1950 NBN Germany, Elephant with See-Saw in Orig. Box
Outstanding clockwork tin litho" Elephant with See-Saw" with original celluloid ball. Comes complete with original box and pasted cover illustration. Because of their whimsical nature and animal lovingness many of NBN's toys have been agonizingly reproduced. Psychologically the multitude of reproductions can make it "feel" that the original is just as easy to find. It can also make an original seem less desirable. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only were authentic examples built with incomparably higher quality, but when you overlook the knock-off's the real McCoy is surprisingly difficult to find. That's especially true in higher grades. NBN is the abbreviation for Nurnberger Blechspielwarenfabrik. This toy features an accurately embossed and realistically lithoed elephant sitting upright on a circus platform. Its trunk is raised straight up and sticking out from the "nostrils" is a metal rod attached to three multicolored stacked rings of increasing dimension. Wind the attached key and the rings spin quickly counterclockwise. Between his front feet the elephant holds a brass finished fixture which supports a removable 10" long, closed end, red metal gutter. A pink and white celluloid ball with a bead inside of it lies inside the gutter. Up and down the gutter moves using gravity to see-saw the ball to the low end. Simultaneously the trunk rings are still spinning. What a great toy and it works flawlessly! Although it's a beautifully designed toy it hasn't any manufacturer's marks or trademarked logo. "Made in U.S. Zone" and "Germany" were lithoed on the small yellow bands around its rear ankles. The two piece box has standard blank panels, with squared edges, and 90° angled staples in every corner. A 7¼" x 3¼" color print pasted to the cover shows a cartoon illustration of the toy as a real circus act complete with audience, trapeze artists, and ring master. It's marked "Made in US -Zone Germany". Like the toy there are no identifying manufacturer marks. Size: 8" tall. Sold: Nov. 2008
Price Sold: $ 192
