1956 GAMA, No.280E Electric Excavator Crane in Original Box
Superb pressed steel Electric Excavator Crane by GAMA in near mint+ condition. Marked "Made in Western Germany" it comes complete with its original box and instruction sheet. Brilliantly colored baked enamel, pale yellow cab with red base and bucket, blue crane boom, and blue tethered metal battery box. A metal lever on the cab's left side raises and lowers the boom. There are six positions. A second manual blue lever (on cabs' right side) switches over an internal gear mechanism. The lower position allows the crane to turn right or left at the base. The upper position raises or lowers the bucket. While in this position, two metal chains independently open and close the bucket. That is, one chain ends to automatically open the bucket, yet the other permits it to descend. When the direction is reversed the bucket closes and is then raised. All is this done without changing the position of the lever. The toy also includes a cab roof dummy searchlight, chrome plated steel bogie wheels, and original white rubber treads. The wheels and treads are not controlled electronically. The box features a panel wide, full color illustration of the model 280 Electric Excavator Crane on a construction site and the 282 Electric Magnetic Crane at a loading site. A printed "electric" label on the end of the box bottom stamped with "280" correctly corresponds with the toy. The bilingual instructions were printed for the stationary No.287, however they were used for this model and are correct. Size: 15" long x 11" tall x 4¾" wide. Sold: Sep. 2006
Price Sold: $ 346
