1936 Built Rite Fort in Original Box

1936 Built Rite Fort in Original Box

Here's another of four of fantastic BUILT RITE cardboard assembly toys from the 1930s that I recently purchased.

This is the BUILT RITE TOY FORT - SET NO. 16, produced by Warren Paper Products of Lafayette, Indiana. It's made from pressed cardboard and lithographed paper. This particular set includes a highly detailed castle with turrets, mosaic flooring, and doors that open. It was the company's' first Fort playset and was produced without any accessories. As late as 1943 it was still being promoted as the add-on central structure to create a large toy Army Camp.

This specific set was found as old unsold store stock over 20 years ago. It's never been punched out or assembled and is basically in mint condition. It comes in its rare box complete with original 10" x 14" double sided instruction sheet.

The structure consists of nine flat sections that are assembled using tabs and slots cut into the edges of each piece. The box bottom is turned upside-down to serve as the floor and foundation. Subsequent versions from the 1940's included trenches, soldiers, and things that "blow up", but this was the very first version of the same soldier Fort.

The box cover was beautifully designed and colored. It illustrates an assembled Fort playset with soldiers, calvary, and even a surrounding wall. At the time these were all sold separately.

The instruction sheet not only uses schematics and text to assemble the Fort, but it also promotes a slew of other early Built-Rite toys which I've never seen; such as an airport hanger, a Shell gas station, a huge multi-piece railroad accessory set, and several doll houses. It even has an order blank which, of course, was never filled out.

Size: Box; 12" long x 9½" wide x ¾" deep. Assembled; 8" tall x 11¾" wide x 8¾" deep. 

Condition:

As I indicated the Fort itself is in unused mint condition. It hasn't any edge or corner wear. No creases, tears, scuffs, or anything else. Tabs have never been creased or slotted.

The box is near pristine with fantastic bold original color. The illustration is nearly perfect without any creases or marking. However, it does have a 1" sliver missing from a lower corner edge (see 2nd box photo). There's also a single tiny scrape in the lower right corner and a couple of minor wear spots near the lower left corner. The two lower cover corners do have a small, yet visible wear spot. This was due to the lower left corner splitting which weakened the lower bottom edge. It's since been correctly repaired. Three of the four corners (where the side panels come together) show narrow edge wear. The box bottom was correspondingly in the same condition. Most important; the illustrated mosaic shows none of the typical scuffing or shelf wear. However, the corner corresponding to the split corner on the cover was also split  (now repaired) and worn (see photo labeled Box Bottom). As a result some faint soiling rubs are present along the bottom edge and partially along the left side (which also acquired edge wear).

In other words during it's existence the toy remained unused, but one corner was damaged. Oh, and the instruction sheet has yellowed, but doesn't have a single tear or fold. There's only it's original factory made crease across the center.

Despite the single condition issue with one box corner I've not seen a comparable set.

 

Coming To Auction April, 2020: Milestone Auction

 

 

Price: $125



 

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