If These Shirts Could Talk: The Tantalizing Tales Behind Used Clothes
The mysterious packages kept arriving, some from eBay, others from the Home …
Jockeying for Position: How Boxers and Briefs Got Into Men's Pants
Just as underclothes are shielded from public view, the evolution of men's most intimate apparel is shrouded in secrecy. But the story of men's underwear is about more …
Gloriously Grotesque 19th-Century Pipes
The meerschaum pipes carved in Eastern Europe at the end of the 19th century are among the most bizarre and improbable concoctions in decorative art. Some feature …
In the Hot Seat: Is Your Antique Windsor a Fake?
While researching her book, "Killer Stuff and Tons of Money," Maureen Stanton came across all sorts of characters. For years, she shadowed her antiques-dealer friend …
Love at First Kite: How Pizza and Pente Led to One Oklahoman's High-Flying Obsession
Vintage kites from all over the world hang from the ceiling and walls of Richard Dermer’s popula…
Blood, Sweat, and Steel: My Afternoon with the Ace of Swords
“When I got this sword, it was completely covered in blood rust.” Sword maker Francis Boyd is showing me yet another weapon pulled from yet another …
'The Great Gatsby' Still Gets Flappers Wrong
Have you heard? There’s a new swell in town named Gatsby, and he’s bringing flapper flair back into fashion. Baz Luhrmann’s latest cinematic spectacle—his take on “Th…
Say Ahhh: An Oral Surgeon's Quest to Reimagine the Garage-Band Guitar
It’s not unusual for men of a certain age to have a soft spot in their hearts for the look of vintage guitars and the sound…
Forget TV Pickers, Meet the Real Mavericks of the Antiques World
Long before Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz swaggered into the spotlight with "American Pickers," writer Maureen Stanton …
Coveting The Craziest Cat-People Collectibles
The memes are endless—Grumpy Cat, Nyan Cat, Keyboard Cat, Maru, and all the Lolcats. Last year even witnessed the first ever Internet Cat Video Fe…
Cast Iron Fire Wagon | Model Fire Trucks6 of 69 |  |  |
AmberRose loves this.
bratjdd loves this.
Budek loves this.
Moonstonelover21 loves this.
toolate2 loves this.
vetraio50 loves this.
BELLIN68 loves this.
mrmajestic1 loves this.
mustangtony loves this.
blunderbuss2 loves this.
miKKoChristmas11 loves this.Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate
Posted 3 months ago
jwendell222
(50 items)
Horse drawn wagon is 20 inches long and six inches at the widest. No markings that I can find, and missing ladders and the two drivers. Everything is magnetic. I’d like to date this and identify the maker if possible. I’ve had it since about 1980 and it had the appearance of age then. Appreciate any help or comments. Thanks, Jim
Help us close this case. Add your knowledge below.
Create an account or login in order to post a comment.
Model Fire TrucksToy fire engines first appeared around 1880, made of cast iron and tinplate…
FirefightingFirefighters save lives with the help of countless tools—fire extinguishers…
There was an open police wagon on antiques road show tonite that had identical wheels etc. including the wheel under the horses that was quoted at a good price but I don't remember what it was. I would bet they are from the same manufacturer. Catch a re-run. Here, the re-run is on Sat. morning. PBS.
Very nice , I see some new screws shiny newer on horses , the seams are telling me possibly a repro but I am not a cast iron export and sometimes you need to hold item in hand to tell . There are some very good repro's on market . It well could be antique too ? Hoping someone else jumps in on this to solve dating it for you :-)
Mani, if a repro, I would expect some attempt at making the obviously missing pieces. Well, I've been wrong once in my life. OK, maybe twice. Er, I don't want to talk about it!
Hi Manikin and blunderbuss, thanks very much for your comments and observations. I agree with you Manikin, the seams aren't a good match and I've always felt that it was a repro, but a lot of looking on the net has not helped. Bottom line is, I don't know what an original should look like. As you both probably know, Asian and chess sets are more my thing. This is the only toy I have (sob). Best wishes to both of you, Jim
Blunder I think it could be true antique or repro I am on the fence :-) to hard to tell when not seen in person for me . You surely could be right . I see one very bright shiny screw on 3rd photo on horse wheel that was a flag to me to wonder . The split seams do happen for sure in true antique cast iron ??? Beats me . I guess jwendell we have you confused now . I know there are some toy experts on CW and maybe they can back up what myself and Blunder have commented . Oh Hi Blunder ! Hope all is well by you ,waving Hello .
No doubt in my mind, it's a repo, probably from the 1970's. Once you have handled and admired the real thing the repos become more obvious.
Still a cool display piece.
Why made in iron if repro.? Thought all repros were made in pot metal. I agree that it is probably a repro., but why go to the extra expense? Cast iron moves into an entirely diff. stage of casting. Strange that. Even a great % of originals were pot.
Hi AzTom and blunderbuss, thanks for the latest comments. In looking at the horses, the mold matchup gives the impression that the halves weren't made to fit each other. Each half though, is well made. I wonder if they were made from a batch of randomly selected halves from an older production, maybe leftovers. Also, the front wheels have a drilled boss between two spokes as for a linkage, perhaps to cause the horses to move up and down when the wheels rolled. The horses do swivel, but I can find no corresponding fitting on the horses to accommodate such a linkage. From the comments I've gotten I'm really glad I posted this. Regards, Jim
Tuned in Antiques Roadshow & caught the paddy wagon toy. The horses & attachments are exactly the same except that 1 only had 1 wheel. Check Happy Hooligan toys to see that 1 & others.
Wow Cool Find!!!!
There are one or 2 in my fathers basement, but I think they may be 70's also, never really looked at them. A lot of new pieces were made in the 60's also. They make a lot of repros in iron I know, its something a person really has to examine in person to know.
Hi, thanks again to all for the love, comments, and insight, Best wishes, Jim
I also have a set fire truck horses, ladder and people I will try to post images