The Nuts and Bolts of Vintage Tin Toys

Before Game Boy and Play Station, there were tin toys. During their heyday, these whimsical toys amused children for hours. Today, these toys have great nostalgic appeal. Here's your guide to tin toys.

The Players.

In England, Wells, Hornby and Chad Valley were dominant players in the tin toy market. During the post-1930 period, these companies were at their peak and any of their work from this period is very desirable. In Germany, Märklin and Bing were the big guns. In France, it was Fernand Martin. Toys by any of these makers are desirable.

How It Started.

Before there were tin toys, children played with wood and paper toys. Tinplating was developed during the Industrial Revolution. Its discovery made the tinplated toy industry possible. Tinplate was fashioned into boats, submarines, cars, planes, horse drawn carriages and more.

Germany dominated the pre-WWI export market. The outbreak of WWI forced the rest of Europe, Japan and the US into the market due to wartime shortages and to counteract the German dominance.

After WWI, Germany refocused their economy and regained market dominance in tin toys.

But once again, war affected commerce when WWII resulted in shortages in raw materials and a battle-focused economy.

Post WWII, when Germany and Japan received financial aid to revitalize their economies, the tin toy industry in these countries was revived.

Just as tin toys were once the hot new toy replacing wood and paper toys, tin toys were usurped by plastic toys by the 1970s. These new plastic toys captured the imaginations of children since they were cheaper to produce, didn't rust and were sturdy.

How They're Made.

Tin toys were made from sheet iron that was plated with a protective layer of tin to prevent rusting. Before the Industrial Revolution, tin toys were stamped out, molded and hand painted. The Industrial Revolution led to mass production.

Around 1875, lithography - a transfer printing process whereby a series of dots make up colors - was invented. This eliminated the time-consuming hand painting and increased production.

Part of the charm of tin toys is that you wind them up and away they go. The clockwork mechanism (the mechanical part of a watch that makes it tick) is responsible for this action. In 1945, clockwork mechanisms were replaced by battery-operated mechanisms.

Condition.

If a tin toy looks brand new, works perfectly and is in a pristine box, it is considered to be in mint condition. Very good condition refers to a toy without spots or dents. Some fading is acceptable. Good condition means reasonable condition. Play-worn implies just that - a used toy which may have chips in the paint and missing parts. Keep any original boxes regardless of the shape because they help to authenticate the manufacturer and date.

Paint Repairs.

The lithography process makes paint repairs almost impossible to do. And a poor restoration job will lessen the value of a toy.

How to Date Tin Toys - Part I.

A little knowledge of lithography can help to figure out the age of tin toys. In older lithography - (1875 - 1960) each color was printed on a separate plate. Under a magnified glass, you'll see dots appearing in an irregular pattern. Newer lithography - (1960 to present) only four colors - black, red, yellow and blue are combined to make up all the colors in the rainbow. Under a magnified glass, dots will appear in a regular pattern.

How To Date Tin Toys - Part II.

From the end of WWII until 1950s, German toys were labeled "Made in US Zone" and items made in Japan were marked "Occupied Japan". After 1950s, Japan used "Made in Japan" and Germany used "Made in West Germany". Keep these two tips in mind when you're trying to figure out how old a tin toy is.

Hot Toys.

Japanese robots and exotic limousines from the 1950 - 1960s are desirable to serious collectors. Plus, any Batman and Disney tin toys continue to be popular.

Spotting Fakes.

Spotting fakes with tin toys is tricky. The marks on many new toys are the exact same as the marks used on old items because some manufacturers such as Paya, a Spanish company, continue to use the original moulds and dies. One thing for you to watch for is that newer models tend to be marked with "Limited Edition".

Martin Swinton owns Take-A-Boo Emporium located in Toronto, Canada. He has appeared on a variety of television programs; does furniture restoration; caning and rushing repairs; appraisals and has taught courses on antiques at the Learning Annex. Martin can be reached at http://www.takeaboo.com

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Crafts-Hobbies Information:

Related Articles

Organize That Stash!
Do you control your stash or does it control you? I have become the master of my stash. When my husband found out that his sock drawer had become yet another place for cross stitch supplies, it was either get it under control or end up in divorce court.
Embroidery Thread Tips for Better Machine Embroidery Sewing
I have some tips for you to get better results with using your embroidery threads in machine embroidery sewing.1.
Diet and Fitness - Help from Your Hobbies
Everybody battles with their weight from time to time. It's either too much junk food or not enough exercise.
The Use of Color and Photographs in Your New Scrapbook
Color coordination and contrast will highlight and accent your scrapbook. A well thought out color scheme can help define the theme of a page, attract attention to specific items, or detract away from mistakes.
What Is A Reverse Painting?
Welcome to the world of Reverse Painting on Glass.Reverse painting on glass has been considered a popular 'art of the people' for  many centuries.
Preserving Thanksgiving Memories for Scrapbooking
Last year our family tried out a new way to preserve Thanksgiving memories, and the result was truly a treasured keepsake.A day or two before Thanksgiving, my daughter and I used a turkey rubber stamp to make place cards for all of our family members.
Preservation and Making Copies of Your Scrapbook
You put a great deal of time, thought, and effort into your scrapbook pages. Scrapbooks often are very personalized creative works that are very meaningful to the creator.
Woodworking Tools: Right Selection And Care Will Save You Money, Part 1
Woodworking: Tools Of The Trade, Part 1 - A Place To WorkA civilization's maturity and intelligence is judged, in part, by the diversity and sophistication of its tools. When it comes to woodworking, the human race is quite advanced.
The Theme and Title of Your New Scrapbook
The theme of your scrapbook can be simple or complex. Your theme could be a special event such as a birthday, a baby shower, a wedding, Christmas, or Halloween.
Woodworking Tools: Right Selection And Care Will Save You Money, Part 4
Woodworking: Tools Of The Trade, Part 4 - Tools For ShapingA civilization's maturity and intelligence is judged, in part, by the diversity and sophistication of its tools. When it comes to woodworking, the human race is quite advanced.
Creating Vacation Memories
My daughter and I recently had the opportunity to spend a week at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. We were totally overwhelmed with all the things there were to do, and I had no idea how we would ever be able to remember it all.
Machine Embroidery Digitizing - What Youll Need Besides the Software
You've purchased an embroidery machine, practiced the designs that were included in the package, maybe even bought a disc of designs or downloaded a few designs off the Internet to stitch out. Now you're thinking about investing in digitizing software and taking your embroidery to the next level.
Making Your Own Bird Feeder
There is estimated to be over 100 billion individual wild birds on earth, and each one needs to eat certain amounts of food on a daily basis in order to survive. That's where we come in! Birdfeeders are fun to make and are essential in order for birds to live.
Use Newspaper Clippings, Graphics, Kids Art, and Clipart to Enhance Your Scrapbook
A popular addition to scrapbook pages is newspaper clippings. Newspaper clippings of birth announcements, team photographs, or favorite celebrities add a personal touch to scrapbook pages.
Idle Hands Beget The Devils Work
As a southern girl, sewing was a rite of passage. You never questioned if you should learn, it was a matter of when.
History of Kokeshi Wooden Dolls from Japan
Little is known of the early history of Kokeshi Japanese Wooden Dolls. One school of thought believes that Kokeshi dolls have their origins in the practice of spiritualist religion.
Airbrush for Profit - Sell Your Services to Colleges
Colleges, schools, university and the like are one way you can make money from airbrushing. Why they are a good market is that there are plenty of students to begin with.
17 Tips For Getting Balloons to Last Longer in Hot Weather
In warm weather, latex balloons will typically only last outside for a day. As you know, sun, wind and heat will biodegrade the latex.
Rubber Stamping: From Maya Indians to Scrapbooking
Who would have thought that your scrapbooking and card making had a connection to the Maya Indians? Rubber Stamping is certainly one of the fastest growing hobbies today, and for good reason. With its inexpensive materials and creative versatility, rubber stamping provides millions with hours of fun and creativity.
Depression Glass Companies
Just before the advent of the Great Depression, more than ahundred companies manufactured glassware in the UnitedStates. At the end of the Depression, fewer than fiftypercent of these companies remained in business.
>