c.1938 Marx, Motorcycle Cop and Car (Red) Speedway in Original Box
This auction includes two complimentary motorcycle speedway sets manufactured by Marx. One of them features the primary set which includes two tin litho clockwork vehicles, a PD motorcycle with Sidecar and a torpedo shaped #1 ACE Racer plus eight sections of interlocking reinforced track. It comes complete with its original key and its original box. This is only the second complete set in the original box I've found. In addition is an accessory track set. It includes eight additional matching track sections and comes complete with its original box. This is the first set of its type I've seen. The motorcycle was the smallest cycle built by the Marx company and is one of the most difficult to find. A reference is made to it in Greenberg's Guide to Marx Toys as an individual toy; not part of a set. The motorcycle runs on four wooden tires; three large and one small. The small wheel keeps it balanced. The racer is all tin litho with polished tin wheels. It has its own clockwork motor and is wound separately. It was used for several Marx race track toys, but in this set it has one big difference. The racers in the other sets always have a start/stop switch protruding up through the rear boat tail, however you'll notice that the ACE is missing that switch. Instead the position of the rear bumper controls its start/stop motor. Push the left end of the bumper and it stops. Push the right side and it starts. This makes sense when you think about it in terms of the motorcycle and sidecar. Unlike a two wheel motorcycle which requires a centered front tire, a three wheeled vehicle can have the front tire located off to the left side. In this way as the cop approaches the racer its front wheel nudges against the left side of the racer's rear bumper to stop the car.....just like a real cop! The set comes with eight interlocking tracks which lay out to 6 feet. Each was lithoed as a brick paved roadway with red and yellow stone walls on either side. It also includes its correct die cast metal Marx key. The accessory set includes an additional 6 feet of track which totals a whopping 12 feet. The tracks are identical between both sets. The original box was printed with text only. The name of the toy including "motorcycle cop and car" appears on the front box panel and again on the two side endflaps. The back of the box includes instructions for operating the vehicles with suggestions for laying out the track. The accessory box is also all text, but with the title "single track". Its directions are only for assembly rather than suggested layouts. Size: Motorcycle 4". Racer 4" Sold: Jun. 2008
Price Sold: $ 425
