1937 Schuco, No.1010 Mystery Auto in Original Box
Scarce super sleek streamlined art deco Mystery Car manufactured by Schuco. Gorgeous two tone Maroon and Cherry finish tin litho runs by clockwork motor and comes complete with original key. Also includes rare original box which features identical toy color illustration. Mystery auto closely resembles Marx' Tricky Taxi in form and function. Awesome art deco styling features long, coffin-nose front hood with wrap around chrome plated Dodge-like grille, slit-like arched split front windshield (plated), sloping roof accentuated with triple pair of receding arched side windows, and finished with an unusual futuristic central rear fin. Add to this embossed, raised wheel wells front and back, recessed door panels, door latches, and hood louvers, stylized hood-mounted head lamps, and chrome plated Schuco front bumper. Wheels are embossed and nickel plated. Right rear wheel has a rubber geared rim to provide traction. Chassis is embossed single plate lithoed with model number and Schuco trademarked name. Marked "Made in Germany" and "Importé D'Allemagne". Chassis front, below the front bumper, was enlarged as a pivot point. Theoretically this point must touch the ground to move ahead other wise the auto will make a quick right, or left turn. This was the basis of it's mystery action and supposedly prevented it from falling off a table top. Although it runs great, I did not want to test it's "mystery abilities". Includes its original No.2 black Schuco embossed cast iron key. Color box shows a ¾ perspective illustration of the Mystery Auto flanked by a large yellow question mark. The design of the question marks follows European styling which includes both an upper and lower reverse curve. The other two panels show the auto traveling on a table top. The arrows infer that the car will turn whenever it nears the table top edge. Size: 5½" long. Sold: Nov. 2007
Price Sold: $ 295
