1850s Toys

Toy Noah’s Arks for children to play with were very popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, and Germany was very prolific in their production. This particular ark is all ori...

This fun and folky original painted iron penny bank has the original painted surface in working condition. Put a penny in his hand and pull the lever for him to swallow the coin. The small tin...

Offered for sale is a very traditional Folk Art item; a handcrafted Noah's Ark toy with 34 hand-painted and hand-carved animals (includes Noah and Naamah). The flat bottom ark indica...

This very fine country rocking horse is not only fantastic looking and all original paint it is sturdy and strong. The pony skin is worn as well as the saddle but all in tack.

A wonderful mid 19th Century folk working wooden rocking horse painted in early white paint, with glass eyes {one missing} real mane and tail hair, leather saddle on a wooden frame. ...

Wonderful 19th Century nursery rocking horse by G. J. Lines. This charming horse features a wonderfully detailed head, with a dished face and flared nostrils. He retains hi...

An antique balance toy showing a cowboy on it's horse when it balance is the head and tale of the horse moving like also the cowboy This is totale han...

19th century carved wooden rocking horse on a working rocker. This piece has good proportions and a patina with original glass eyes.  

Lots of charm and good condition for this 19th century papier mâché toy horse on wheels.

This brightly lithographed tin wind-up toy in colors of red, yellow, and blue, with a driver dressed in appropriate motorcycle clothing, depicts a young man driving a delivery cart with "Speed Boy Delivery" printed on each side of the wagon. The manufacturers logo is clearly marked on both sides of the stake wagon and on the right shoulder of the driver "MAR" with a circle around it and "Made in The United States of America, New York, N.Y." around the circumference (see images). The license plate number is "268", which, along with the red painted inside of the drivers arms (as it should be!) indicates this earlier version and authenticity. Nearly 100 years old, it still operates fine and, upon winding the attached wind-up key a few times and placing the toy on the ground, the motorcycle and driver move across the floor on the way to their deliveries; do not over wind. (see video attached to this listing). The toy is completely original and in very good condition, with no repairs or restorations of any kind and no touch up or repaint. The arms and steering handle bars are also original (sometimes replaced) and they have the appropriate paint and markings. This would make a welcome addition to a collection of pre-war Americana. Dimensions: 9 7/8" long x 5 7/8" wide x 5 3/4" high After 40 plus years of dealing and collecting toys, I am justly qualified to guarantee and present the authenticity of antique and vintage toys...

A terrific pair of mid-19th century carved wood bowling balls. A great accessory for any tabletop or bookcase.

In the late 19th century the concept of thrift became a principle by which parents encouraged their children to safe money by putting their pennies into a "piggy bank", thus the proliferation of these items by pottery manufacturers, this particular example marked "SS" on the underneath indicating "A Smith Ltd.", Longton, England whose ceramic, china, and pottery business began in 1846 by Sampson Smith. Nicely molded and in excellent condition, this proverbial pig themed penny bank is painted overall white with a multiplicity of green "spatter" spots, the pig standing on all fours has a twisted tail in back. The original finish is beautifully glazed resulting in a lovely patina to this completely original bank with no restoration or touch up paint of any kind and all of it's original hand paint intact. Since these type of antique banks typically were made without a coin removal trap, the only way to extract the coins would have been the old "knife in the slot" method and retrieving the pennies one by one; or the more simpler method of smashing and breaking the bank, which is why locating these banks is very difficult, rendering a fine example particularly rare. This example is a wonderful addition to a collection of authentic still banks, folk art, or for those who accumulate pig items. This recently came from an estate collection of pig still banks. A similar example is referenced as #633 "Two Toned Pig" in Andy Moore's "The Penny Bank Book" written in 1984 when collecting pottery banks...