Fisher Price Coaster Boy

The Coaster Boy, made for only one year, 1941, is one of Fisher Price's rarest and most sought-after lithographed wooden pull toys. 15 inches long, the coaster features an attached, jointed wooden boy. As the wagon is pulled, the boy pushes it along, then he hops up onto the wagon, and coasts! After a bit, he hops off and pushes it again. All the while, a bell rings, so you know he's coming. You can imagine the kind of hard play these would have gotten outside, which, combined with their brief production run, makes them so rare. Just an amazing and beautiful toy.

 Pushing.

 Coasting!

Fisher Price Donald Duck Toys

Fisher Price made an incredible variety of lithographed paper and wood pull toys in its first few decades, and Donald Duck was one of its most popular licensed characters.

My earliest such toy was made between 1936 and 1938: Dapper Donald Duck. Eight inches tall, it features "flapping" wings held in place by a piece of rubber. Dapper Donald was one of Fisher Price's earliest bestsellers, and it's easy to see why.

One in a series of character driven train engines, 1940-1942's Donald Choo Choo was a fun entry in the line, measuring 9 1/2 inches long.

Next, from 1946-1948 comes Donald Duck Drum Major, 10 inches tall. The baton spins as the toy is pulled.

The Donald Duck Xylophone from 1946-1953 is one of my favorites. At a whopping 13 inches tall, this was a big pull toy. As it is pulled, Donald actually plays the xylophone.

 Lastly, from 1949-1951, the 8 inch Donald Duck Drummer cheerfully pounds away on his tin drum as he's pulled along. What a difference in style between this and the 1936 Dapper Donald, with his long bill and manic expression!

German Dollhouse Pastry Shop Revisited

A few months ago, I posted about an antique German dollhouse pastry shop we restored. I've been fiddling around with it since then, trying to get its accessories just right. One of the things I've added is a tiny table and chair, making a little dining corner. The shop is so big, there's plenty of room, and I think the addition has made it more interesting.

I also added a new shopkeeper, who seems to match the surroundings better than her predecessor:

"Hello dears! What can I get for you? 

The coffee cake is particularly lovely today."

Antique Snow Baby Doll

Who is this cutie? A Snow Baby Doll, from the early 1900s. And she's not just cute: she has a fascinating history, too.

In 1893, Marie Peary was born in the wilds of Greenland, the daughter and first child of Arctic explorer Robert E. Peary and his wife Josephine. "Society" was shocked that he had taken his wife along on this expedition, and were concerned for the child's health, but she and her mother seemed to thrive in the Arctic. Mrs. Peary, a former society figure herself, actually hunted caribou and fought off attacking walruses alongside her husband and their guides. Marie and her mother accompanied Peary on several more trips, and photographs of blond, blue eyed Marie dressed in her Arctic furs made it back to America, where enthralled readers followed her exploits in the newspapers. Entrepreneurs were quick to capitalize on Marie's popularity, and produced this novelty, the Snow Baby Doll, in many forms. The best were delightful likenesses of Marie, and appear to be based on this most famous photo.

This example is tissue mint in its original box, which is covered with blue paper dotted with white stars, reminiscent of the polar sky. The doll is 11 inches tall, with a bisque head inserted into a wool bodysuit, the hood still tied with its original ribbon. Integral white felt mittens and boots, trimmed with red laces, distinguish the Snow Baby from the otherwise similar Teddy Girl or Teddy Doll.

A wonderful book about Marie Peary's Snow Baby years was recently released; read about it  here. It's full of incredible images of Marie, her parents, and their adventures.

Vintage Gumby

Ooooooh: just found a vintage, MIP 1970s Gumby. I feel a compulsion to free him from his plastic prison...poor guy, he's probably so tired of holding his arm up for the past 30 years.