1933 Unique Art Mfg. Co., Sky Rangers in Original Box
Choice example of the classic "Sky Rangers" by Unique Art Manufacturing Company. Four piece mechanical tin litho toy is in excellent to excellent+ condition complete with its beautifully illustrated original box. Unique Art produced several versions of the toy and box from 1933 through 1941, and 1946 through 1948. This was the first version which included the silver monoplane. It features decaled views of the pilot, copilot, stewardess, and two passengers. The wings are embossed and have an Army Air Corps insignia decal. The oversized metal propeller is connected directly to the main spring which runs nearly the entire length of the fuselage. The wheels are celluloid. It uses a start/stop lever which simply brakes the rotation of the propeller axle for take-off. While the toy is moving it uses a loose fitting gear in the fuselage, which depending on its position, can speed up or slow down the rotation of the propeller. The gear engages randomly whenever the plane touches the ground. The monoplane is heavier than the zeppelin. All of these things combined gives the toy its spring-like motion to touch the ground and appear to rise again under its own power. The design and lithography of the zeppelin, lighthouse tower, and "watery" base never changed during the 10 years the toy was produced. Both show various Army Air Corps. scenes of air and ground personnel, including officers and seaman. The support rod connecting the zeppelin and monoplane also remained unchanged. The box was produced in at least three different versions. The earliest, as in this auction, had a spectacular full color illustration repeated on both main panels. It depicts the operation of the monoplane and zeppelin from the perspective of the lighthouse tower. Other versions included all text and text plus schematics. Size: Monoplane 8" wingspan, 6¾" long. Zeppelin 9". Lighthouse 8¾". Sold: Feb. 2007
Price Sold: $ 450
