1952 Chein, No.400 Mechanical Ride-A-Rocket in Original Box
Magnificent clockwork tin litho classic Ride A Rocket manufactured by Chein. Complete with original box. This was the first time I've ever sold this toy because I never found one that graded at least near mint with a comparable box. This fantastic example is in near mint to near mint+ condition. It works beautifully and comes complete with all four original Chein celluloid propellers. Each propeller is in mint condition! From an attic find in which the toy was played with a few times at Christmas and then carefully stored. I purchased it nearly nine months ago and held onto it for the holiday season. The tallest of all Chein tin litho mechanical toys it stands a little over 1½ft. tall. Lithographed in classic Chein colors of brilliant red, navy blue, turquoise, yellow and black. It stand on an 11" wide by 1¼" high flowered base with raised mosaic central pedestal. Tower is a tapered hexagonal design with most of it being yellow and red girders. Around the tower base, several kiddies attracted by the barker purchase their tickets and wait in line. A scrolled embossed saucer shaped canopy sits on top of the tower, where a circularly swirled cone raises up from the center. Four identically detailed 7" tin litho rockets, two red and two blue, hang down over a foot from the canopy above. A doubled, "spread eagled" metal rod suspends each rocket. A trapezoidal shaped lithographed plate with smiling red and blue clowns is fixed in between the rods to prevent them from twisting. Each rocket is tipped with a 3" long celluloid propeller. These are the correct original Chein propellers with stripes and stars design. The toy winds using the long stem horizontal key protruding from the base. Several winds will last many rotations while an internal bell rings simultaneously. The huge printed box features a detailed yellow and blue illustration of the toy on two panels. The other two panels are blank. The top flaps marked "open this end" are all in place. The bottom flaps marked "open other end" are still factory sealed. Size: 18½" tall, 11" diameter base, 10" diameter canopy. Box approx. 11½ square x 19" tall. Sold: Dec. 2007
Price Sold: $ 910
