c.1933 Meier, Tin Penny Chauffeured Coupe in Original Box
I've seen many tin penny toys, but this Tin Penny Chauffeured Coupe by Meier, grades as one of the best. Unlike the majority of penny toys it came inside a box. That's because it was part of an unopened boxed set of toys that were never played with. Collectively called "Kiddie's Playbox" the set of nine toys were all made in pre-war Germany except one. Only the peace pipe horn was produced somewhere else; Czechoslavakia. But hidden among the paper, wood, and composition toys was this awesome Coupe. The Coupe is one of the last produced by Meier prior to the companys closing in 1934. It has an unusual yellow ocher colored body with brown details and light gray roof. The portrait of the chauffeur driver and the Meier logo can be seen on both doors. The wheels are single pressed disks; gray rims with red centers. The running boards and rear trunk rack are embossed. The other eight toys are also interesting although the Coupe is the only metal toy in the set. In my opinion the second most neat-o toy is an acrobatic monkey. Hand made from wide slivers cut from a rough wooden block it's hinged with metal wires. The head and painted face are made from composition material. This particular toy is unmarked. The only other composition toy is a small white and gray horse with black markings. The other wooden toys include a hand cut, hand painted rowboat, a wooden noise maker, a painted four tier wooden framed abacus, and a painted wooden peace pipe horn. There's also a combination paper and wood noise maker drum with handle. The drum skins are fragile painted paper; in perfect condition. The last toy is a red, white, and blue paper on cardboard party horn with wooden mouthpiece. The party horn and peace pipe both make loud sounds. The toys all come packed inside a fragile cardboard box. The applied cover print, illustrated in full color, shows two pre-war kiddies with all types of toys laying at their feet. The hand drawn illustration is marked Germany in the lower left corner. Size: Coupe 3¾". Sold: Dec. 2008
Price Sold: $ 178
