1957 Marx, Lumar Wrecker Truck with Linemar Car (Red) in Original Box
Extraordinary pressed steel and tinplate car-towing playset manufactured by Marx. Sold under the Lumar trade name it combines an outrageously lithographed pressed steel wrecker truck with a sleek tin litho, friction drive automobile, plus all towing accessories, inserts, and original box. Set has never been assembled or played with, and is factory complete. The truck is basically a dramatically customized pick-up. Four high contrast colors, black, white, yellow and red arranged in symmetric patterns, were combined with embossing to give it a unique pop-art appearance. The front hood for example was embossed with a red and white checkerboard design, outlined in yellow, and surrounded by a wide black strip. The colors were nearly all laid out so that a dark color was adjacent to a light color. For added realism the rear bed floor was lithoed to resemble wooden slats. Additional embossing was used on the front wheel wells, grille assembly, and front bumper. The rail edges of the rear bed were rolled for safety and a divided windshield improved roof strength. The wheels are deep treaded polyethylene plastic with plated metal centers and embossed "Lumar". The Marx logo appears on the underside chassis. The automobile was Japanese built by Linemar, a Marx subsidiary. It has a rear friction drive motor and is two-toned light cream and red, with color matched embossed bench seats. The dashboard was extensively detailed, however the speed indicator was lithoed on the passenger side even though the steering wheel is on the left. The trunk has the Linemar logo and "Made in Japan". The chassis is solid plate and all black. The front and rear bumpers, windshield frames, headlights, hood ornament and wheel centers are chrome plated. The friction motor works great! Towing accessories include a 5" high by 3" wide, steel, cross-braced boom tower. Tabs at the base of the tower fit into slots located on the truck bed. Incredibly, it's never been connected since insertion of the tabs would chip the paint on the tabs. Also included is the original boom arms. These attach to holes on the sides of the tower. Although there is some minor chipping on the very tips of the arms, the holes which they'd be inserted through are pristine. Most likely they hit up against something while inside the box. Two wire supports and towing bar metal rods are still packed inside their original paper bag. Like the boom arm, they've never been inserted into the tower. The box was illustrated with accurately printed images of the wrecker and auto in black and red on a white (now yellowed) background. Two panels show the vehicles from a side view. The main panel depicts them side by side from an overhead perspective. The fourth panel includes a detailed schematic and instructions for setting up the towing accessories. Additional packing materials include the original towing bed cardboard insert, paper parts bag, and a two-piece box with tissue separator to hold the auto. The set was available for only one year through the Sears-Roebuck catalog. It sold for $2.77. Size: Truck 16½" long x 6" wide. Car 8½" x 4". Sold: Ju. 2008
Price Sold: $ 677
