100% sure this is the Schieble Toy Company. You can see the name on the old picture (not visible in the web image.) Plus I verified it with the Williams Directories from that period.
I also have a piece of a packing crate in my loft that has the Schieble name on it. On the other side is a name of a company in Philadelphia

When are you coming? I would love to show you around.

Steve

What a find. With one email it looked as if I had discovered the location of the Schieble Toy Company. Not only that, but I now had an open invitation to visit the property.

Please see part 2 of this article where I will post some more information on my visit to the Schieble Toy Company and some images of my current friction car collection.

Welcome to the Antique Toys Blog

2005-11-16T14:40:00.000-05:00

Hello and welcome to the Antique Toys Blog. This is a place for discussion and general sharing about all forms of antique toys. We will be discussing American toys such as Ives, Althof Bergmann, Fallows, George Brown, Lionel, AC Gilbert, DP Clark, Hubley, Kenton and European such as Marklin, Bing, Carette and many more. I personally collect early American clockwork trains and friction cars as well as European clockwork and live steam trains. However, I do not wish to limit this Blog to just those makes and topics. There are wonderful collectables such as American and European automata, dolls and Steiff that would also be appropriate for this forum as well as many others. If you love antique toys then this is the place for you.

I originally thought of producing a podcast on this topic and this blog may eventually expand to that. But for now, I will start slow and see what interest is produced. After watching Marc Kuffler's wonderful Standard Gauge Blog I decided this was the way to go.

My motivation for a blog on this topic stems from years of toy collecting passed down from my grandfather, to my father and now to me. I am fairly young in the antique train world (33 years old) but I have been in love with toy collecting since I received my first S-gauge American Flyer train as an infant. I feel it is imperative that we get more youth involved in this hobby and blogs and podcasts are one way to do that, and by all means please consider this a two way street by commenting and contributing to the blog. I have a great love for the history and nostalgia of antique toys and am excited to share it with you.

Brent Gerity
TCA# 02-55374