c.1965 TPS, Porsche World News Service Car In Original Box
Spectacular battery operated tin litho Porsche 911-S World News Service Car manufactured by T.P.S. (Tokyo Playthings Shokai), Japan, with original rooftop cameraman. Awesome toy is unused store stock in near mint+ condition. Comes complete with original high grade box (excellent+ to near mint) and both inserts. Complex toy works beautifully! Turn it on and it'll travel a short distance. A lever and cam mechanism set into the chassis automatically opens to tilt it up onto its two inside wheels. The car makes an approximate 180° turn. The lever then retracts which lowers the car permitting it to again travel forward. Several seconds elapse. The lever opens a second time and tilts the car up, but this time it remains longer in the open position and travels a complete 360° circle! The lever lowers, it moves forward again and the cycle repeats. Neat! In addition to its action it's a gorgeous vehicle to look at. Every panel has something on it. Both doors have a television camera set on top of a film segment. The rear trunk features a third TV camera plus the Porsche logo. The front hood shows the World News service logo with it's transmitting antenna covering the Earth. Smaller trademarks from six other world news services are shown plus an STP logo. The roof is also lithoed with straps and buckles to "secure" the platform. The platform is chrome plated. The cameraman slides into position and is removable with the camera. The camera is also tin. The cameraman is plastic. And of course underneath it all is an accurate rendition of the famous Porsche sportscar. It's all tin litho including the black chassis. The interior with front and rear bench seats are also tinplate. The T.P.S. logo is on the interior, right side dashboard. Another Porsche logo was lithoed just below (where the glove box would be). The steering wheel is plastic. It as its original blue tinted front windshield and clear rear windshield. Both are plastic. The underside tin chassis is embossed "Made in Japan". It has its original metal plate battery door, locking tab, and pink plastic battery holder. Of the four "main" tires, only the rear left is solid rubber. The other three are plastic vinyl. All four have metal centers. The front pair of tires are turned towards the left (in the direction of the cars' motion) and don't make ground contact. A fifth turning wheel (centered over the front axle) and sixth wheel located on the tip of the lever are also solid rubber. The box cover features an accurate illustration of the actual toy with film strip holes on each side. A passenger and driver were added. A smaller diagram shows the camerman being inserted onto the roof. The front and rear aprons show the Porsche News Car traveling across the world for different news stories. The left corner illustrates its complex oval and circular movement. Side aprons again show the car with cameraman, driver and passenger. It has its complete original box bottom plus two locking strip inserts. Size: 10". Date Sold: Nov. 2009
Price Sold: $ 861
