c.1890 Parker Bros Sunny Monday Washing Set In Original Box
It's not often that I find a 19th century toy from the family of the original owner! It's even more incredible when you consider that it's a beautifully preserved 28 piece playset complete with its original box cover. Complimenting this set is an outstanding written and photographic provenance. It consists of a two page signed statement written by the Grandson (now approx. 80 years old) of the original owner. Copies of two photo's taken the original owner at ( at approx. age 45) with her husband, and of the original owner's mother, a Native American. This was the writer's Great-Grandmother. The set appears to have never been played with. In his statement, the writer of the provenance suggests why this may have occurred. Apparently, the original owner's mother was mauled by a bear while doing her laundry and died several days later. It's conjectured that the little girl could not play with her new laundry set, recently given to her by her mother, who was killed while doing her laundry. This is only a theory, but the date of the toys' manufacture, the age of the girl, and the age of the writer all work out. In addition to the completeness and condition of the set is the beautiful chromolithographed printed, original box cover. The box cover aprons and the complete box bottom were made to contain and preserve the set. It's not professional, but it's still pretty good. It was constructed using materials that are sturdy, but yet will easily come apart for professional restoration if you choose. It shows the little girl laundering her "doll wash". All of the components are shown. The clothes basket and large bottle just to the left of it are not in the box, if ever they were originally. One other point about the box cover. At some time both the front and back were unknowingly laminated with a single sheet (one on each side) of clear, thin flexible plastic. I don't know if it can be safely removed. The identified contents are all shown below. The product sample of starch and wash powder have never been opened, although the tabs on the powder box were taped closed. Should be easy to remove. The block of brown naphtha hand soap is also unused. It's embossed "Fairbanks" on one side and "Sunny Monday" on the other. The block of white cake is some type of solid chlorine bleach. It's in the same condition, but is unmarked. Wooden implements include a fold down ironing board, wash board, wringer, wash tub, clothesline reel and clothes pins. The clothesline cord is braided cotton and was never taken off the reel. The sad iron is cast iron with approximately 98% of it's original paint remaining. The iron trivet is brass plated, although dulled, and is also cast iron. There was also a second smaller box inside the set. Measuring 2½" x 3½" x 1" it contains an German made doll-sized, glass feeding bottle. The cover shows a complex lithographed diagram of the contents. On each side of the print "For My Doll" was written in four languages. The bottle has decanter measurements (tablespoons?) embossed on the side. It's incredibly old with several bubbles in the glass. It also has a cross-hatched texture and is slightly depressed in the center so it could be easily handled. The bottle was molded with seams on each side. It's also corked and has a circular wooden cap. The original glass siphoning straw is still inside the bottle although it came loose from the cork. From the print on the outside of the box it probably had a rubber tipped feeding tube which disintegrated. Also inside this smaller box is a celluloid teether. At least the ring is celluloid, but the nipple may be bone. In addition there's also a baby rattle made from a painted metal bead (zinc?) strung through a small section of wire. And then there's some type of reinforced open ended zinc cube. I have no idea what this was for. The parts all fit into the small box with lithographed cover print. Size: Box Cover 13½" x 8". Sold: Apr. 2008
Price Sold: $ 220
