Doll Et Cie (Doll & Company) Clockwork Tin Machine Gun Ca 1920s, Rare Piece
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:6895012 | Country/Region of Manufacture: Germany |
This listing should be of interest to both militaria and vintage tin toy collectors! Appears to be a spring powered, firing, Maxim type machine gun. Item measures about 7" at base, barrel/receiver about 5" and around 6.5" to top of spring "hopper." Original light brown camouflage pattern paint is chipped in some places, mainly near sharp edges/tips.
I found the item in the back of a display case in Munich about 15 years ago. Marked with original company sticker on receiver, not... quite fully legible stamp of retailer "Speilwaren...???" on bottom, and handwritten "3, 3 U" ? Better/high-res pics to follow shortly, just ask for anything specific! Appears that some sort of ball/pellets are supposed to be loaded into the spring hopper and fired by the tiny hand-crank. Mechanism feels and sounds fine! I haven't fed anything in for fear using wrong size and getting something stuck. Both the front legs and gun receiver adjust for elevation. This is a fairly detailed/articulated piece!
Doll et Cie. was founded in Nüremburg, Germany in 1898 by John Sondheim and tinsmith Peter Doll. During the company’s early years, production concentrated on stationary steam engines and accessories. These steam toys were widely distributed throughout Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Later, in the 1920s they started producing clockwork/spring powered vehicles. This is my best guess for when this toy was made. I have never been able to find another example or catalog reference to anything similar. The company had a change of ownership in the late 1930's when another Nüremburg company named Fleischmann took it over. Max Bein and his family were Jewish and thus were being victimized by the Nazi regime, and the Aryanization laws, which would not allow formal business arrangements to be undertaken with Jews. The family held out longer than most Jewish owned businesses, but finally sold out in 1938 to Fleischmann.
Item will be well packaged and shipped insured via USPS Priority mail. Please see my other listings for other period items, will combine shipping!
Thanks for looking!!!
I found the item in the back of a display case in Munich about 15 years ago. Marked with original company sticker on receiver, not... quite fully legible stamp of retailer "Speilwaren...???" on bottom, and handwritten "3, 3 U" ? Better/high-res pics to follow shortly, just ask for anything specific! Appears that some sort of ball/pellets are supposed to be loaded into the spring hopper and fired by the tiny hand-crank. Mechanism feels and sounds fine! I haven't fed anything in for fear using wrong size and getting something stuck. Both the front legs and gun receiver adjust for elevation. This is a fairly detailed/articulated piece!
Doll et Cie. was founded in Nüremburg, Germany in 1898 by John Sondheim and tinsmith Peter Doll. During the company’s early years, production concentrated on stationary steam engines and accessories. These steam toys were widely distributed throughout Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Later, in the 1920s they started producing clockwork/spring powered vehicles. This is my best guess for when this toy was made. I have never been able to find another example or catalog reference to anything similar. The company had a change of ownership in the late 1930's when another Nüremburg company named Fleischmann took it over. Max Bein and his family were Jewish and thus were being victimized by the Nazi regime, and the Aryanization laws, which would not allow formal business arrangements to be undertaken with Jews. The family held out longer than most Jewish owned businesses, but finally sold out in 1938 to Fleischmann.
Item will be well packaged and shipped insured via USPS Priority mail. Please see my other listings for other period items, will combine shipping!
Thanks for looking!!!
