iFairground - Experts > Souvenirs

{Interview: Ken Johnson, "The Tin Toy Man"}

Q. Why did you start collecting these toys? Are they worth a lot of money now?
A. Basically, I was bored! I collected Civil War memorabilia, but I could not find anything locally. A friend of mine sold one of his collections and that got me interested in the tin wind-ups. Some of them are quite valuable. Tin toys came out in the 1930s and 1940s and sold from 49¢ up. Amusement park toys probably sold for $1.98 or $2.98. The Chein Ferris wheel came out in the 1930s. and the swing came out in the 1940s. The merry-go-round came out in the 1930s. They were called tin wind-ups, though some called them clockwork toys. I also had a roller coaster that came out in 1938. These toys were made up into the middle 1950s by Chein, Lehmen, Marx, and the Unique Art Manufacturing Co. The Japanese stopped making tin toys when computers came out in the 1950s. Presently, tin toys are still being made in China and in the Far East, but they're not collectibles because they are modern.

Q. Where do you find these toys? How do you go about looking for something like this?
A. I have bought some at state auctions, toy dealers, or eBay. There is a national toy auction held in Springfield, Illinois in the United States 3 or 4 times a year. They have tons of stuff. Anything that could be considered a toy from the 1960s back is there.

Q. How long have you been collecting these toys? How many do you have now?
A. About 4 or 5 years. I bought anything I could find when I started, but then I started to get particular. Besides amusement park toys, they have comic characters, like Little Abner the hillbilly. He is part of a dance band, one where all of the tin characters work together. I have quite a few toys.

Q. What advice can you give for someone who wants to start a collection of some kind?
A. It depends on what you're interested in. Buy quality toys. If they are in bad condition, don't get them. Also, buy from the major companies. If you're collecting antiques, buy from the 1950s at the latest. Stay away from modern items. Only buy from a dealer that you can trust.

Q. How and why does something grow in value? Explain the rating system for antiques.
A. The rating system works like this: A C-6 is good. There is evident, overall wear, and acceptable. A C-8 is good. There is not as much wear on the toy. A C-10 is excellent, usually in mint condition, and therefore worth a lot more. Sometimes the box doubles the value of a toy. Anything below a C-6 is poorer quality and not worth as much.

Q. What toy is your favorite?
A. A Marx Merry Makers set that has a canopy behind it. There is a piano with mice that play their instruments and dance to the music. The canopy makes it more valuable, and I also have the box. I have some other characters as well that are in bands that I really enjoy. The oldest I have is a German car that goes back to the 1890s.

Q. How much is your most valuable toy worth?
A. The most expensive toy I have is worth close to $2,000. Prices usually aren't that high, though. I don't like to publicly announce how much everything is worth.

Citation:
Johnson, Ken. 7 July 2000. Personal telephone conversation.