1930 Marx Industrial Tractor Set In Original Box
Important museum quality "Industrial Tractor Set" by Marx. Super rare 3pc. set is unused store stock from the 5th and final sale of the Kaufmann Collection (KB Toys). Comes complete with fantastically illustrated compartmentalized die cut window display box. Also includes Bertoia Auction hang tag. Structural design based on the low profile, deep-earth coal hauling tractors used in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Because of limited tunnel height the actual machine was the shortest, yet strongest tractor ever produced. Measuring only 3" tall the toy itself was the "flattest" and most streamlined design produced by Marx. The set includes a brilliant orange and red clockwork, pressed steel tractor with two tin-plate coal cars. The driver wears a white cap, cravat, and white shirt with rolled-up sleeves. He was designed to slant forward slightly to mimic the actual stance of a coal mining driver. This driver type was used only for this specific tractor. It's the first I've seen. The tractor has pressed steel wheels and runs on recessed style, white-rubber treads. These are the earliest known rubber treads produced by Marx. They contain more natural rubber than black treads and were more susceptible to heat deformation. As a result they were discontinued after less than 2 years. Although the right tread is deformed, it's the only set of white treads of this style on any vehicle that I've seen which were still intact. The drooping form of the right tread and slight edge flattening of the left tread indicates that the toy had never been taken out of the box. The tractor has an attached key, polished tin plated start stop lever located on the left side of the driver (nearly all Marx tractors have their lever on the right side), and a simple bent steel rod hitch hook. The hitch found on most Marx tractors are made of curved reinforced tinplate. This is the first example of a curved hook I've seen. Also unusual is that the tractor has no identification markings. It has no Marx trademark logo. Only the patent number was lithoed onto the right side of the front hood. And best of all the clockwork motor works great! The coal cars are all tinplate. One is red with black highlights and blue frame. The other is orange with black highlights on black frame. The interior walls and underside of the frames are polished tin. Both have front and rear extendable couplers which are also polished tin. The each have four, train style, polished tin wheels and will run on Marx O-gauge track. In fact the cars are identical in size and shape to the "Chick-cars" used for the Marx Rabbit and Chick train set. Unlike the tractor, the cars are marked with the Marx logo on the front and rear. The box for this set is AWESOME! The front cover was printed with an intricately drawn illustration of the tractor with both cars hauling rock (presumably coal or shale). (Notice the recessed treads). It's upward slant suggests that it just emerged from the bottom of a quarry or mine. A steam shovel is shown working in the background scooping out rock. Beyond that, on higher ground, lies the processing plant. The entire cover illustration is a die cut display window which raises up and folds into the rear section of the box. The front box panel shows a second illustration of the tractor from a front perspective. The sides of the box show a third illustration of the tractor and driver without cars. Several children watch its upward climb in the foreground. The rear box panel has yet another illustration; this time it's a fancy early 20th century rendition of the Marx company name flanked with lined borders and the Marx trademark in each corner. The box bottom is blank. The inside of the box was divided into three compartments; one for each piece of the set. A raised platform was added to the first two compartments to equalize the height between the cars and the wider tractor when all were placed into the box. Comes with original hang tag from the Bertoia Auction where it was purchased. Not including myself, the new owner will be only the second person to own this set. Size: Tractor 7½" x 3" x 3". Cars 4½" x 1-3 4" x 3" (add 2½" for couplers). Box 7-3 4" x 9-3 4" x 4" Date Sold: May 2011
Price Sold: $ 711
