siege1863 Posted August 12, 2012 Share #29 Posted August 12, 2012 Some of my homefront toys on display at the local library. Wanted to show the kids what children from the time of the war might find under the tree. Link to comment
siege1863 Posted August 12, 2012 Share #31 Posted August 12, 2012 I also have an extensive collection of original WWII-period photos of children playing with the toys and wearing uniforms. Can post if there is an interest. Link to comment
siege1863 Posted August 12, 2012 Share #32 Posted August 12, 2012 A few more I found in another file... Link to comment
siege1863 Posted August 12, 2012 Share #35 Posted August 12, 2012 Here is a rare piece. This is the WWII vintage version ("Gung Ho"). I cannot recall the name used on the later product. This thing is made entirely out of cardboard, paper, and particle board. Needless to say, left out in the weather just once and it was ruined. This example retains the original string and cone that could be attached to another walkie in order to communicate. I imagine one of the first parts to break was the extended antenna. Link to comment
siege1863 Posted August 12, 2012 Share #36 Posted August 12, 2012 Here is another view from the sales listing. Forgot to mention it still has the cloth carrying strap. Link to comment
siege1863 Posted August 12, 2012 Share #37 Posted August 12, 2012 From the Sears 1944 Christmas "Wish Book." Link to comment
Dr_rambow Posted August 12, 2012 Author Share #38 Posted August 12, 2012 Now THAT is a collection. I love wartime made things, it is a wonderful mix of depression era creativity and folk art. I particularly like the home made looking ones. I don't think it gets a lot of attention due to it being home-front, but it is an equally important part of history. I'm so happy you shared it with us! That first 1919 is beautiful. I wish I had stuff like that as a kid! Is the "drum" on this one a tin can? That's just cool Link to comment
Dr_rambow Posted August 12, 2012 Author Share #39 Posted August 12, 2012 I'll add one more before work. As promised, another tank. This 14" long M3 Stuart is large and in charge, not to mention highly detailed and accurate. Each piece of thick grain wood is unique, implying that it was not professionally made but instead made with enthusiasm. The person who made this wasn't perfect, but they cared enough to make many many little details. The machine guns are made with thin brass pipe. There is a hand machined cooling shroud on the barrel of the coaxial machine gun on the turret (which I absolutely love). The treads are canvas straps with individual pieces of irregularly cut angular dowels glued on. The fenders are made with steel, what is interesting is that they are covered with welding slag, implying that they were probably scraps from a larger job. It has English red-white-red markings on each side, which is a rather peculiar, very specific thing to put on a model tank. It was an American tank and most were used by the Brits during the war, but this marking is opposite of the usual white-red-white. All the little details come together, I'm inclined to think that this probably was not made by your average guy in his garage. Even if it isn't wartime, I'm almost certain it was vet made. I got this from England, took over a month to get here since it was sent by ship! I was beginning to think it wasn't going to show up. A friend of mine on another site did a little research into what Brits would have used this in the time period where the red-white-red marking was used. Nothing conclusive turned up, but I was able to find a Valentine tank made in the same way (found in the AAF Tank museum collection). It's the large one, right center of the image. The museum believe that is a wartime piece. My friend speculates that is might be an early training aid, since both the tanks are early war production, and certainly not the usual tanks you see depicted in period art (Shermans, T34s, German tanks, etc.). I might have to do more research on this one at some point. Hope you guys get a kick out of it, siege1863's toys are a tough act to follow! Link to comment
Sabrejet Posted August 12, 2012 Share #40 Posted August 12, 2012 A white-red-white-marking was a formation sign often used on British cruiser and infantry tanks during the desert campaign. Great collection BTW! :thumbsup: Link to comment
siege1863 Posted August 12, 2012 Share #41 Posted August 12, 2012 Now THAT is a collection. I love wartime made things, it is a wonderful mix of depression era creativity and folk art. I particularly like the home made looking ones. I don't think it gets a lot of attention due to it being home-front, but it is an equally important part of history. I'm so happy you shared it with us! That first 1919 is beautiful. I wish I had stuff like that as a kid! Is the "drum" on this one a tin can? That's just cool I acquired the M1919 from the little boy, now old man, who owned it. His father was a school teacher and had access to the equipment in the school shop class and made it for him as a Christmas gift. I also have a couple of wooden airplanes, with interchangable parts, his father made. Both were made using a set of commercially marketed plans with needed materials lists. I got lucky and found both sets of plans! As for the homemade MG, it is indeed a tin can attached for a drum magazine. Link to comment
Dr_rambow Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share #42 Posted August 14, 2012 That's the best place to get things, from the original owner. It seems much more personal that way in that it's not just an object, but something you know someone enjoyed. :thumbsup: This is actually one of my newer additions, but one I am very fond of none the less. It was made by the D. N. Carlin Company in Pittsburgh PA. The company was founded in 1917, so you can imagine where he drew the influence of this piece. Documentation on this company is hard to dredge up, but this most likely dates from the late teens-early 20s. The construction style is very indicative of the early days; heavy duty is a understatement. The gauge of the steel on some parts is as much as 3/32", which puts some industrial grade parts made today to shame. There even appears to be a few machined parts to go along with the mostly stamped and pressed steel components. The L shaped rod coming out of the back is pulled until the plate (holding the springs) catches behind the trigger. When ready to fire, just pull the chain! It comes complete with a crank to adjust the elevation of the barrel. From end to end this thing is about 14". I can't imagine something like this being made today. I need to try to find the patent date for this design, that will give me a good idea of when it was made. The stamp, though faint, reads "Patent applied for". Hopefully I can figure out which one it is! Link to comment
Marksman Posted August 14, 2012 Share #43 Posted August 14, 2012 Wow what a gun! Absolutly fantastic! I collect "Toy" Canons - and i love that gun! Greetings Stefan Link to comment
BEAST Posted August 14, 2012 Share #44 Posted August 14, 2012 Ohhh, that is a nice artillery piece! David N. Carlin's company is mentioned in the History of Pittsburgh, but it doesn't give much detail. Link to comment
Dr_rambow Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share #45 Posted August 14, 2012 Marksman, you better go get some pictures Thanks! Beast, I've read the small passage in that publication a few times now, somehow hoping I would see something I missed before. It says he made toys, but the funny thing is that I have only ever seen cannons from the guy. Go figure. I spent some time looking through Google patents for this design, but didn't find anything from him. To my surprise, I DID find something: http://www.google.com/patents?id=O3BOAAAAE...non&f=false Look familiar? Link to comment
Gregory Posted August 14, 2012 Share #46 Posted August 14, 2012 Out of curiosity I looked here. I am not an owner of wartime toys but -- by coincidence -- have tons of press ads of the US WWII era military toys, models etc. Are you interested? Regards Gregory Link to comment
Dr_rambow Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share #47 Posted August 14, 2012 Sure! Why not? Those ads help with research, especially the early and obscure stuff. Link to comment
Gregory Posted August 15, 2012 Share #48 Posted August 15, 2012 Sure! Why not? Those ads help with research, especially the early and obscure stuff. OK. Source: Air Trails, Vol. XXII No. 4, July 1944 Link to comment
Gregory Posted August 15, 2012 Share #49 Posted August 15, 2012 Source: Air Trails, Vol. XXII No. 4, July 1944 Link to comment
Got da Penny Posted August 15, 2012 Share #50 Posted August 15, 2012 Here is my P38 Trench Art .... Now listed online. Carey Link to comment
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