Fabulous American vintage all tin wind-up toy with attached key and clockwork mechanism, whereby upon winding it up, the character (Joe Penner) waddles aimlessly across the floor, hat flying in the air with notorious cigar in motion (request to see video with listing). The toy is in wonderful and complete original condition with all original parts and authentic factory paint. It is often found incomplete (cigar or hat missing more often than not); and usually doesn’t work properly. My example works great and is in nice bright original paint and lithography, in multiple colors of a black and white checkered suit, yellow, blue, orange, and flesh tones. Markings on the toy include Penner’s classic saying “Wanna Buy A Duck” “Sincerely Joe Penner”. “Goo Goo Duck” on the other side. Also stamped is the Marx Company manufacturing logo (see image).
Joe Penner was a 1920’s and 1930’s stage and radio comic who coined the phrase “Wanna buy a duck”; thus the theme of this toy and character walking along with a basket of three ducks in his left hand and his favorite duck “Goo Goo” under his right arm. It was manufactured by the Louis Marx Company of New York City in the early 1930’s; Marx often used celebrities as subjects for his toys. Just for additional information; Joe Penner was a Hungarian immigrant who came to this country as a young man and died at the early age of 36. His popularity was validated with over 2000 people attending his funeral.
Dimensions= 8 1/2″ high x 4 3/4″ deep x 4 1/2″ wide
Provenance: From a recently acquired West Coast collection of fine quality tin toys.
Note: After 40 plus years of dealing and collecting toys, I am justly qualified to guarantee and present the authenticity of antique and vintage toys and children’s playthings; important considering the fakes and reproductions in the marketplace. My toys operate properly and are as stated and accurately described.
it would behoove an enterprising collector, dealer, or decorator to take advantage of the opportunity to buy as many of the vintage tin toys that I have listed for sale; it would create an immediate quality collection, as most of these toys came, either from a long time premium California collection or from my own shelves. It would take quite some time and effort to accumulate toys this clean, authentic, original, operable and in excellent condition.