1941 Marx Montgomery Ward Mechanical Reverse Train Set in Original Box
Unusually large and seldom seen pre-war clockwork train set by Marx, No.1586; complete with original box, inserts, and all paperwork. Ranges in grade from excellent+ to near mint. Based on overall condition plus a newspaper I found inside the box it was most likely set up only for Christmas and stored the rest of the year. Steam Locomotive 897 (length 9") - Commodore Vanderbilt style cut from sheet steel, embossed, and lithographed. Features reversible clockwork motor with internal bell, polished tin spoke wheels. Boiler and cab are black with pale yellow details. Frame is olive green with pale yellow details. Complete with original separate key. *Produced in 1939. However, in 1943 due to war shortages Marx trains that were in stock since 1941 were bought by Wards and offered as closed-out sets of discontinued items. This is one of those sets. 6 inch cars New York Central Tender 551 - early wedge-type with separately tabbed attached ladder. Solid black with white lithography. Raised coal mound with embossed half roof. Marked as Marlines. Polished tin wheels. Colorado & Southern Refrigerator Boxcar 555 - solid door lithography showing man unloading freight in open door. Cream body, black frame, blue roof and details, red herald. Polished tin metal wheels. Montclair Pullman #1 - solid window and door lithography. Red body/roof with cream colored windows, black details, and black frame. Polished tin metal wheels. Named "Montclair" after Montclair, New Jersey which was the hometown of Marx's, F.W. Woolworth's buyer. Montclair Pullman #2 - description same as above. Observation Pullman 558 - red body/roof, black frame, cream windows. Rear die cut brass finished guard rail. Windows and doors on sides and front are embossed (solid). Rear window and door are die cut. Polished tin wheels. Gondola C.R.I.&P. 552 - green exterior with red trim. Red interior with black (frame) bed. White lettering. Polished tin wheels. New York Central Caboose 556 - red roof and cupola, black frame, cream window frames. Die cut windows 3/side. Polished tin wheels. Accessories Union Station 1430 - 6¾" x 12" - embossed art deco oval blue building with raised red roof. Lithoed with figures, windows, etc. on sides and end. Building tabbed onto yellow base with red details. Includes hand operated crossing gate, "stop" crossing warning, and depression for track. Two Piece Tunnel 1390 - 15" x 12" x 9" - lithographed metal, ultrahigh depth relief appearance of green farm scene on both sides. Clips together using original brass finished hooks located at the top of each entrance. Bumper 505 (2¼") - red lithoed metal, non-illuminated, spring-loaded bumping bar, jewel on top. Track Switch 510 - (10" x 5½") - tin plated mirror surface on both top and underside. Mechanical switch manually operated with black oxidized base and red/green indicator. Track - 9 curves, 7 straights - total length 13'. Plated tin. Box/Inserts Box - 23" x 17" x 3½" - two piece, plain cardboard, light blue print with pre-1939 Marx logo. Stamped as set "1586" on one end. Lower right cover corner still has original Montgomery Ward sticker regarding paper shortage "due to National Defense needs". Inserts - Five flat panels, two boxes. Only couple top soft edges. No tears. Complete. Paper Track Plans C-190 - 8pgs. 2 tone blue/green with layouts for 30 track formations. Instructions for Reversible Mechanical Train Set Form IS-1 - contained two identical original sets of instructions. Packing Slip IS-71 - blue green stamped "1 289". Newspaper strip - date was torn off, but ads and text indicate it was printed mid-January, 1981. In other words once Christmas and New Years were over newspaper was used to pack it away. Presumably for another year based on the overall fantastic condition of the set and box. Sold: Nov. 2011
Price Sold: $ 679
