1937 Marx, Sky Bird Flyer with zeppelin in Original Box
The line of "tower flyer" toys produced by Marx were some of the most animated and colorful toys manufactured by the company. This example of the Marx Sky Bird Flyer is no exception. It looks fantastic. It works flawlessly. It's condition is excellent+ to near mint and it comes with its original box. It'd be tough to find one better. The toy uses a 9" tall lighthouse fulcrum with 23" long crossbeam to support a high wing monoplane one on end and a weighted dirigible on the other. The design of the equipment and uniforms is pre-WWII toy. The red and yellow monoplane with 7" wingspan features four arched passenger windows on both sides of the fuselage. Two people can be seen in each seat. The single high wing is embossed with a large "X" on both sides. A five pointed red star inside an embossed circle is on each wing tip. The wing itself is completely outlined in red. A flat two-dimensional pilot is seated in the cockpit. The silver propeller is canted and embossed so it easily provides enough power to drive the toy. The tail wings are also yellow and include the early style Marx logo. It winds up using an attached key in the tail and has a stop/start lever on the left side of the fuselage. The wheels are pressed wood. The 4½" cigar shaped dirigible is striped white and red and has a multicolored gondola. Each horizontal stripe is outlined in black. "Sky Flyer" is lithoed on both sides. A nice feature are the two pairs of horizontal and vertical tail wings (four total). A lead weight inside the air ship counter balances the weight of the monoplane....and then some. In other words it's slightly heavier, but this added weight is negated when the toy is moving. The tower is a four story brick lighthouse with embossed stepped base. Circular and arched windows were lithoed around the sides. Near the base of the tower are a soldier and officer. Presumably they're standing guard in front of the WWI style tank and howitzer cannon. The silver lithoed crossbeam is specific for this toy. In other words the metal peg which fits into the top of the lighthouse is narrower than any other tower flyer toy, including those produced by Unique Art Mfg. Co. The hinged lid box features a beautifully detailed illustration of the lighthouse at the ocean's edge. Soldiers in formation are shown off to the right and a schooner can be seen in the background. The monoplane and dirigible are shown airborne on opposite sides of the lighthouse. The illustration is repeated on the front and rear main panels. The side panels have an "abbreviated" version of the same drawing showing the three toy components in different positions. No Navy personnel were drawn. The bottom of the box is blank. The two inner flaps include a schematic for operating the toy plus a detailed instruction list. This toy was originally available through the 1937 Sears Christmas catalog. It sold for 97¢. Size: Toy as noted above. Box 10½" x 5" x 5". Sold: Jan. 2007
Price Sold: $ 699
