1962 Yoshiya, Mechanical Rocky and Bullwinkle Car
Never seen this unusual tinplate Rocky and Bullwinkle car before I found this example. It was copyrighted and lithoed with the manufacturer's trademark so it appears to be a licensed product. It's in overall excellent condition and works beautifully. Toy consists of a two-tone red and white embossed tin litho bumper car type vehicle with permanently connected upper torso. The body and arms are also tin litho. The head is painted vinyl and is removable. The steering wheel is plastic. The arms are articulated at the shoulders, elbows, and hands giving it realistic motion. It's powered using a manual wind-up crank located underneath the chassis. The two rubber front wheels are attached to a disc which rotates clockwise; the same direction which the crank is wound. The turning disk and front wheels allows it to move randomly in every direction. The two rear wheels are tin litho with fixed metal axle. The speed and duration of the car's movement varies depending on the amount of force used to wind the crank. For those of you familiar with another Yoshiya toy, the Atom Robot, the mechanicals are identical. The sides of the car show Rocky the Flying Squirrel and an anonymous pooch on the right panels. Bullwinkle and a kangaroo were lithoed on the left. Vents were lithoed on in between the characters. The back rear edge of the car has the Yoshiya trademark. The front has a separately attached polished tin grille. The cockpit including the benchseat, cowl, vents and hood striping were all lithoed. Bullwinkle is wearing a blue shirt with fringed collar covered with yellow polka dots. The underside chassis was lithoed with the copyright date and name of the U.S. import company. There is no box, if it ever came with one. Winding the crank causes the front wheels to rotate and turn simultaneously. In addition the torso moves forwards and back. Size: 5½" x 3¼ x 4½". Sold: Nov. 2007
Price Sold: $ 485
