Just got this and want more info if it's real or repo how can I tell for next time I find other cast iron toys. I know the bottom has been repainted but the other colors I have no idea. Any help would be appreciated.
Need help old toy?
- Thread starter Scuba113
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Kevlardini
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- May 18, 2015
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From what I see, I'd say it's unfortunately a repro.
Cast iron toys can be a VERY tricky thing. Before anything else, you always want to look at the screws on the toy. If it is a Phillips head, It's most likely a reproduction. The real cast iron toys that are old and worth the big bucks were made with flat head screw. However, to make things even more complicated, people can take the screws out and put in a flat head in place of a philips, just to fake it off as "real".
If the screw technique fails, then look at the actual cast iron. Old cast iron toys from back then had very good craftsmanship. The workers who made these toys put effort into the toys. This meant quality toys, which would be favored and then they could charge more. However, today, the cheap chinese or taiwan repros are made very hastily. Key points you want to look for:
Mold lines that line up nicely. Crude, jagged seams indicate newer repros.
Smooth texture. New repros have a rough bumpy surface.
Look for clean cuts. For example, the gates on your truck. If there is excess flashing, or the holes seem crudely cut, it's a sign of repros. Cleaner, neater cuts are usually indicators of old ones.
Also, if you look at the wheels, they are circular, and rounded on one side, but then abruptly stop, and are flat on the side facing the truck. The older cast iron toys usually are rounded in every way, and also tend to be less meaty and thinner. Sometimes, they were even made of lighter, tin-like, metal.
The wheels on yours also appear to be fixed on the axle. Usually, older ones will have the wheels able to spin freely on the axle. (They would just be put on a metal axle, and then the ends of the axles would be crimped)
Hope this helps you some. But just remember, there are some very good repros and fakes out there. If you ever feel suspicious about a piece or think it's to good to be true, it probably is.
Cast iron toys can be a VERY tricky thing. Before anything else, you always want to look at the screws on the toy. If it is a Phillips head, It's most likely a reproduction. The real cast iron toys that are old and worth the big bucks were made with flat head screw. However, to make things even more complicated, people can take the screws out and put in a flat head in place of a philips, just to fake it off as "real".
If the screw technique fails, then look at the actual cast iron. Old cast iron toys from back then had very good craftsmanship. The workers who made these toys put effort into the toys. This meant quality toys, which would be favored and then they could charge more. However, today, the cheap chinese or taiwan repros are made very hastily. Key points you want to look for:
Mold lines that line up nicely. Crude, jagged seams indicate newer repros.
Smooth texture. New repros have a rough bumpy surface.
Look for clean cuts. For example, the gates on your truck. If there is excess flashing, or the holes seem crudely cut, it's a sign of repros. Cleaner, neater cuts are usually indicators of old ones.
Also, if you look at the wheels, they are circular, and rounded on one side, but then abruptly stop, and are flat on the side facing the truck. The older cast iron toys usually are rounded in every way, and also tend to be less meaty and thinner. Sometimes, they were even made of lighter, tin-like, metal.
The wheels on yours also appear to be fixed on the axle. Usually, older ones will have the wheels able to spin freely on the axle. (They would just be put on a metal axle, and then the ends of the axles would be crimped)
Hope this helps you some. But just remember, there are some very good repros and fakes out there. If you ever feel suspicious about a piece or think it's to good to be true, it probably is.
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