c.1955 Linemar, Walt Disney's Rocking Chair in Original Box
"Exceptional and unique, this rare Linemar toy consists of a celluloid Donald Duck seated in a tin rocking chair, the sides of which are lithographed to resemble the elephant Dumbo. The chair rocks when it is pulled at the front by a cord attached to a plastic Pluto." Now in addition to it's extreme scarcity you'll notice that Pinsky mentioned that it had a celluloid Donald Duck. Well, here's a version with Mickey that they didn't even know existed. It's complete, working and in near mint condition. Most astonishing of all it comes with its original illustrated box (which shows Donald on the rocker)! An exceptionally scarce and beautiful toy, I had never heard of it until I found this example. Just as Pinsky said, the rocking chair is all tin litho with a die cut Dumbo on the sides. Flowers and scrollwork are on the back panel. The rocking action is almost identical to Marx's Range Rider and Hopalong Cassidy toys, but on a much smaller scale. Pluto is actually not plastic, but some kind of composition material. It's closer in consistency to hard putty than plastic. It's also a solid piece. You'd expect it to be hollow. Pluto still has both of his original vinyl ears. The cord Pinsky mentioned is attached to Pluto's base on one end and to a yo-yo like wheel inside the rocker. When you pull out the cord it reels in slowly causing the rocker to move back and forth. I tried it just a little to make sure it worked. It's such a fragile and old toy I wouldn't recommend playing with it. Mickey is completely hand painted celluloid. His arms and legs are string jointed. His feet are attached to a rod at the base of the rocker. Mickey himself is connected to the seat with a short spring. When the toy starts rocking Mickey lifts almost completely out of his seat with his arms and head flailing forward. Mickey reseats himself as it rocks down in the opposite direction. Presumably the cycle repeats several times. A small brass bell attached to the back of the seat, and completely original to the toy, rings as Mickey's (or Walt's) rocking chair moves up and down. The underside of Mickey's left foot is marked "Japan". The Linemar logo is lithoed onto the back of the seat. As I mentioned, the original full color box shows Donald in the rocker, not Mickey. Probably because no other versions of it were printed before it was cancelled. Since Pinsky categories the Donald toy as "rare", consider the scarcity of this version with Mickey. The main box panels show a smiling Donald waving to "us". Pluto holds the cord in his mouth. The side panels show a pair of hands (one holding the rocker, the other Pluto) with the cord fully extended. I wonder why they decided to call it "Walt Disney's" chair and not Donald's. Size: Chair with Mickey 3¾" long x 4½" tall. Pluto is 2¼" tall. Sold: Jun. 2005
Price Sold: $ 2667
