"MICKEY MOUSE SCOOTER" EXCEEDINGLY RARE VERY EARLY TOY BY NIFTY WITH EVEN RARER BOX.
Bidding has ended for this item.
Thank you for visiting our past auction results. If you have an identical (or similar) to this auction item, please call or contact us to discuss. We look forward to speaking with you.
Winning Bid:
$37,041.73 (Includes 15% Buyer's Premium)
Bids:
10
Bidding Ended:
Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:00:00 PM (20 Minute Clock Begins At Thursday, January 31, 2008 12:00:00 PM)
Time Left:
Ended
Auction:
Auction 193 - Part II
Item numbers 800 though 2307 in auction 193
Value Code:
N - $10,000 to $20,000 Help Icon
Item Description
Our inquiries among advanced Disney mechanical toy collectors and dealers reveals, including this example, three known toys of which two have boxes. The example we offer is the best of both the toys and boxes known. This rare toy could be as early as 1931, at any rate it is one of the earliest Mickey mechanical toys. The box is 7" square and 3" deep. The lid has a large illustration and bears the toy's name and the text "Copyright Walt E. Disney." Two side panels with text include the "Nifty" logo and the text "Geo. Borgfeldt & Co./New York/Sole Licensees & Distributors" along with the designation "No. 6/1905/56." Two side panels with illustrations show Mickey posting his own movie attraction poster on a fence, sitting on a soap box and looking startled as he stands next to a sign reading "Look For Other Nifty Toys." While the box is 100% original, some professional conservation was done to clean the surface and remove a few small pieces of tape. There was no color touch-up nor any replacement of cardboard. Regards the box bottom only, a couple of the paper corner seals were split in varying degrees and have been reinforced from the inside, but this is not visible. All paper corner seals (all 8) are original. There is one 5" long strip of reinforcement paper tape positioned in the box bottom along one edge. The box is extremely sound throughout and the lid itself displays N. Mint as do all 4 side panels. The toy consists of an all-metal scooter with built-in key to wind the mechanism which then causes the toy to move in a direction determined by the front wheel as a bell on the rear platform rings continuously. A single narrow metal strap over one foot holds the superbly sculpted all celluloid 5.25" tall Mickey. The movable parts that can be positioned are his head, both arms and his raised foot. Mickey's hands are, as made, without holes although the right hand is cupped to simulate his grasp of the wire handlebar of the scooter. The handlebar wire likely once had silver flashing but this is now gone and the metal is a dark brown color. Wear is o/w largely limited to a couple of dots or tiny paint rubs off the scooter edges and barely showing. The metal wheel hubs have trivial wear and the thin rubber tires have a couple trivial near microscopic hairline cracks. On Mickey's pants front are lightly embossed in the cello most letters of his name (Micke Mo), while on the rear his curved celluloid tail sweeps gracefully upward to the left of two silver accent pants buttons. On his back is a tiny letter "T" in a circle logo and the words "Made In Japan" below. On the rear of the scooter itself is the smiling sun logo with "Nifty" below and flanked by the words "Another Nifty Toy." Toy condition is overall N. Mint. The rarest boxed Mickey mechanical toy we've offered in 4 decades.
Pictures (click images to zoom in)