The French auction house: Galerie de Chartres has this time 9 Fernand Martin/Victor Bonnet toys in the “LIVE” auction on April 20 -2024 Furthermore, there are many more other beautiful toys in this auction that we can look for.
Our annual spring auction is packed with highlight for the top quality collectors. Included amongst the two days will be hundreds of European Wind-up toys & Trains, American RR, Spelter stills and Mechanical banks, Horse drawn & choice Cast iron toys, Japanese space & tinplate, Pressed steel & Pedal cars, Tether cars, great Penny toys, Automatons, top tier Christmas & Holiday items, and more.
In this auction are this time 8 Martin / Victor Bonnet toys
The Bertoia team is dedicated to offering our quality customer service, experience and support. Do not hesitate to contact us for assistance with registration, bidding or any other questions.
All prices are in US $ and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors. Always check the auction site for the results.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
I found an article in an old French technical magazine La Nature from 1894 about a tin boat made by Martin. This nice piece is put in motion by the well-known Martin “rubber band” method, the motion is done by a winding handle at the front of the boat, under the boat is, in the tube, the “rubber band” that goes to the movement mechanism.
Produced from 1893 Product number 125 (In the books known to us, this toy has the Martin product number 43 which is not correct. ) Hand lacquered Mechanism: Rubber band
length approx 27.5 cm (10.63) inches
Original article and drawing’s from the magazine “La Nature 1894” Source: (Cnum – Digital Conservatory of Arts and Crafts – http://cnum.cnam.fr)
SCIENTIFIC TOYS THE THRUST RUDDER Looking at it closely, or is almost always astonished, and often amazed at the ingenuity displayed in the construction of any toy. The child who breaks his rattle has no idea that he sometimes destroys a wonder, and Mum is far from even thinking of it. It only cost fifteen sous, they say. But it is specified by the modieity of its price that the mechanical toy is generally a tour de force of combination. To reduce everything to the maximum of simplicity from the point of view of the manufacture and assembly of the parts, such is the condition under which a toy will not be sold, because it will be too expensive. Among the new creations of the last day of the year, we will choose one that is typical: the boat with propellant rudder. Whoever imagined it must have often observed the fish, seen the way in which they throw right and left a blow of the tail which makes them move forward, and he undoubtedly sought to imitate this movement in the toy of which we speak.
Here is (fig. I) our little boat At first glance, one thinks to see a boiler and a propeller, with a pill oddly sitting down with his steam engine and holding the rudder ropes. However, that is not the mechanism. The pilot only serves to amuse baby, the boiler too. The whole engine is in the keel; it is a simple rubber thread concealed in a channel, and fixed in the center of a toothed wheel; ‘at the other end, it is attached to a lever which rests on the two notches of a ratchet The toothed wheel is nothing more than an escape wheel, and not the least; it is an anchor escapement of which the rudder head forms the counterpart. Under the alternating impact of the teeth of the wheel (fig. I detail) between two stops placed to the right and to the left of the axis of the gourernail, the latter begins to perform oscillations which communicate its movement to the boat. By what mechanism is the thrust carried out? It is easy to realize this by analyzing the movement of the gourernail. Oscillations around the axis can be likened to periodically interrupted rotation. However, this rotation results in a centrifugal movement of the water, and, consequently, a reaction on the rudder, the component of which along the axis of the boat is directed forward. But there is another cause, probably dies effective, of propulsion. If the rudder were to execute movements with symmetrical speeds, it would experience a thrust forward as it approached its mean position, and a retrograde thrust of the same mean value from that point on. But this is not the case. When the rudder leaves the escape wheel, the latter falls back with force on the second stop, and loses part of its kinetic energy there, immediately imparting a certain speed to the rudder; it then acts on the maximum lever arm, but when the rudder passes through its equilibrium position, the stop is already tilted a little; it slips away more and more, until the loose tooth is caught. The speed of the rudder therefore decreases from the moment it begins to throw water back, until it reaches the end of its course. However, the resistance of water is roughly proportional to the square of the speed of the moving body; therefore the pressures are stronger from back to front than in the reverse direction. On average, this results in a propulsive force for progression which makes our little boat move forward. We compared it earlier to a eur. View ecti.mblo and detail of the fish rudder; the analogy is real, but it is not perfect. The rigid rudder employed as a propellant is far from being advantageous, since its action depends above all on a difference in speed and can only be very slight, and we know that, in nature, actions are generally very well combined. If, instead of a rigid rudder, an articulated rudder is adopted (fig. 2), the apparatus becomes more advantageous; attempts in this direction have been made in the past. The thruster consists, in this combination, of two parts A and B connected by a vertical axis.
Plane A carries, on the right and on the left, two stoppers which limit the movement of B. As soon as this last plan ceased to act as a propellant. A goes back, and resumes B in the symmetrical position of the one he occupied. We can now replace the single joint with a series of hinges, each of which leaves the plane it carries a certain degree of freedom. We thus manage to build a propellant similar to the tail of the fish, of which our small boat shows the mode of action by an elementary mechanism of extreme simplicity.
In one of the previous auctions of the Milestone auction house I found a Le Pochard with a very rare and different box for the Martin number 172. This box has the name : The Zig-Zag Man.
It is difficult to say where the name comes from but I found a possible option: The “ZIG-ZAG Man” is based on the story of a French North African soldier (Zouave) aka Captain Zig-Zag, whose smoking pipe was shattered by a stray bullet during the battle of Sevastopol in 1854, so he rolled his tobacco using a piece of paper torn from a musket cartridge. In 1855 was a French firm that used the name Zig-Zag as a brand of rolling papers, this firm was originated in Paris. The Zig-Zag brand introduced a new and convenient way to roll up tobacco products with specially designed paper. Zig-Zag was awarded in 1900 a gold medal at the Universal Exposition in Paris Perhaps Martin made at the request of this “Zig-Zag” company an advertising figure, but that is unclear. (Part of the text is from Wikipedia)
The number on the box is 172-bis and the label is the small version, so it was made in a later period than the year 1899 in which the first copies were made. The figure still has a typical Martin key, so it was made before the takeover in 1912
The French auction house: Galerie de Chartres has this time 9 Fernand Martin/Victor Bonnet toys in the “LIVE” auction on April 20 -2024 Furthermore, there are many more other beautiful toys in this auction that we can look for.
In 1892 a French newspaper La Petit Presse gave its readers a special advantage to buy products that the newspaper purchased directly from the manufacturers. The products mentioned also include a number of toys. On closer inspection of the toys, these are all Fernand Martin products.
The number behind the toy name is the product number from the newspaper and not a Martin number.
Our annual spring auction is packed with highlight for the top quality collectors. Included amongst the two days will be hundreds of European Wind-up toys & Trains, American RR, Spelter stills and Mechanical banks, Horse drawn & choice Cast iron toys, Japanese space & tinplate, Pressed steel & Pedal cars, Tether cars, great Penny toys, Automatons, top tier Christmas & Holiday items, and more.
In this auction are this time 8 Martin / Victor Bonnet toys
The Bertoia team is dedicated to offering our quality customer service, experience and support. Do not hesitate to contact us for assistance with registration, bidding or any other questions.
After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for these Martins.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
One of Fernand Martin’s strengths was that he converted people from everyday life into children’s toys, to give these toys a good likeness and of course to hide the mechanism he gave them clothes. This has several advantages, the children like this better, you can give a figure a different profession or look very simply and of course cheaper.
Here are some examples I found in my collection of magazines.
VERSTEIGERUNG DES BEDEUTENDEN PRAGER SPIELZEUGMUSEUMS
– SAMMLUNG IVAN STEIGER –
Das Lankes Auktionshaus lädt Sie herzlich zur großen Spielzeugauktion in Döhlau vom 18.-22. März 2024 ein, in der die berühmte Sammlung Ivan Steigers angeboten wird.
Die Sammlung wurde im Spielzeugmuseum auf dem Prager Hradschin ausgestellt. Es handelt sich dabei um eine der größten privaten Spielzeugsammlungen.
Ivan Steiger ist weltbekannt durch seine Zeichnungen und Karikaturen in den führenden internationalen und deutschen Tageszeitungen, wie etwa der “Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung”. Steiger wurde mit zahlreichen Auszeichnungen geehrt, darunter 2009 mit dem Bundesverdienstkreuz.
Er ist außerdem Autor zahlreicher Bücher, Maler und veranstaltete innovative Ausstellungen zum Thema “Spielzeug”.1983 eröffnete er zusammen mit seiner Frau Eva und seinen beiden Töchtern Helena und Johanna das Spielzeugmuseum im Alten Rathausturm in München. Zehn Jahre danach gründete er darüber hinaus das Spielzeugmuseum im Burggrafenamt auf der Prager Burg.
Wir freuen uns, Ihnen mit der Versteigerung des Prager Spielzeugmuseums eine herausragende Spielzeugsammlung präsentieren zu dürfen. Die Sammlung besticht durch ihre besonders seltenen und qualitätvollen Stücke aus den Bereichen Blechspielzeug, Automaten, Erzgebirge, Weihnachtsschmuck, Eisenbahn, Puppenspielzeug, Dampfspielzeug sowie Elastolin und Lineol Spielzeug.
I found a few Fernand Martin and Victor Bonnet toys in this auction, see below, the toys with the discription and auction number
Results: Martin number 198 -le petit cuisinier € 330 Martin number 170 -le faucheur € 550 Martin number 226 -les chosons du Pére Francois € 800 Martin number 108 -le livreur € 100 Martin number 253 -le clown orchestre € 450
All prices are in Euro and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors. Always check the auction site for the results.
VERSTEIGERUNG DES BEDEUTENDEN PRAGER SPIELZEUGMUSEUMS
– SAMMLUNG IVAN STEIGER –
Das Lankes Auktionshaus lädt Sie herzlich zur großen Spielzeugauktion in Döhlau vom 18.-22. März 2024 ein, in der die berühmte Sammlung Ivan Steigers angeboten wird.
Die Sammlung wurde im Spielzeugmuseum auf dem Prager Hradschin ausgestellt. Es handelt sich dabei um eine der größten privaten Spielzeugsammlungen.
Ivan Steiger ist weltbekannt durch seine Zeichnungen und Karikaturen in den führenden internationalen und deutschen Tageszeitungen, wie etwa der “Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung”. Steiger wurde mit zahlreichen Auszeichnungen geehrt, darunter 2009 mit dem Bundesverdienstkreuz.
Er ist außerdem Autor zahlreicher Bücher, Maler und veranstaltete innovative Ausstellungen zum Thema “Spielzeug”.1983 eröffnete er zusammen mit seiner Frau Eva und seinen beiden Töchtern Helena und Johanna das Spielzeugmuseum im Alten Rathausturm in München. Zehn Jahre danach gründete er darüber hinaus das Spielzeugmuseum im Burggrafenamt auf der Prager Burg.
Wir freuen uns, Ihnen mit der Versteigerung des Prager Spielzeugmuseums eine herausragende Spielzeugsammlung präsentieren zu dürfen. Die Sammlung besticht durch ihre besonders seltenen und qualitätvollen Stücke aus den Bereichen Blechspielzeug, Automaten, Erzgebirge, Weihnachtsschmuck, Eisenbahn, Puppenspielzeug, Dampfspielzeug sowie Elastolin und Lineol Spielzeug.
I found a few Fernand Martin and Victor Bonnet toys in this auction, see below, the toys with the discription and auction number
In 1905 a world exhibition was held in Liège, Belgium. France was also represented at this exhibition with the French toy industry in section 100. In this earlier blog :
I presented a original glass stereo photo that was taken at this exhibition and depicts a counter full of Fernand Martin toys.
I now found in the book: Exposition Internationale 1905 Liege, Section française Class 100 more information and also a photo showing the back of this counter.
In this photo you also see a large white statue, I have already mentioned the existence of this statue in one of my previous blogs. This colossal statue was personifying “the Toy Fairy distributing toys”. In the glass stereo photo from my earlier blog and on the first photo above, you can see a part of this image on the left (white part of the image and black part of a cloth over a foot/table).
Fernand Martin was one of the jury members at this exhibition, the jury members can be seen in a photo from that book, in this photo you can also see Martin himself. Photos of Fernand Martin himself are quite rare.
Reference book: Exposition international 1905 Liege ; Section française Class 100, this book can be found on the CNUM website
Produced from 1885 Product number unknown (In the books known to us, this toy has the Martin product number 13 which is not correct, this trapeze artist has probably not been given a product number.) Hand lacquered Mechanism: Rubber band
Length approx. 14 cm / 5.5 inches Height approx. 17.8 cm / 7 inches
By winding the rubber band, the movement is converted into a pendulum movement that allows the gymnast to do his tricks.
This is a quite rare toy from Fernand Martin. The column and roof were also used for: Le sonneur endiablé in 1885 number 102, but also much later by the presumed successors/descendants of Georges Flersheim in the toy: Je sonne la paix in 1916 number 246. The figure of the gynast has also been used more often in other Martin toys.
This is an updated version of a previously posted article because new things have been found.
Until now we know the boxes of many Fernand Martin toys. The first box label of a toy was designed just before the first production of these toys. Once on the market, the most toys remained the same box for many years and even decades. But from the Le Petit Livreur, ( the acrobat ) a tumbling clown, produced from 1908 with Fernand Martin number 213, there are, till now, four box labels known.
In the bottom of the box is one of the narrow upright side a hole in which, the key was attached with a ribbon or rope that goes through that hole in the box. This ribbon has long disappeared in most cases, I have only seen it a few times.
Three boxes contain a label and one box only a stamp. It is not known when which label was issued. You can see that one box has an English inscription, otherwise the box has exactly the same texts and logos as the box for the French market.
Something about boxes in general :
Boxes generally tell a lot about a toy and are therefore very interesting. The manufacturer’s name. The factory logo. The product number. The manual. Country of origin. Sometimes also patent applications and even the patent numbers. Martin often put there gross and net weights. And he told everyone which (international) prizes he has achieved and where he was a member or president of the jury.
It even happens that a loose box at auction will yield more than the toy, of course because these are much rarer. Children threw the box away and a box is also much more fragile and broke and thrown away.
The brandnew catalog of the 100th Toy Auction is online!
The auction will feature around 800 items of tin toys, trains, space toys and model cars.
This is a room bidding but you can also take part in the online bidding live via telephone, register your written predids or using the auction platforms lot-tissimo, the-saleroom and liveauctioneers and Sixbid you are able to to bid online. So you can submit your bids in real time during the auction. Therefor it is necessary to register on the platform of your choice not later than 24 hours before the auction starts.
The easiest way to participate in our auctions is to use our online catalogue. Here you can view all the items and directly place written pre-bids. See the catalog in the link below. You can also read the catalog in English
From the Ma Portiére in 1895 to the sale to George Flersheim in 1912, a few figures without numbers are also known. Starting with two figures featured in the image from the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis.
In this image a few are recognizable and the corresponding figures have also been found.
Maybe there are still some figures on this St Louis photo, but the photo is so bad that they cannot be recognized immediately, wait until the actual figure(s) is found.
But there are still a few figures that cannot be found in the well-known catalogs and there are no boxes available.
Another image also shows a few figures whose number is currently unknown.
Martin donated 100 toys to the “Musée Dez Arts Et Métiers” in Paris in 1908, this donation was a good overview of the toys he has produced since the beginning, he also made a list of them. All the pieces in his donation can be traced back through documentation and old found catalogues. These four pieces are therefore not only numbered, but are also not included in the donation. As can be seen above, they are documented.
The Flersheim period
In the Flersheim period from 1912 to 1919 there are still many uncertainties, the photo below shows a Le Petit Livreur with a trunk, on the far right. This is not mensioned in the numbering known to us.
And one of my collector friends has a version of the L’autopatte with the same trunk on it.
There is a lot of uncertainty about the numbering of the Flersheim period from 1912 to 1919, many figures are known, but the product numbers are often not. We’ll wait and see and maybe we’ll get this numbering complete one day.
In black the numbers and names known to us, the numbers in red have yet to get their corresponding name, if any of my readers know the correct names of one or more of the missing numbers (with proof like a numbered box) please message me.
List of confirmed numbers :
227: “Chaud les Marrons“ 228: “Le Motocycliste Enragé“ 229: “Le Petit Patineur“ 230: “La Pédalette“ 231: “Le Motocycliste“ 232: “Soldat Bulgare“ 233: “La Casseuse d’Assiettes“ 234: “Le Chef d’Orchestre“ 235: 236: 237: “Dame de la Croix-Rouge” 238: “Soldat Marocain” 239: 240: “La Guerre Aérienne” 241: “Ma Nounou” 242: 243: 244: 245: 246: “Je Sonne la Paix“
A one day sale with a huge emphasis on tinplate toys and trains, American standard gauge as well as European RR items, comic character and other wind-up toys, German autos, Lehmanns, Penny Toys, Toy Soldiers & Figures and more.
In this auction are this time 3 Martin / Victor Bonnet toys and 1 S.i.j.i.m. toy the organ grinder
The Bertoia team is dedicated to offering our quality customer service, experience and support. Do not hesitate to contact us for assistance with registration, bidding or any other questions.
All prices are in US $ and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors. Always check the auction site for the results.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
first production date : 1892 production number: 127 (In the books known to us, this toy has the Martin product number 36, but the latest discoveries show that the real number is 127.) mechanism: clockwork height: 8,5 cm / 7,87 inch – length: 21 cm / 8,27 inch produced by Fernand Martin
An overview of the contents of the new Antique Toy World Magazine March 2024with this time an article about the: Victor Bonnet “L’Entraineur Skiff” from 1928
Antique Toy World is the leading publication for toy collectors worldwide.
Published since 1970. Antique Toy World is a monthly magazine published in the USA by Dale Kelley, the magazine’s founder, editor and publisher.
All prices are in US $ and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors. Always check the auction site for the results.
Photos courtesy of Morphy Auctions
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
The brandnew catalog of the 100th Toy Auction is online!
The auction will feature around 800 items of tin toys, trains, space toys and model cars.
This is a room bidding but you can also take part in the online bidding live via telephone, register your written predids or using the auction platforms lot-tissimo, the-saleroom and liveauctioneers and Sixbid you are able to to bid online. So you can submit your bids in real time during the auction. Therefor it is necessary to register on the platform of your choice not later than 24 hours before the auction starts.
The easiest way to participate in our auctions is to use our online catalogue. Here you can view all the items and directly place written pre-bids. See the catalog in the link below. You can also read the catalog in English
We hope you enjoy reading and browsing through the new catalog!
After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for this Martin toy.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Around 1912 there were a few toys that differed in detail from the normal models. This happened just before or just after the takeover from Martin to Georges Flersheim. A few models were then modified and provided with an open space to put in presumably sweets. These spaces were created in two ways. A tin container was placed on the models of the “Le petit Livreur” and the “L’autopatte”. The model of the “Le petit marchane d’oranges” the top was made so that it could open.
In the Martin “Le petit marchane d’oranges” model, the mechanism is “in” the space between the bottom of the cart and the fruit, in the later model the mechanism has been moved to the bottom of the cat.
So it was three known models with a “temporary” adjustment. Whether Martin or Flersheim were responsible for this is not entirely known, but they all have clear signs of the Martin models, the later Flersheim models have several specific changes compared to the Martin models, so I think they are models that were produced by Flersheim immediately after the takeover using parts that were still in stock from the earlier Fernand Martin production.
These three models with the candy container are very rare.
We started collecting antique toys a long time ago and we will continue to do so for many years to come, the third generation is already eager to join us.
For that one special item, we go to trade fairs at home and abroad, and we also scour the well-known and lesser-known platforms to find that nice addition.
You can imagine that over time we have acquired a large network and beautiful collection and we would like to share this with you by offering beautiful and high-quality items through our webshop.
If you are interested in one of our items on the page, I invite you to respond by email.
This site is in Dutch but If you are interested in one of our items please send an email to upper email address. For a description in your language, please contact us.
That blog mentioned a report about a meeting in 1906, during which a film was published with mainly Martin toys but also toys from Lehmann, among others.
I received a copy of this report from Mr. Claude Lamboley which included the following text:
Translation: Then the whole series of well-known mechanical toys was paraded before us that are manufactured in the factory of Mr. Fernand Martin. Cinematographic films presented the workshops and the tools of this manufacture; hands showed the toys being made, turning them, turning them over, while the lecturer gave the explanation (very curious effect). Then, finally, the cinematograph projected amusing and dramatic scenes, the actors of which were Mr. Martin’s’s mechanical little bonshommes.
In that blog from July 18 -2023 I said: Now we have to find that film.
Now I can tell you that I found this film. This film is used by Mr Klaus Lorenz in his lecture : THE MAGIC OF AUTOMATES on June 02 – 2023 This lecture was held in the CINÉMATHÈQUE Paris – Room George’s Franju
(Wikipedia: The Cinémathèque Française Paris, founded in 1936, is a French non-profit film organization that holds one of the largest archives of film documents and film-related objects in the world.The archive offers daily screenings of worldwide films.)
In an old Pathé-Frères catalogue from 1907, this film is listed under number 1356 with the following text:
Bob’s Theater…. Bob’s father was undoubtedly generous, because on the small theater stage we will recognize all the popular types of the latest toys of the year. Bob, as an excellent director, managed to introduce them to us as an artist, and despite the age it is a pleasure there, it will certainly please everyone.
The hole lecture is about 1 hour and 15 min. , in this compleet lecture you see a lot of other toy automates, this lecture is in French.
The part with the Martins start on 0.00 min. till 6.35 min. , it is a silent film so no text, music or spoken words.
Here the link to the complete lecture with the film: Le théàtre de Bob de Gaston Velle.
A one day sale with a huge emphasis on tinplate toys and trains, American standard gauge as well as European RR items, comic character and other wind-up toys, German autos, Lehmanns, Penny Toys, Toy Soldiers & Figures and more.
In this auction are this time 3 Martin / Victor Bonnet toys and 1 S.i.j.i.m. toy the organ grinder
The Bertoia team is dedicated to offering our quality customer service, experience and support. Do not hesitate to contact us for assistance with registration, bidding or any other questions.
After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for these Martins.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Name: La Patinette Produced from about 1929 Produced by Victor Bonnet (VB&Cie) Production number 263 Movement mechanism: turning key with a loose key Height: 22.5 cm / 8.86 inch Length: 23 cm / 9.06 inch
If you look closely at the legs and the shoes you will see that Victor Bonnet has reused them from the boy on roller skates, Le Petit Patineur number 229 from 1914 made by Georges Flesheim. The movement mechanism is also the same, they make a step movement with their right leg while the other leg is fixed on the roller skate with the Le Petit Patineur and on the step with the La Patinette.
This figure was used years ago by a Dutch investment / mortgage company in one of their advertisements.
After the auction, I will publish the realized price for these toys.
Photos courtesy of Morphy Auctions
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
PROUDLY PRESENTS THE NEW YEARS ANTIQUE TOYS EXTRAVAGANZA!!
THIS SPECIAL AUCTION INCLUDES A LIFE-LONG PRIVATE COLLECTION THAT INCLUDES MANY RARE AND WONDERFUL TOY!!
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IN THIS AUCTION THERE ARE 39 MARTIN-BONNET-SIJIM TOYS AND THERE ARE MANY MORE WONDERFUL TOYS IN THIS AUCTION
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These result prices are in US $ and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors. Always check the auction site for the results.
Photos courtesy Milestone Auctions
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to
In recent months I have presented all till now known Victor Bonnet pistol models. To make your search a little easier, I have combined them in this blog Here is an overview of all models with the corresponding link to the relevant blog for each model.
A very early Martin with the name: Le Livreur (the delivery guy) Made from 1888 Product number 108 Length 15.6cm / 6.14in This was probably the most successful Martin ever.
The history that preceded this: Due to an article in the American “The Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office” of October 20, 1885 on page 352, I came across the patent number 6470 of a “mechanical toy animal figure” . I started searching further and it turned out to be an English patent. In 1884 there was the Englishman Mr. William Hamilton Hall, 72 Denmark Villas, West Brighton, he was an inventor / toy manufacturer. He filed a patent in England in April 17, 1884 under number GB 6470 The patent was filed under the name: “Improvements in Mechanical Toy Animal Figures”. An extensive correction followed on January 26, 1885. The Complete Specification was dated January 16, 1885, and it contains 7 pages of text and 3 pages of drawings. The patent was directly applied for in several countries. Here is an overview of the countries now known: United States October 20, 1885 patent number 328912 France July 4, 1884, patent number 163149 Belgium March 28, 1885 patent number 68347 Austria December 4, 1884, patent number 34162 Hungary December 4, 1884, patent number 56714 Germany July 1, 1884, patent number 29806 England April 17, 1884, patent number 6470
The British Library Business & IP Center 96 Euston Road London make the patents available with explanation and images.
I found in David Pressland’s beautiful book “Pressland’s Blechspielzeug Der Welt” from 1995 and published by “AS Verlag Zürich” on page 241 a photo of a toy with his original box, the box appears, after further investigation, to have patent number 6470 and this is exactly the toy patent number from William Hamilton Hall produced from 1884, but are the box and toy on the photo from Hall?
I had a toy as on the picture from David Pressland book in my collection myself that looks like Martins “Le Livreur” but until now I do not know who the manufacturer is. As seen on the picture there is no crank-shaft between the wheels of the cart and there are no connecting-rods from the cart to the legs as seen on the Patent drawing above, Martin replaced that with a flywheel. Is this Hall’s “automatic postman” ?
Is it possible that Hall later adapted his toys, because they might have been cheaper and worked better, to Martin’s construction?”, yes that is possible, but he would have infringed Martin’s patent. Or vice versa, Martin’s patent wouldn’t have been valid, if an instantiation of his invention had been commercially available.
I think that Martin study the Hall patent and he thought this was a wonderful toy and saw the business benefits. But he had other thoughts about the mechanism and he applied for an “improved” patent for this type of toy.
In the book Fernand Martin Toymaker in Paris 1878-1912 it is stated on page 33 (with the wrong product number 22) that the story of the Le Livreur started with patent 75632 (printing error they meant 15632) on November 15, 1887 (this date will be reflected in the further story) but the story started with the William Hamilton Hill patent 6470 from April 17, 1884 in England so 3 years earlier.
Martin made improvements and on November 15, 1887 applied for a patent in England under the name “Improvements in Device or Mechanism for Communicating to Toys Movements Analogous to those of Human Beings and Animals when Walking.” and it get patent number 15632 The patent was reprinted as it was amended and quotes the following dates: Date of Application: November 15, 1887, Complete Specification Left (at the Patent Office,) May 09, 1888 Complete Specification Accepted July 27, 1888. The patent contains 6 pages and includes 1 page with 4 drawings.
There are notable difference of Hall’s and Martin’s patents. This is why “improvement” in Martin’s patent title takes its full sense, is that he eliminated the need for the crank-shaft between the wheels of the cart and the connecting-rods from the cart to the legs and replaced that with a flywheel. He very smartly achieves it with the gripping of the heel of the supporting foot. It therefore makes the cranked axle-tree easier to bend and the overall toy more reliable and simultaneously less expensive (less parts, less assembly time).
Regarding the Hall and Martin patent, Martin explains a few things on page 5 of his English patent.
Martin wrote the following text:
Having now specifically described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I am aware of Hall’s Specification No. 6470 AD 1884 and I make no claim to anything described and claimed therein, but what I claim is: A kind of toy with a miniature figure (preferably of a man) the legs of whitch imitate the natural movements of walking by the combined action of a motor vehicle having a continuous translation motion and abutting point placing itself alternately on any suitable surface, in such manner that retaining one leg an instant on the ground and the movement of translation continuing this abutting point forces the leg in contact with the ground to incline itself thus giving a movement similar but in the reverse sense to the second leg with which it is connected by a bent or cranked axle.
About the same time, Martin also applied on November 12, 1887 for this patent in France, where it was given the number 186948. See more in my other blog from August 15 2019:
But so far, all Martin copies and boxes found have the patent number 15632, so the English patent number. I have not yet found any copies or a box with the French patent number. On the top of the cart and on the box is written: “F.M. S.G.D.G. France & Etranger Paris Patent 15632“ France & Etranger meens French and foreign. I think Martin used the English patent number because it had already been approved and the application for the French patent was still being processed in France.
Martin-Lehmann Fernand Martin and E.P. Lehmann turned out to be good business colleagues and Lehmann also saw something in this toy. Lehmann was allowed to use this patent against payment of 5 francs per 144 (12 dozen) pieces sold. The success was enormous and within 8 months Lehmann came to Martin with a payment of 5000 francs, so 144.000 of the Lehmann “Express” EPL number 140, had already been sold up to that point.
On the back of the Lehmann Express (the copy of the Martin Le Livreur) , the text is Engl.Patent without a patent number.
A toy and his box :
Take a good look at the boxes from Martin, Lehmann and Hall ? , they are very similar.
The success of the collaboration between F. Martin and E.P. Lehmann was expanded with several Martins, of which Lehmann was allowed to use the patents and were also allowed to be manufactured.
With special thanks to: The British Library. Business & IP Center. 96 Euston Road. London To make the patents available with explanation and images.
1 FERNAND MARTIN TOYS WITH NUMBER: 2 FERNAND MARTIN TOYS WITHOUT NUMBER: 3 GEORGES FLERSHEIM TOYS: 4 VICTOR BONNET: 5 GENERAL: 6 MOVIES: 7 ART: 8 OLD NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINS ARTICLES:
Benjamin was a French newspaper for young people founded by Jean Nohain. First published in January 1929, it ended in 1958. Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France
A journalist from the magazine “Benjamin” visits M. Bonnet “President of French toy manufacturers…”
-Monsieur Bonnet, see you soon, madam, would you sit down? The charming secretary who received me is a sociable person, she talks to you with respect. -It’s because Monsieur Bonnet is very busy… I know that. mr. Bonnet honors himself with the admirable title of: President of the Syndicate Chamber of French Toy Manufacturers, but that’s not all, it’s an official title, but that generally means nothing. -It’s no small feat, you can imagine, continues the dear secretary, to be governor-general of all French toys! The time has come, now it gets interesting, I no longer wait for the chairman of a union chamber, but for the governor of toys, the king of toys, the Napoleon of toys, a gentleman who only talks and thinks of dolls, soldiers, trains…
—Would you like to go in, ma’am? Mr. Bonnet stands before me and leads me into his opulent office. I have to admit right away, Mr. Bonnet didn’t tell me this. Disappointed and unless you’re unreasonable enough not to let in any toy king other than a six-year-old boy, everyone will agree that Mr. Bonnet is also exactly “the right man”, the type of the real good grandfather and a grandfather who spends his life surrounded by toys, judge a little! Oh sir, you must know things that no one has the slightest idea! Surely you can tell me how many toys we make each year? Now impressive figures on toys come from France and elsewhere —In France, on average, 70,000,000 are made, that is, for about 300,000,000 francs. Who would have thought that? Every year, 70,000,000 toys are needed for little French people!
And what kind of toys do we mainly make, dolls and trains? We can say that dolls alone make up a fifth of this production, the railway industry and the mechanical toy industry are about equally important, the rest of this figure achieved is represented by all kinds of toys. And find all these dolls, all these trains, all these different toys, buyers? —Certainly, and we could produce even more, since 20,000,000 pieces of foreign toys flow parallel to ours. Imported toys then? Ah yes, I know one of the “Made in Germany” toys myself. So there are so many toys made in Germany that those little Germans can’t destroy everything and that our little French children have to help them? —We make a lot of them, but in the United States they make a lot more. Is it the United States that produces the most? Yes, they can be the main toy producing country classified according to the importance of their production: United States, Germany, France and Japan, where regiments of celluloid babies are born. But it is Germany that exports the most, isn’t it? —Yes, at least to France, the United States mainly exports to South America, Japan and to China.
Germany prefers to trade with us, firstly because it is our neighbor and secondly because French industrialists have a reputation for being very good payers. —In 1930, of the 13,348 quintals (quintal is an old unit for weight of one hundred kilograms) of toys imported into France, 11,217 quintals came from Germany. —But in Germany everyone has to make toys? You think I’m not telling the truth? —In addition to the large factories, which are wonderfully equipped for the manufacture of mechanical toys, one can find whole families in small villages, such as in the Black Forest, for example, who are busy assembling small toys at home. —Their work is paid at the rate of 0 Fr.50 to 2 Fr. per hour, which is too little and not good, as you can expect they work as much as possible. You haven’t told me about the toy soldiers, sir. —The toy soldier industry is starting to recover a bit, but each country is enough for its own consumption, other toys are also sold locally because it would be too inconvenient to ship it, for example, these are heavy toys such as wheelbarrows, carts, small furniture, wooden horses…
Here is a statement signed by Mr Bonnet
(translation) The president of the French toys manufacturer is hereby thanking the small junior Benjamin’s for listening to all our discussions. He is asking them to please children of workmen and French toy makers by prioritizing toys made by their parents .
Sir, I didn’t believe the toy industry was so successful at first —It is strong, important and also very complete, because it makes almost all crafts work, the little girls and boys want everything they see in the hands of adults in miniature, they have toy cars, sewing machines, bicycles, microscopes, clocks needed and who knows what else?
—On the other hand, some toys require a very diverse workforce. —Open a box of board games and try to imagine the number of workers from many professions who had to work together to produce all these objects together. But I think, sir, if the youngest didn’t break their toys, it would be a national disaster! half more unemployed? —Certainly, ma’am, but thank goodness we’re not there yet and there will be a lot of water flowing under the bridges before the race of the little wrecker dies out, thankfully. Who tell you, sir? I have a horrible three year old nephew who can bust the hardest toy in five minutes but darling is a good little civilian! VIOLET-JEAN.
Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Fröhliche Weihnachten und ein glückliches Neues Jahr Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo Boas Festas e um feliz Ano Novo Kala Christougenna Ki’eftihismenos O Kenourios Chronos God Jul och Gott Nytt År Glædelig Jul og godt nytår Geseende Kerfees en ’n gelukkige nuwe jaar Hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta
PROUDLY PRESENTS THE NEW YEARS ANTIQUE TOYS EXTRAVAGANZA!!
THIS SPECIAL AUCTION INCLUDES A LIFE-LONG PRIVATE COLLECTION THAT INCLUDES MANY RARE AND WONDERFUL TOY!!
PRESSED STEEL TRUCKS, PEDAL CARS, AUTOMOTIVE TOYS, MOTORCYCLES, GERMAN WINDUPS, GERMAN HAND PAINT, TIN WINDUPS, CHARACTER TOYS, JAPANESE TIN, BATTERY OPS, ROBOTS, SPACE TOYS, & MORE!!
IN THIS AUCTION THERE ARE 39 MARTIN-BONNET-SIJIM TOYS AND THERE ARE MANY MORE WONDERFUL TOYS IN THIS AUCTION
“FULL CATALOG & LIVE BIDDING THRU” WWW.MILESTONEAUCTIONS.COM LIVEAUCTIONEERS, & INVALUABLE
PHONE BIDS & ABSENTEE BIDS Call 440-527-8060
AUCTION PREVIEW AVAILABLE WEEK OF AUCTION & 8:00 AM AUCTION DAY
After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for these Martins.
Photos courtesy Milestone Auctions
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object o
An article with image of the bullfighter from Fernand Martin number 129 ((In the books known to us, this toy has the Martin product number 47, but that is incorrecte).
NEW YEAR’S DAY BARACKS 1894/1895
It seems that this year, the small booths on New Year’s Day have had a real resurgence in success. We don’t want to witness it except the compact crowd that hasn’t stopped crowding the boulevards since Christmas Eve.
During our walk we came across several sensational toys. In the series of mechanical toys, always very successful, here is the Bull race, which buyers have already dubbed theLittle Sugar Bowl (explanation see below): two horizontal bars, one ending in a bull, the other in a toreador armed with his muleta, chase each other; the bull, with articulated legs, leaps upon the toreador who flees from him.
Explanation: Le petit sucrier: the sugar bowl. that was the nickname of Max Lebaudy, the son of a very wealthy French sugar manufacturer, who died young in 1895, after wasting millions, much of it in the most absurd way. 1894 is the year when Max fell in love with bullfighting. He then intends to organize several bullfights on his estate and thus has an arena built for the occasion. All of Paris and local notables are invited to attend these bullfights, orchestrated down to the smallest detail, even the program which was written in Spanish! Because Fernand Martin also belonged to the notables of Paris, it is very likely that he also watched one of these bullfights and in an interview for the magazine: Almanach Pratique illustré du Petit Parisien 1913 article: Les jouet mécanique, invention bien Française by Paul Lagarlère page 71-80, Martin told that he was inspired by the Max Lebaudy bullfight’s to design this toy.
You can find another article about this toy in the link below:
The auction will be held on December 5th at 15:00 CEST in Bertolami Fine Art headquarter in Piazza Lovatelli, 1 – Rome.
In this auction there are 4 Martin toys, but there are more beautiful other toys in this auction.
The following methods of participation are available: in person; by telephone; online upon registration on our website www.bertolamifineart.com, or on our partner portals (see list below); by a written absentee bid to be received by 12:00 CEST on Tuesday 5th November 2023.
These prices are in € (Euro) and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors. Always check the auction site for the results.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction .
The auction will be held on December 5th at 15:00 CEST in Bertolami Fine Art headquarter in Piazza Lovatelli, 1 – Rome.
In this auction there are 4 Martin toys, but there are more beautiful other toys in this auction.
The following methods of participation are available: in person; by telephone; online upon registration on our website www.bertolamifineart.com, or on our partner portals (see list below); by a written absentee bid to be received by 12:00 CEST on Tuesday 5th November 2023.
After the auction, I will publish the realized price for these toys.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction .
This very beautiful toy was first produced by Fernand Martin’s successor, Mr. Georges Flersheim. In the late 1920s, approximately around 1928, these toys were produced again in a slightly modified form by Georges Flersheim’s successor Mr. Victor Bonnet The height of both versions is approximately 19 cm / 7,5 inch
The differences are mainly in: Georges Flersheim version is named: La Casseuse D’assiettes Produced from 1913 Product number 233 Hand-lacquered A characteristic Flersheim key Produced in a red and blue version
Victor Bonnet version is named: Madelon Casseuse D’assiettes. Produced from around 1928 Product number 260 The body is no longer hand-lacquered, only her face and hat with bow are hand-lacquered. A distinctive Victor Bonnet key Got cloth clothes
The number of dishes and the color of the dishes may differ depending on the version. Georges Flersheim’s version only had “white” dishes. Various color versions of the plates were found in the Victor Bonnet version.
Only “white” dishes.
“White” dishes with a “red” dish on top attached to the rod
Dishes in “red” with gold-colored stars as decoration
Dishes in “red” with gold-colored dots as decoration
The bottom dish that is attached to the hands is colored “white” in the Flersheim version, in the Bonnet version it is “white” and features a red factory logo with the text VB&CIE PARIS MADE IN FRANCE
‘La Casseuse d’Assiettes’ was inspired by a comic strip featuring a girl called Becassine. The comic strip was first published ‘La Semaine de Suzette’ (February 1905), a weekly edition for girls and very soon Becassine became a French icon. In 1913 Flersheim made her into a fantastic toy but he was not allowed to use the name Becassine because it had been registered as a trademark in 1910. I found a book: La Semaine de Suzette with the first 26 weekly numbers of 1914, in this book the publisher placed advertisements, in which he sold ‘Becassine Casseuse d’Assiettes’ at 2.90 Francs, without naming Flersheim.
Book: “la Semaine de Suzette”, from 1914 10-ième année – Premier semestre Advertising 1 Bécassine 001 from “la Semaine de Suzette” No. 9 – 2 avril 1914 ( 10-ième annéé) Advertising 2 Bécassine 001 from “la Semaine de Suzette”No. 11 – 16 avril 1914
Below you can see two patents about this toy, the first is the France patent with number 458560 of Mai 29 -1913 and the second is the German patent with number 270852 of July 13 – 1913, on the patent drawings you can see how complicated and ingenious the mechanism is. If you look at the mechanism from the inside you will also see solidity.
The Box:
The differences between the box of the Flersheim version and the Bonnet version are clearly visible
The operation is as follows: after turning the mechanism, the figure vibrates forward, after a short time the dishes are thrown into the air and the figure falls backwards. Then the dishes must be gathered together again, placed on the support rod and the rod with the dishes must be pushed back into the bottom dish that is fixed between the hands.
Carl Bagessen, born in 1858 in Denmark. In 1895 he was a contortionist at Cirque Rancy in Lyon, under the name “Corkscrew Man”. He also had a comedy act very similar to our toy in action where he drops a huge pile of plates on the floor. For twenty years, Bagessen brought this act to all the variety theaters in the world.
On many toys from around 1887 till the thirty’s of the last century, we see a triangular symbol with a number below it on the boxes of toys and even on the toys. This symbol was once invented by the”La Chambre Syndicale des Fabricants de Jouets Français”, of which Fernand Martin was a board member and even once chairman, in the thirty’s of the last century the triangle probably had lost any meaning and disappeared.
This symbol was a sing of quality from a French manufacturer.
The manufacturer who wishes to make use of this mark only has to justify his quality of French manufacturer, and to pay the registration fee for the serial number of the police in perpetuity, a fee which amounts to a single sum of five francs.
FACTORY BRAND FRENCH TOY The Trade Union Chamber of French Toy Manufacturers filed with the Registry of the Commercial Court of the Seine, June 1, 1886, under number 23,795, a trademark of which we give the facsimile. The Chambre Syndicale, with the aim of developing national industry, grants authorization to use this mark to any French industrialist who so requests. It is enough to justify its quality as a French manufacturer. For information, contact the Chambre Syndicale on the third Friday of each month, Hôtel Moderne, place de la République.
Each toy manufacturer that was allowed to use this symbol received a separate number. Fernand Martin’s factory was registered under number 138
Some examples of the “triangel” mark sign on toys, catalogue or toy box of various manufacturers with their number
A magnificent sale with choice collections from around the country and the globe alike, the November auction is certain to grab international attention. Highlighted categories include Mechanical Banks, Spelter and iron Still Banks, sensational European tinplate toys and wind-ups, Trains and Airplanes, and much more!
Heath Hurlbert Mechanical Banks | The Willett Still Bank Collection | The Bob Davis Aeronautical Collection
In this auction are this time 7 Martin / Victor Bonnet toys.
The Bertoia team is dedicated to offering our quality customer service, experience and support. Do not hesitate to contact us for assistance with registration, bidding or any other questions.
These result prices are in US $ and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors. Always check the auction site for the results.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction
Excerpt from the original report: group: Class 100 section Bimbeloterie There was a colossal statue personifying the Toy Fairy distributing toys. The French toy exhibition included 63 exhibitors representing a wide variety of branches of the toy industry. One of them was Mr. Fernand Martin, former president of the Trade union Chamber of the manufacturers of toys and games. (Reporter, Mr. A. Chauvin.)
The French auction house: Galerie de Chartres has this time 19 very nice Fernand Martin/Victor Bonnet toys in the “LIVE” auction on November 11 -2023. Furthermore, there are many more other beautiful toys in this auction that we can look for.
After the auction, I will publish the realized price for this toy.
These prices are in € (Euro) and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors. Always check the auction site for the results.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction .
Victor Bonnet produced various tin pistols in the period from 1919 to 1933. The number we know now is 8 pieces but maybe we will discover more. the list of the pistols known so far is:
The Victor Bonnet list with pistol models with article numbers Le Pan-Pan 247 Flac 256 Bombarde 257 Le Pétard 258 Tape_Fort 262 Le Sans-Balle 264 Le Costaud 266 Le Corsaire (Product number unknown)
Here we present :
Name: Le Corsaire Number: Product number unknown Year of first production: 1932 ?? Dimensions: 18 cm x ?? cm / 7 inch x ?? inch
After the relocation of the production of the Victor Bonnet factory in 1933, we no longer find pistols in the product range. Probably is that the Victor Bonnet & Cie-in-liquidation, sold the patents and trademarks of guns/pistols to JEP.
The French auction house: Galerie de Chartres has this time 19 very nice Fernand Martin/Victor Bonnet toys in the “LIVE” auction on November 11 -2023. Furthermore, there are many more other beautiful toys in this auction that we can look for.
After the auction, I will publish the realized price for these toys.
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction .
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF AUCTIONS OF THE EXTENSIVE VINTAGE TOY COLLECTION OF ELMER & BERNADETTE DUELLMAN!!
THIS KICKOFF AUCTION WILL CONSIST OF 800+ LOTS FROM THE MUSEUM COLLECTION WHICH CONSISTS OF OVER 20,000 TOYS OF ALL KINDS.
PRESSED STEEL TRUCKS, JAPANESE TIN CARS, RACE CARS, TETHER CARS, MOTORCYCLES, GERMAN TOYS, TIN WINDUPS, CHARACTER TOYS, BATTERY OPS, SPACE TOYS, & MUCH MORE!!!
IN THIS AUCTION THERE IS ONE MARTIN TOY BUT THERE ARE MANY MORE WONDERFUL TOYS IN THIS AUCTION
“FULL CATALOG & LIVE BIDDING THRU” WWW.MILESTONEAUCTIONS.COM LIVEAUCTIONEERS, & INVALUABLE
PHONE BIDS & ABSENTEE BIDS Call 440-527-8060
AUCTION PREVIEW AVAILABLE WEEK OF AUCTION & 8:00 AM AUCTION DAY
These result price is in US $ and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors. Always check the auction site for the results.
Photos courtesy Milestone Auctions
Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value. I advise interested collectors always do to research yoursel