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Tin Toys


The greatest number of Tin Toys were made up until the 1980s.  These were tin-lithographed marvels, decorated with bright colors and filled with simple mechanical features. Many were powered by "clockwork" mechanisms.  Winding them with a key turned a coil spring, which then powered a simple motor.  Some were battery-operated toys, and others were "friction" type playthings.  Today, the toys so common bet a few decades ago are now made by specialty houses for sale as adult collectibles.  Here are examples of tin toys.

This simple wind-up train was based on a real Santa Fe streamliner.

Schylling reproduced an older Lionel wind-up handcar, and packaged it in this tin box.

Spring-type tin carousel, a reproduction by Schylling.  Note the ticket booth on the pylon.  This toy features the intricate art so common on older tin toys.

Reproduction wind-up Zephyr Streamliner by Schylling, a wind-up train toy.

These battery-powered locomotives were popular in the 70s and 80-s.  They ran wildly, changing direction if they ran into an obstacle.  The headlights flashed, and they made sounds or played music.  Kids loved the wild motion, lights and sound.  Parents hated all the ruckus caused by these trains.  We called them "payback toys" because were you interested in annoying someone, all you had to do was buy one of these for their children.

This car has a spring mechanism.  Pull back the handle and let it roll!  An original toy from the 1950s.

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