Mr Punchs Shop : Track Toys
| | |  | 1960s Boxed Hungarian Traffic Control Track Toy(Reference #02-1-14ht)
Made in Hungary in the 1960s, this tinplate track toy is a very close copy of the West German Technofix traffic control toy (catalogue no 295) first made in 1959. This version is contained in its original cardboard box (20.5" x 15.5" x 2"), and consists of a printed tinplate baseplate with levers, and three printed tinplate and wind-up vehicles: two cars and a coach. The baseplate represents a busy city centre and you have to control the rush-hour traffic by means of using the levers to stop, start, and control the direction of the traffic. The vehicles measure approximately 3" long, and are all in full working order. Both the baseplate and the vehicles are slightly scuffed, but are still in very acceptable condition. The track toy lacks its eight plastic traffic signs which plug into the baseplate, but this does not seriously detract from the hours of fun to be gained from playing with this toy. An instruction sheet would presumably have originally been included with the toy; this is now missing, but we have included a photocopy of the Technofix instruction sheet to make up the deficit. The original box is complete and intact, but is scuffed, slightly stained, and marked with biro. This is a copy of a classic track toy that deserves a place in any serious collection of such toys. (WR) US$98.00
Price: £49.00 | |
| 1960s French Technofix Copy Tin W/U Track Toy(Reference #5-7-21)
Made by Punch of France in the 1960s, this is a direct copy of a Technofix track toy: catalogue number 296, the Scenic Highway, issued in 1959. Everything is identical, even down to the name on the alpine hotel - 'Bellevue'. The toy consists of a tinplate base (13" x 8" x 3") lithographed with mountain scenery that houses the mechanism and the integral key, and one red and yellow tinplate saloon (2" long). Please note that there should be two cars: one is, unfortunately, missing. The track toy has an integral key and the wind-up motor works perfectly, propelling the driving arm round. However, the arm doesn't pick up the car and therefore requires some adjustment. This shouldn't present a problem to an experienced track toy collector who is used to this type of mechanical work. This track toy is in very good condition cosmetically: the lithography is still bright and shiny and is only subject to slight age-related wear. This consists of very minor scuffing to the base, tunnel, and car. The Technofix original of this toy is hard to find these days; this exact copy is an even rarer item. (WR) US$98.00
Price: £49.00 |  | |
|  | 1960s Boxed Russian Tin W/U Track Toy(Reference #03-1-19)
Made by the Lenin Memorial Factory in the former Soviet Union in the 1960s, this tinplate and wind-up bus terminal track toy is complete with its original box. Measuring 4.75" x 9.5", the toy is attractively lithographed and is in full working order. Wind it up (but please note that a key is not supplied) and six buses circle round the two circuits, appearing and disappearing into and out of the tunnel and garages. Both the toy and the box are in very good condition. (TR) US$20.00
Price: £10.00 | |
| 1960s UK Boxed W/U Marx Motorway Track Toy(Reference #9-12-05b)
Marx made this interesting boxed track toy around the time of the opening of the first motorway (M1) in England in 1961. The set has an evocative box illustration depicting cars of the period and a typical motorway flyover. The track comprises 16 plastic sections that make up into a two-lane figure of eight with a flyover. This track configuration is a direct copy of the earlier Marx tinplate track. The two wind-up plastic cars (one red; one blue) are in working order (but please note that a key is not supplied) and represent a stylised estate wagon of the period. Both vehicles are in good condition generally except that the blue car has one end of the rear bumper missing and has slight distortion to the baseplate. However, this last defect does not affect the operation of the car in any way whatsoever. The box is complete, but the lid is worn, torn and creased commensurate with its age. Both the box and the cars are marked 'MARX TOYS GREAT BRITAIN' indicating that this toy was made at Marx's UK factory in Swansea, Wales. (WR) US$138.00
Price: £69.00 |  | |
|  | 1960s Tin W/U Car Park Track Toy (Technofix Copy)(Reference #4-3-361)
Made by one of the Russian state toy factories in the 1960s, this toy is a relatively crude copy of Technofix's auto elevator (no 266) first issued in 1952. The main differences between the two versions are in the quality of the lithography and in the material used to manufacture the cars. The Technofix original had tinplate cars; the ones in this example are made of plastic with tinplate bases. The action of the two versions is identical. Wind the toy up (but please note that a key is not supplied), place the first car on the lower track once the top section has moved upwards, and then repeat with the second car. The automatic elevator lifts them up, they run to the end of the track, and then slip back down to the beginning for the process to start all over again. When fully extended, the track measures 17" long; the cars are almost 2" long. The lithography depicts both the interior of the car park and a busy exterior street scene with office and factory buildings in the background. The toy is in full working order, very good condition and is complete with its box and instructions (in French). This toy clearly comes from a consignment that was destined for the French market. The box suffers from scuffing, tearing and paper loss, but there is no other damage to report. This is an effective track toy that is both an interesting example of Russian tin toy manufacture (never to be repeated) and of the extent to which German tin toys in general and Technofix toys in particular were copied throughout the toy-making world. (WR) US$50.00
Price: £25.00 | |
|