Disney Donald Duck MARX Wind-up Toy

Description

Disney Donald Duck MARX Wind-up is a Mid century plastic Donald Duck windup toy. Donald measures 6.25 inches tall and is leaning on his umbrella. He has a tiny red butterfly on the tip of his tail. Simply turn the key and watch him fling his tail around with the butterfly on it. This toy was made by Marx Toy Company in the 1950s and is in excellent condition. There is some minor paint loss and wear but it still works and is so fun to watch. Donald is marked W.D.P. which stands for Walt Disney Productions.

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Louis Marx was born in Brooklyn on 08 / 11 / 1896, NY to Jacob and Clara Lou Marx, and after graduating from Ft. Hamilton High School in 1911, became an Office boy for Ferdinand Strauss mechanical toy manufacturer in 1912. By 1916, Louis Marx became manager of Strauss’ New Jersey plant, but was soon fired for urging volume manufacturing /sales. After a short stint in the Army, he returned to civilian life as a salesman for Vermont Wood Products Co. gaining experience in wood toys. Louis Marx and Co., Inc. was established in 1919 with brother David; and as middlemen they worked on sales commission. With a wealth of experience in hand, Marx marketed toys from other factories; Strauss, C.G. Wood, Girard, Carter. At last in 1921 Louis rented factory space from Carter toys in Erie, PA (formerly associated with Strauss), and began to make toys in that year. Late in 1921 Louis was able to purchase Strauss with old dies for the Alabama minstrel dancer, and Zippo climbing monkey. By the end of 1922, Louis Marx had already sold over 8 million of each toy and had become a millionaire, and in 1928 produced an innovative new Yo-Yo which achieved an all-time record sales of over 100 million units, being distributed through Sears. from the golden age of the tin lithotype toys during the 1930s through the latter synthetic Linemar collaboration with the Japanese in the 1950s and 1960s, Marx Toys established a quality and innovation standard that will maintain them as one of the prime collectibles for generations to come. 1972 saw the end of the Louis Marx era, as the company was purchased by the Quaker Oats Co. of Stamford, Conn. Over the years, Marx used Marx, Marline, Joy Line, and Lumar as trade names.

Obrien’s Collecting Toys, 12th edition, Karen Obrien, 2008, page 277. Retail Value Estimate: $90-$120 Condition: minor wear, minor paint wear, still works!

Weight: 5oz Measurements (LxWxH): 3.75 inches x 5.5 inches x 6.25 inches

Provenance: -Five Brothers Rare Toy Estate, The core of the collection was actually established in the 1950s by the father (from Indiana) of the adult sons who are consignors to the May sale. As time went on, each of the five brothers set out on his own individual collecting path. Each took a different approach to building his collection, but the one important thing they had in common was a love of vintage American toys, primarily of the boomer era. The time-span for the toys is heavily focused on the 1950s and 60s, with a few from the 1970s.