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Friday, May 25, 2012

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Playful Collectibles I: Tin Toys

Recently, I've come across a number of homeowners who collect tin toys. Eric Roth, an interiors photographer, collects tin robots, mostly found on eBay; painter Lee Essex Doyle and her husband, Walt Doyle (internet exec of Where), have a variety of tin characters, and Joel Neuschatz, a retired physician, collector of Americana, and co-author of Vintage Smoking Stands, has shelves and shelves of tin vehicles. Each of the collectors are motivated by aesthetics, using the old-fashioned playthings as objets d'art. Indeed, eBay has seen a 12 percent jump in listings for tin toys since May, a sign that others are joining in on the fun.

The manufacture of tin toys began in the mid-1800s, when they were devised from thin sheets of tin-plated steel as a less expensive and lightweight substitute for wooden and cast-iron amusements. Back then, toys were painted by hand, though around 1875 a process called offset lithography was invented and used to print the designs. (Lithography is a transfer printing process whereby a series of dots make up colors.) Following lithography, the toys were die-cut and assembled, and a clockwork mechanism made the wind-up models move.

In the early days, most tin toys were produced in Germany, though companies in England and France made them as well. Mass-produced toys actually originated in the U.S., and by World War I, Louis Marx was the largest producer here. The Japanese entered the market as well, and production there peaked after World War II. Today, Bandai is Japan’s largest and most successful tin toy maker, though not surprisingly, most present day examples are made in China. (Batteries not included.)

eBay has a huge number of tin toys, both original and reproduction.

Roll over items for details
Vintage Zebra Old Tin Wind Up Toy
(buy it now price, $44.99)
Vintage Tin Motorcycle Rider
(buy it now price, $15)
Playful Collectibles I: Tin Toys

 

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