c.1957 Linemar, Space Flying Jeep in Original Box
Scarce friction drive, tin litho, sparking space vehicle from Linemar complete with original box. In remarkable near mint condition with working sparking wheel. The toy features a two-manned, three wheeled vehicle, which resembles a figure-8. The body is lithoed metallic blue and has white lithoed rivet heads around the perimeter. The front of the craft includes a rotating grinding wheel with a lithographed tin, red and white central spiral. A second, smaller tin litho yellow disk lies in the center above the spiral. The movement of the wheels causes the disk to spin, striking the flint, and producing the sparks. The disks are enclosed in a spoke die cut opening with embossed silver edges. Sitting amid ship are the pilot and gunner. The pilot with realistic facial expression sits behind his celluloid windshield. The gunner, peers through his front mounted silver cannon. He wears black eye protectors to shield him against the "glittering" sparks. On the rear of the vehicle sits a single large upright tail fin lithoed with an illustration of Saturn on both sides. It has a stationary yellow rudder embossed on the rear edge. The fin rests above a second spoke wheel. It too is silver embossed, but is not die cut. The underside is uniformly colored metallic blue. The center is embossed at two angles and although it may appear to look dented, it definitely is not. It has two rubber rimmed friction generating wheels up front and a single plastic wheel in the rear. The right side of the tail is marked Linemar. The original box is primarily blue and has yellow striped seams. Two panels show the manned Jeep barreling through space. A yellow pocked planet is off to the lower left. Saturn lies just below. The remaining two panels are mostly text with the name of the toy drawn in "ascending perspective". The Jeep is off to one corner. It's direction corresponds to the path of the text. Size: 6" x 2½" x 2". Sold: May 2006
Price Sold: $ 1580
