c.1954 Technofix Giant 8 Circus Monorail In Original Box
Superb clockwork tin litho "Giant 8" or "Grand Huit" Circus Monorail complete with two cars and original full color box. No manufacturers mark on either the toy or box. In fact I've never seen it before. It'd be impossible to identify if I hadn't found the German version several years ago. That toy, which was marked Technofix was set in a city, rather than circus scene. Unique toy design really looks like a giant figure-8 with one continuous looping back onto itself. The 1st car lies at the lowest track point. A large clockwork powered lifting arm, laying just behind the first car, sweeps counter-clockwise. As the arm rotates it follows the uphill contour of the track which raises the 1st monorail car to the highest point. The car then descends due to the steepness of the track, however the arm continues sweeping. Eventually it drops off and lands directly behind the waiting 2nd car. It continues to turn which raises the 2nd car. By now car #1 has completed its descent and is again stopped at the lowest point on the track. The cycle repeats over and over. It has a locking mechanism which prevents the arm from turning and allows you to get the cars in position. The figure-8 track was beautifully lithographed with full color circus images on both sides. Clowns, tents, caged animals, several elephants, and even a Ferris wheel with riders are shown. The rail edges are lithoed as red girders complete with a large trestle where the two loops overlap. The yellow and white monorail cars look like elongated bugs. Two triangular pieces of polished tin underneath the car keeps them upright. They run on two plastic pulley wheels. The box is just as awesome as the toy. The front and back covers show a maze of girder tracks looping over one another at various heights. One of the cars was illustrated close-up in the foreground. The second is shown smaller in the background. Below the tracks are many tents, rides, and customers. The front and rear aprons depict the entrance tent to the "Giant 8". A large billboard points the way "Attraction Unique! Grand Huit. Formidable!" The endflaps were printed only with the toy name "Grand Huit" in large block letters. Size: 11" across. Track is nearly 4" tall at its highest point. Cars 2". Sold: Apr. 2011
Price Sold: $ 563
