BROWN OR BERGMANN PAINTED TIN TOY FULTON PADDLE WHEEL BOAT 14" LONG, 1860s-1870s

Description: In this listing we are offering an exceptional early American painted tin pull toy boat attributed to either the Althof Bergmann Toy Company of New York City, N. Y. or to the George W. Brown and Company toy makers of Forestville, Conn. This example is a "Fulton" paddle wheel boat which we have had in our collection for many years. The toy turned up fresh out of the original Lancaster County, Pa. estate quite a number of years ago. This paddle wheel toy boat even retains the original string. We are the first owners of the toy since the toy passed down in the family that originally obtained it when the toy was made circa 1860's to 1870's. The boat measures 14 inches long by 6 1/8 inches tall to the top of the stacks by 3 3/4 inches across the back wheels by 3 1/2 inches across the paddlewheel casing. Over the years that we have owned this toy we have seen SIMILAR early American painted tin boats (none exact, & most in far lesser condition than ours) in books, articles, pictures of boats in collections, as well as auction catalogs, which have had attributions such as: Possibly James Fallows & Son, 1880's-1890's Phila., Pa. (not likely from our research) Similar example attributed to Althof Bergmann as circa 1874 in an old toy magazine article. We have heard from several advanced collectors on eBay of early American tin toys who wrote to us about our boat. One advanced collector who wrote to us is convinced that our boat was made by the Althof Bergmann Toy Company circa 1875 based on an example with similar features in the Deisenroth collection sold at Julia's auction in 2010. So, we will say that our example may possibly have been made by Althof Bergmann. A different advanced collector who wrote to us is convinced that our boat was made by George W. Brown and Company. So, we will leave the conclusion as to the maker resting on the personal judgement of the buyer. Similar example shown on page 19 in "American Clockwork Toys" by Blair Whitton with no attribution as to maker. Similar example is shown pictured in a writeup about a 1978 TV Christmas program on the PBS station in which the early toy collector Barney Barenholtz appears. Shown on a shelf next to him in one of his toy rooms is a similar boat. Similar, but less elaborate, example shown on plate 4 in the "George Brown Toy Sketchbook" by Barney Barenholtz. There is also some chance that the boat was made by the Stevens and Brown Toy Company after the George W. Brown and Company merged with them in 1869. If so, that could place the boat as circa 1869-1870's or so. We personally feel that this painted tin pull toy boat was made by George Brown. But, we will leave the final judgement as to the maker up to the buyer's personal judgement on this fine early American painted tin toy. In any event here is the description. We have left the considerable dust & some surface dirt on the toy just as we originally found it many years ago. We have never dusted or cleaned the toy preferring to leave the original surface exactly as found with old dust & dirt present. For the entire time that we have owned this wonderful tin toy boat the toy has resided in a cabinet with closed doors and with no exposure to sunlight or to any additional dust. There are some very thin letters crudely scratched in to the paint underneath the toy. The letters appear to be in the hand of a young child. This lettering is probably the initials or the names of two children who were members of the family that originally owned this toy. We are only able to read a few of the letters. So, we are not able to read enough of the letters to determine what the inscription says. The toy has some paint wear as pics show. However, as you can see, the major majority of the original paint is still present. The paint is in exceptionally pleasing condition for an early American painted tin toy of this size & quality. The colors are quite rich & there is absolutely no fading to any of the colors. One of the stacks became detached at some point (probably in the early years of use) & was reattached to the toy (probably also in the early years of use). The bottom area around that one stack shows early (in period) re-attachment to the roof. We have black lighted the toy & there are no signs anywhere of any modern touch up to the paint (anywhere on the toy). On the area around the base of the one re-attached stack the surface shows up black when looked at under the blacklight. This is an area measuring from 1/8 inch to 3/8 inch wide on the roof from the bottom edge of the stack where the stack was re-attached. From the way the blacklight responds to this area this minor touch up to paint definitely occurred many years ago & probably in the early days when the toy was actually in use. When we obtained the toy one of the small back wheels was loose on the end of the axle. So, a number of years ago, we had the tip of one end (only) of the axle professionally gently & lightly re-peened so that the wheel would be soundly in place. The front section of the roof has, over the years since the toy was made, very slightly detached from the center section. So, the roof sits slightly canted a little to the left. This is something that most people would not even notice. But, we want to mention everything very accurately in our description. The front of the boat would have originally had a long vertical wire with a small tin ball or a small piece of thin tin at the top of the wire. This vertical wire piece with the tiny tin piece that would have been on top is missing. So, there are a few minor flaws as mentioned. However, over the 55+ years which we have been involved with antique toys this is, clearly without question, one of the finest examples condition-wise of a large & significant early American painted tin boat which we have seen. Except for the small area around the base of the one stack this toy has totally untampered with original paint. Otherwise, all of the parts present are original & all of the paint present is original on this toy. It is amazing & wonderful that even the original tin American flag has survived with excellent & entirely original paint!!! You could easily search decades or more to find an opportunity to acquire an example of a large & significant early American painted tin boat of this fine quality and this level of originality. The opportunity is presented in this listing. This fine tin toy boat has been one of the top early American tin toys in our collection for many years. Please examine the photos closely & purchase based on your own judgement as to condition & value. This item is inventory #10051. Shipping by U.S.P.S. Registered Insured Mail is free and available only to addresses within the U.S.

Price: 37000 USD

Location: Lampeter, Pennsylvania

End Time: 2023-11-05T19:47:15.000Z

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