1950 Marx, Magic Barn and Midget Tractor in Original Box
Outstanding three piece tin litho clockwork Magic Barn and Midget Tractor set manufactured by Marx. Complete with original box. Toy is in near mint condition and was purchased from the original owner. Two versions of the Magic Barn set were produced by Marx. The version offered here used 1940 pre-war toy surplus to provide the tractor, while the barn was produced ten years later. As a set it was sold in 1950. A later version used the identical tractor body and driver coupled with small plastic wheels, rubber treads, and a die cast "dummy" front crank. The boxes were identical. The Magic Barn uses a spring locked, hinged, front door which releases when the tractor's front rubber tires bump against the lower panels. It folds inwards as it raises. As the original owner discovered, even with the door fully raised there's not enough clearance for the tractor to enter the barn. However, it will clear if the driver is removed. which is why the owner never attached the driver to the seat. It's also the reason why a second version with smaller plastic wheels was produced. This version fit inside the barn, but it also created another problem. The smaller wheels didn't extend out far enough to butt against the door to make it open. For this reason Marx added a "dummy" die cast metal crank to the lower front chassis. The crank was long enough to push against the bottom of the door. Over time this would scratch and dent the lower door sections (which is how many are found today). The barn was realistically lithoed with a farm hand attending to a horse on one side. A cow with milk pails is on the opposite side (not photographed). The rear of the barn shows the hay loft plus a second tractor fitted with a crane attachment. Lastly, although Marx repeated several driver types over the years, this hatless version was only used for the Midget Tractor. The box for this toy is one of the sturdiest produced by Marx. Heavy gauge cardboard was used which was covered with a laminated print showing a red bard and tractor against a yellow back ground. The edges were stapled with a double wide industrial staple. No glue was used. Size: Barn 10½" x 8" x 8". Tractor 5½" Sold: Oct. 2006
Price Sold: $ 381
