Antique Farm Toys
In the early 1900s, while many children were still growing up on farms, changes and developments in farm equipment were closely mirrored in the toys produced manufacturers such as as Kenton, Hubley, and Barclay. Even as late as the '60s, toy tractors and other farm machinery and implements were made in substantial quantities and were often designed to be attached to accessory equipment. Some of these old collectible toys bear decals or printed names of well-known full-sized makers of real farm equipment, like Intl. Harvester and John Deere. A few of these toys still command fairly hefty prices because they were typically made of cast-iron and few cast-iron toys were produced in the late 20th century. There is also a rarity inherent in the fact that toy manufacturers no longer make farm related toys because of America's transition to industrialization and a decreased demand for farm related toys.
Case farm tractors were produced by several toy makers. Vindex was not that big or popular, but made some of the more interesting collectible cast-iron farm toys such as a foot long P&H power shovel, as well as a hay-loader that could be used with various farm implements and equipment. All Vindex toys were characterized by accuracy and great attention to detail.
Many toy makers reproduced farm implements in cast iron, so a substantial collection of them is still possible today. Items to watch for are corn planters, hay rakes, mowers, (tractors of course) and combines made by Arcade & Hubley, and a even a working ditching machine by Kenton.
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