ANTIQUE TOYS; AIRPLANES

The pionneers

Antique Toys Airplanes

1900-1940 Story by Pasky

Biplane Wright, part of a flyer-roundabout

by Charles Rossignol (1914) Right: first half of the 1920s, Gunthermann passenger airplane

The toy aicrafts reflected over the years the curious inventions that gave to the mankind the power to fly. Early toys were imitations of their real-life conterparts.

Cantilever biplane Tippco (tco), 1930

Among these toys was the nine inches long Count Zeppelin aircraft made by the German manufacturer MARKLIN in 1909. About 1914, the French Charles Rossignol (trademark CR) issued a nice early flying machine celebrating the Wright lift off with a catapult in Kitty Hawk (1903). The idea of the catapult inspired the toymaker who made this biplane a part of a round about.

The illusion of flight was mainly achieved by string suspension. A few of the aeronautical toys were fitted with clockworks mechanisms in order to move them realistically in a circle. The German Muller and Kaderer manufactured lot of superb hand-enamelled roundabouts with aeronautical themes this way as early as 1909. Most of the period toyplanes were designed to be pushed or driven along the floor by the kids so they included a simple elastic band motor to propel them or clockworks added to drive them along suspended wires (Einfalt, Bing, Lehmann models for example).

Left: a TIpp & co biplane from early 1930s, the central propeller turns, including battery op lights.

The German range Tipp &co, Distler, Gunthermann The aeronautical toys dating from the 1930s formed a major part of the production of the German toymakers. The most interesting models have been mainly manufactured by Tipp&co, Distler and Gunthermann, firms housed in the Nuremberg area.

Below an early Tipp &Co tin-plane produced about the 1930S under the 1424 name, lithographed tinplate and fitted with a wind-up mechanism (rolls on the floor and the central propeller turns).

A passenger airplane in the Tipp &co range from 1933. Rolls on the floor and fitted with electric lights. Hook for hanging. Above the cockpit detail

Above: a Tipp & co passenger plane from 1930/36 with mechanism and battery operated lights on the lower wing.

The above cute cantilever biplane was produced by Tipp & co during 1930– 1938. TCO was one of the most prolific toymaker and issued a huge range of toy planes, even during the WWII period with lithographed models bearing the Nazi cross. Considering the numerous airplanes added in their catalogues, It seems that this toymaker didn’t lacked tin plate material during this war period.

Focus on the Lindbergh SPIRIT of SAINT LOUIS The American aviator Charles Lindbergh made in may 1927 the very first solo air crossing flight from New York to Paris.

The monoplane piloted by Lindbergh was designed by Ryan airlines and built in San Diego (cal) with the essential financial support of generous financiers of the city of St Louis.

A funny 1927 version of the fly « Liberty statue » to Eiffel tower by Bing toymaker

This memorable event gave birth of numerous ingenious and wonderful aeronautical toys, especially by the German toy factory Bing, French maker JML founded in 1930 by Mr Magnien was also in the game with the tiny adorable rolling plane below from 1927 called New York- Paris

A second tribute to the Spirit of Saint Louis from 1927

By Bing, the planes are fitted with springs mechanisms, the propellers turn.

All made of lithographed tinplates

In this third 1930 novelty, Bing depicted the « Berlin to New York « crossing event.

And finally the American toymakers tributes.

Below the Girard NX 211 plane And right the Ferdinand Strauss novelty « Spirit of St Louis NX 211 »

All painted and lithographed plane, the propeller turns (spring mechanism)

Three striking Dornier DO-X seaplanes

Amy « QUEEN OF THE AIR »airplane

The real giant Dornier DO-X carrying 100 persons was built for the trans-Atlantic service. Fitted with 12 engines, these huge seaplanes were in the early 1930s catalogues of the toymakers. Among them, German Fleischmann launched 2 models depicted above which are certainly the most relalistic ever made as toys. The wingspan is 17,7 inches, most planes are all silver tin but the left model is a scarce variation in cream, white, green and brown.

Below a more affordable DX airplane by Gunthermann (1928)

A wonderful tribute by Gunthermann to the muchfêted and courageous English aviatrix of the thirties Amy Johnson. The first woman to fly solo piloting her biplane from Britain to Australia. The toy issued in 1931 measures 14,5 inches long, all lithographed tin, including Amy pilot in coloured lithographed tin-plate. The toy rolls on the floor and the front propeller turns. Notice the metal hook on the top to hang the airplane.

Catalogues and books A warm thank to Patrick Despature, author of the must-have book entitled « Mes Avions Jouets » . All photographs by Roberto Pellegrini.

on Aeronautical toys available at

Email pasky the author at paskytoy@orange.fr

www.toybookshop.com Painting by Jacques MILET