Other than being an egg, this toy didn't scream "Easter" when I first saw it. Decorated with flowers and a gold finch (I think that's a gold finch), it looked more like an ode to Spring. Turning the crank produced no music. I thought maybe at one time it made bird sounds.
It was made by Mattel in 1953; they would have another 6 years before hitting it big with "Barbie".
I like to tinker with broken toys, so I uncrimped the tin sides and opened it up.
Inside, I found the belt had just fallen off. Putting it back on was easy. The interior metal was decorated with music symbols and something from the violin family. I'm guessing the tin was manufactured for other toys and reused for this.
i love stuff like this. that you were able to get it working again is wonderful, and i love the thriftiness of re-using the tin. nobody would ever see it unless they opened it up, and what a fun thing to find!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy fixing tin toys, but lately find less and less time to do so. I have several waiting in the wings. :(
Deleteit's always good to have a cache of stuff set aside for rainy day projects!
DeleteThat my non-ornithological friend is a warbler. The face pattern is a Blackburnian Warbler althought the wing bars are wrong for that species.
ReplyDeleteWell, call me bird-brained. Thanks for the clarification!
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