1937 Marx, Large Mystery Kitty Kat in Original Box
Outstanding tin litho spring driven Kitty Kat by Marx complete with original box. Originally known as the "Mystery Cat" for its unusual method of propulsion. Don't confuse it with Marx's Figaro and Roll-Over cat which were 5¼" long. At 8½" long it was the largest of all the cat toys produced by Marx. The "mystery" word in its original title referred to its wind-up method. Instead of a wind-up key the tail acts as a push down lever to wind the spring inside the toy. The "Mystery" in the title was dropped in 1936. Rubber ears were added in 1937 and are quite often missing. Prior to this they were tin litho. Manufacturing was continued into the 1950's when its composition was changed almost completely to plastic. The toy is a figural three dimension crouching kitty with holds a red wooden ball between its front extended paws. The back legs are partially hidden behind two large black metal wheels. Pushing down on the tail winds the spring sending it scooting across the floor. It works great! This example is black and white, however it was originally produced in several color variations. In 1942 a lithographed bow was added to the front of the collar. The toy is mechanically identical to Marx's Little Orphan Annie's Sandy Dog toy. The two toys were also the same size. The Kitty Kat sold for 35¢ through the Sears-Roebuck catalog. The box was printed with a realistic looking cat which was fitted with rear wheels. It's actually one of the more bizarre Marx illustrations. A young lad is shown in the background pushing down on the cat's tail lever. Next to him is a Mack toy truck. The side panels spell out KITTY KAT in large streaked capitalized letters. The endflaps include the Marx logo and motto. Over time, the irregular shape of the toy frequently taters the box. In fact, this is the first complete example of an original box I've seen. Size: 8½" x 3¾" x 4½" Sold: Oct. 2008
Price Sold: $ 300
