Clyan Hall Sturdi-Circus

  Q: I have a two-piece wooden pull toy but I can’t find any information about it. Two horses pull a wagon that says “Sturdi-Circus” on the side. There are six wooden clowns inside the wagon. It’s stamped “Clyan Hall” on the bottom. Can you give me any information about it? A: Clyan Hall Sturditoys […]

Trilby Puzzle Update

A reader writes about the Trilby puzzle, the Kovels Komments Mystery Mark from December 2: “You had mentioned that if anyone knew about such an item, you would be interested in knowing as well. Jerry Slocum (the puzzle expert) dug through his files and found this advertisement…in an 1896 catalog by C.H.W. Bates, Boston. He […]

Trilby Puzzle

Q: We found this puzzle in the drawer of an antique sewing machine we bought in 1976. The drawers were filled with the previous owner’s sewing equipment, and we discovered this puzzle in a box in one of the drawers. It’s cast metal and has two parts. The name “TRILBY” is on one side and […]

Vilas-Harsha Toy Dressing Table

Q: My mother received this toy dressing table as a gift in 1918. It has a label on the back that says "American Toys, Manufactured by Vilas-Harsha Mfg. Co., Chicago." I'd like to know something about the maker and value. A: Vilas-Harsha Manufacturing Co. was founded in 1919 with the consolidation of A.H. Vilas Co. […]

Toy Stove

Q: This toy stove was part of a cousin's collection and as near as I can figure, it could have been given to her around 1907. It is 14 1/2 inches long, 8 3/4 inches wide and 6 1/2 inches high. I've searched through books and inquired at antiques shows and can't find any information […]

Marx Racer

Q: I have wanted to own this windup tin toy car for a long time. Recently my old friend decided to part with it. It was a Christmas present given to him when he was a child. The front license tag says “50-50” and it’s marked “Mar” on the trunk. It winds up and works […]

Seesaw

Q: I have a seesaw that has this mark and “Patented June 14, 1921” on the bottom. It is 72 inches long, 14 inches high, and 7 inches wide. Can you tell me who made it? A: Your seesaw was made by the Mengel Co. of Louisville, Kentucky, founded in the late 1800s by C.C. […]

Tin Train

Q: Can you tell me who made this train and how old it is? It’s marked with an “M” in a triangle and the words “Made in Japan.” A: Your toy train was made by Mitsuhashi & Co. of Tokyo, Japan. The company made lithographed tin mechanical toys and toy cars, trains, trucks, and other […]

Antique Wagon

Q: This wagon came from my husband’s stepfather and I can’t find out much about it. It says “All Novel Features of These Wagons Are Patented, Beware of Imitations” on the front end and “White Wagon Works” on the back end. What is it worth? A: White Wagon Works, founded by Arthur White in Sheboygan […]

Toy Mark (Johann Distler)

You might find this thistle mark on a tin toy made by this Nuremberg, Germany, company before 1914 and for a short time after the end of World War I. The company, founded by Johann Distler c.1900, made lithographed tin penny toys in the early 1900s and larger printed tinplate toy cars in the 1930s. […]