c.1928 Chein, Texaco Filling Station 'Free-Air' Pump Cart
All you "Chein guys" and "Automobila Guys"....ever see this toy before? It's a Texaco brand filling station mobile Air-Pump cart. I picked it up in an auction in upstate NY. (I sold a rare 1920 Japanese toy 2 weeks ago from the same auction). Based on its scale and age there's a good chance this was sold as an accessory to Chein's Hercules brand trucks. It features a classic double sides Texaco gas pump globe, but it's not for gas. "Free Air" was clearly lithoed on the front. Advertising for Texaco's gasoline and motor oil were lithoed onto the reverse side. The body of the pump is hollow and 3-dimensional with a ½" width. The front is die cut like a thermometer. The "air hose" is original, but the two little hose holders are not. Most likely one of these originally had a crank. Winding the crank would raise a needle indicator inside the pump. The crank and indicator are long gone, but the holders look pretty good. The air nozzle is also a replacement. One of the earliest Chein trademarks was lithoed onto the left side of the cart in the lower right corner (see below) The pump is connected to a two-wheel cart with a handle on one end (like a wheelbarrow). Gauges were lithoed onto the top of the cart. The sides and front all have the Texaco star. The rear panel of the cart also has "GAS" in large letters. On other side are two 2¾" diameter tin wheels. A black support stand is on the underside of the front of the stand to keep it level. And yes this is a Texaco brand toy. It's not generic. In addition to the large stars and obvious Texaco colors there's a large capital letter "T" on both sides in the center of the globe. It may have even been a Texaco premium which would explain its rarity. The toy is larger than it first appears so please make sure to look at the photo below comparing it to the size of a dollar bill. Size: 8" x 4¾" x 3". Sold: Sep. 2014
Price Sold: $ 360
