ca1900 CAST IRON ELEPHANT BELL TOY / PULL TOY BY WATROUS MANUFACTURING COMPANY

Description

Wonderful and quite rare, ca1900 Cast Iron & Pressed Steel Elephant Bell Toy / Pull Toy believed to have been manufactured by The Watrous Manufacturing Co.
This charming, cast iron and tin Bell Toy measures approx. 7" long overall, 2 1/2" tall (to the top of the cast iron wheels) and 2 3/4" wide (across the wheels). When the Toy is pushed (and/or pulled) across the floor, the three, harness type "jingle bells"mounted between the wheels create a pleasing sound.
The charming and quite rare, turn of the 20th century, Watrous “Elephant” Bell Toy is in very good condition - there are no cracks, breaks, repairs or physical damage to the cast iron or any part of the Toy. All of the elements lack most of their original nickel plating and there is light surface oxidation throughout. Please see the scan below for a good representation of the form and condition of this original Child’s Bell Toy.
A rare and original, ca1900 Watrous Manufacturing Co., Cast Iron & Pressed Steel Elephant Bell Toy / Pull Toy and a fantastic addition to any collection!!!
A bit about the Watrous Mfg. Co. of East Hampton, Connecticut (1880s - 1930s):
David Watson Watrous was one of the founders in 1851 of the East Hampton Bell Company. He left in 1860 and founded the company Clark and Watrous, and then in 1865 created D. W. Watrous & Co., which later became Watrous Manufacturing Co. The company created sleigh bells, and bell toys. By the early 1900s Watrous Manufacturing Co. had developed a distinct style. Their toys often utilized nickel-plated or coppered steel frames and nickel-plated steel wheels. Flattened cast iron figures often move to strike a bell or chime. The mechanisms were frequently exposed. Parts were often lacquered over the nickel-plating, which gave the paint an iridescent quality. The Watrous Manufacturing Co. became associated with two neighboring companies. For a while Watrous Manufacturing Co. and N. N. Hill Brass Co. combined their catalogs into one while they were both branches of the short lived, 1903 -1907, toy manufacturers consortium, National Novelty Corporation. The Watrous family was also associated with Gong Bell Manufacturing Co. In 1912 Clifford M. Watrous became general manager at Gong Bell Manufacturing Co.. In 1921 he patented the popular Playphone 600. D. W. Watrous died in 1918. His son John Lazarus Watrous ran the company till his death in 1923. The family owned company stock was sold to the Gong Bell Manufacturing Co. in 1923. Watrous Manufacturing Co. toys are often incorrectly attributed to N. N. Hill Brass Co. or Gong Bell Manufacturing Co..
Overseas shipping is extra and cost will be quoted at bidders request. Massachusetts residents must add 6.25% sales tax.
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The amount quoted for Shipping & Handling is calculated by eBay and is equal to the EXACT amount charged by the Post Office plus a .00 "packing fee" - the .00 fee is our only compensation for the virgin packing materials we use on all of our professionally packaged boxes as well as our cost for the salaried help that does most of our packing - as I am sure you can see, we make NO profit on the Shipping charges and, in fact, our costs are usually greater than the .00 fee. Please contact us if there are any issues regarding the cost of shipping.
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