Charlie Chaplin W/U Tin Toy Cast Iron Shoes B&R USA Original Box Circa 1918

Description

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THE ITEM DESCRIPTION:
The Charlie Chaplin wind-up lithographed tin toy has cast iron shoes. It stands 8 3/4” tall. It is in working condition & when wound his upper body rocks left to right while his lower body mostly stays put, anchored by those cast iron shoes. Note the arrow on his back which directs the user to wind the toy in a clockwise direction while the original box instructs that the key be turned no more than 20 times. Condition of the toy is outstanding. Nearly flawless. There is a tiny speck of paint loss on the upper right side of 1 cheek & another tiny spot of paint loss on his blue jacket. There is the usual paint loss in back around the slot where the arm attaches. The movement of the arms causes metal on metal contact & results in some small paint loss. The toy has a lot of the original gloss. Charlie's face is very detailed & realistically portrayed. Looks very much like the silent movie star circa 1914 as he appeared in dozens of short films dressed in the classic costume of the Tramp. The original box front has a printed image of the toy or the Tramp(it would be hard to tell them apart) with Chaplin's simulated autograph below. The box has the B&R logo & states that the company has the exclusive license & that it was Made in U.S.A. 1918 may be the year it was first made but it could be as early as 1916. The very rare original box is in excellent condition. The bottom end panel has been replaced with a piece of newer card stock & held in place with some clear tape & a single staple. The brown tape in the corners appear to be original to the box. I also want to make a point about the original cane & the way it is attached to the hand. I have owned or seen this toy for sale many, many times including 2 other boxed examples. I have never before noticed how the cane was attached because more than likely it was always just looped the hole in his hand next to his thumb & hanging down. After acquiring this example I noticed that there is a 2
nd
hole in the hand by the pinkie. The correct attachment of the cane is to pass it thru the thumb hole & then the pinkie hole & then down. A minor point but one that reinforces my opinion that this is the finest example of this toy that I know of with the best condition original box.
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I believe this is the very first lithographed tin comic character wind-up toy & that it was made in the USA (probably NJ) by B&R (Behrend & Rothchild) circa 1918. The toy was licensed & authorized by Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin, of course, was a real person & a movie star & not the product of the imagination of a comic strip artist or cinematic animator but nonetheless he does qualify as a comic character who appeared in Platinum Age comic books as early as 1917. As the first lithographed tin comic character wind-up toy it occupies a place of honor in the pantheon of character toys. The toy itself is not particularly rare or hard to find but it is hard to find in outstanding original condition & it is very rare to find in near mint condition with an excellent original box.
063021
/11AIGE(15)
Selling more comic character tin mechanical toys on eBay now. Louis Marx, German tin, composition, Japanese celluloid &
more.
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