c.1965 France Jouets, Battery Operated Autoscooter (Bumper Cars)Â in Original Box
Fantastic battery operated Autoscooter manufactured by Frace Jouets, France. Known as Bumper Cars, or Dodge-Em Cars in the United States its attained so-called "legendary" status as THE most difficult to find post-war amusement park tin litho toy. It's in unused excellent+ to near mint condition and comes complete with all three bumper cars, original box, and original car-holder box. Best of all the toy works beautifully! The Autoscooter pavilion was built to resemble and function identically to an actual bumper car ride. Electric current passing through the canopy and floor are conducted through the metal components in the cars. This completed circuit drives an internal motor in each car, just like the actual amusement park ride. Car movement is completely independent of its position. As long as the circuit is maintained they'll move randomly anywhere underneath the canopy! I know of no other toy that has this type of independent positioning. The lithography is also amazing. The roof was lithoed to appear like an actual tent-like canopy with embossed surfaces and a fancy red fabric ribbon around the edges. Four large yellow plastic Autoscootor block letter logo's extend up from each side. Patron signs for "Price" and "Waiting in line" hang down from underneath the roof. Ten non-conductive wooden columns connect the canopy to the base. The underside of the canopy and floor of the base are chrome plated. A white plastic fence extends around the perimeter of the base except where the riders enter. The toy runs on three standard D-cell batteries. Located on the top center of the canopy, the battery box was lithoed to show the actual battery placement. A switch on one end turns it on and off. The toy comes with all three embossed plastic bumper cars. Each is colorfully designed and holds a single rider; two men and one women. All three sport groovy hair styles of the time. The cars fit into a separate storage box with die cut insert for protection. The metal flag and rods can be removed and stored in a slot underneath of the cover. The large cardboard box includes the name of the toy and a terrific single color illustration of a young lag sitting in one of the bumper cars. The company logo and catalog number were also printed. The France Jouets company was founded in 1946 as "France Mechanical Toys". They manufactured mechanical tin litho toys and miniature die cast vehicles. The company name was changed to "France Toys" or France Jouets in the early 1960's when production concentrated on die cast toys. Bankruptcy was declared in 1972. The Autoscooter was one of the very few battery operated toys produced by the company and most likely it was their largest. I could find no reference for it. Size: Huge 19" x 9" x 14½". Weight approx. 7 pounds. Sold: Nov. 2006
Price Sold: $ 1425
