A new reference book on French RADIGUET & SONS SCIENTIFIC TOYS Radiguet was founded in Paris, France in 1872. The Radiguets marketed their new type of « scientific toys » such as live steam engines, boats, locomotives, but also boxes of electrical experiments based on the latest scientific discoveries in a mail order catalogue which was the first of its kind. Some splendid boats were issued from the toy maker in Paris, with their wooden polished decks and masts, hulls constructed from zinc, with a great deal of details in brass, as boilers and funnels. These toy ships, steam powered, have been surely the most aesthetically pleasing.
Using experience acquired in steam engines, the Maison RadiAbove: Type 220 live steam loco without its tender. guet developed also a wide range of steam-driven toy trains. The varnished copper has a whistle, valve, dome,
The locomotives and boilers were beautifully made of copper, simplified to be true toys for kids. They used an alcohol burner band reverse contol level. Length 58 cm. Below: Type 110 live steam loco, appears in the 1887 and were propelled by cranks coupled to the wheels. Here are a few of them drawn from the new book. Below: Type 220 live stealm locomotive, non-working model Scaled down to1/125, probably unique piece made circa 1900
Right: Live steam »Crampton » locomotive signed Radiguet probably produced before 1880. The cylinders are fixed with shaped connecting rods which activates the back wheels. Length: 38 centimeters
catalogue
Clockwork: A gorgeous 72 cm double wooden masted circa 1920 Two views of a steam gunboat with mahogany double deck circa 1895 Double wooden masted boat with 2 air passengers, 1887
About the author Frédéric Marchand Expert on ANTIQUE TOYS
Frédéric Marchand in his parisian shop
For the past forty years now I have been tirelessly hunting down toys used by our ancestors. This passion completely absorbed me and, once I had finished my medical studies, I took it up professionally. I opened a toy shop in « Saint Germain des Prés » (Paris)… As a child, I was fortunate enough to receive for Christmas « a little electrician » toy box and a workshop steam engine. These gifts awakened my curiosity but it is on later that I was able to meet the « vaporists », the live steam enthusiasts, from whom I caught the virus that makes me want to track down any steam toy I hear of. Email the author at Frederic.Marchand3@sfr.fr ……………………………………………………...
The RADIGUET book ( big size De luxe edition, hardbound, page count 190) is available in English language at :
WWW.TOYBOOKSHOP.COM Book review by Pasky