1939 Marx, 14pc. Farm Tractor Shed Set in Original Box
This set of toy farm implements by Marx is the largest, most complete, and highest grade I've found to date. I have found larger sets, but nothing to compare with the incredible high grade of this one. It grades slightly above excellent+, or just below near mint. The entire playset comes complete with its original "building" box, plus all five of its original inserts. From my research, the clue to identifying the period which this set was manufactured is the inclusion of a little known implement called the stone "boat". In the first photo it's the red, sled-looking implement on the right side. It was available for only one year, 1939, exclusively through the Sears-Roebuck Christmas catalog. The stone boat is wooden with a metal hitch. Farms would use it to haul stones away from a field before planting, or to help build a stone wall, or to install erosion preventing gullies. Tractor Driver Road Scraper Four wheel steel trailer Stone "Boat" Two wheel tilting trailer Corn Planter Mower with cutting blade Ten disc harrow Hayrake Gang plow Wheelbarrow Shovel and Pitchfork Box was printed in red and green to resemble trailer shed. Interior flaps are die cut so that when folded will form a pitched roof. They've never been folded. Images of farm workers performing various manual activities were printed. A tire hanging on the wall and a large "battery" were also shown. Includes five plain cardboard inserts. This was the total number used when the toy was produced. None are missing. Sold: Jul. 2008
Central to the toy is the unique addition of its copper finished tractor. Its powered by a strong clockwork motor with an internal governor which allowed for maximum torque when towing heavier loads. That's a fancy way of saying that it wouldn't unwind all at once, but instead disperse slowly and with more power than a standard clockwork motor. It was advertised as being able to run about 14 feet on one winding. The copper finish exterior is all tin litho. The wheels are all metal and finished in the same copper color. Under the hood, the motor is shielded inside of a steel housing. Just below the front radiator is a slot which provides a connection point for the road scraper. The rear has an integrated steel double hitch. The key is attached and it has a start/stop lever just to the right of the driver. The treads are solid black rubber and both are original to the toy. Size: 8½".
Early style tin litho with knee high laced blue boots, brown trousers, blue shirts with yellow cuffs, red bandanna and wide brimmed hat. Size: 3½"
Unlike many plows or scrapers found in Marx sets this one is completely made from polished tin, no plating, steel, or aluminum was used. Size: 5½".
Heavy gauge steel painted silver with movable hitch. Stake rail style with four solid black wooden tires having red, tin litho Girard style wheel hubs. Marx, post 1939 logo stamped into center of the trailer bed. Size: 7½".
Red painted wood. Use described in second paragraph. Size: 6¾".
Yellow interior, red exterior with balloon style white tin litho treaded wheels. Hitching bar in front. Size: 6".
Red and yellow die cut tin litho with two, gravity fed "feeders". Each feeder is stock with its original silver painted wooden containers. Wheels are tin litho. Steel rod on right side raises and lowers. Used to measure the distances between the rows of corn. Size: 5".
Yellow and red embossed tin litho with sliding blade cutter. White balloon style tires with gears blade attachment. I recently sold one of these with rubber tires. Size: 8½" wide.
Pressed steel, painted with yellow enamel, having two groups of five rotating circular "blades". Size: 5¾".
Largest implement. All tin litho with 10 semi-circular rake tings and yellow cross brace. Wheels are embossed lithoed tin, solid with black lithoed spokes. Large chrome polished steel hitching rod. Size: 6" wide.
Enameled pressed steel with pressed tin litho disc wheels. Two gang plow style. Size: 6½".
Enameled pressed steel with wooden front tire. Difficult implement to find. Size: 4½".
Polished pressed steel. Both difficult to find. Size: 4¼".
Price Sold: $ 915
