Before there was plastic there was tin. It was hard, rusted and could cut. Yet, it could be molded and cut into a variety of shapes and was a great canvas for lithographed, bright colors with alacrity. It's fun to look back at some of the toys that our grand and great grand parents enjoyed.
The Felix the Cat Scooter, was a wind up toy made in Germany by SG Toys (love that tail). Manufactured in the 1920's, it show cased Felix the Cat, a top cartoon character from the pre-Disney era of cartoons.
Speaking of the Walt Disney Company, the above Mickey and Minnie Motorcycle toy was produced in 1932 by Tippco. Mickey's first appearance was in the 1928 release of "Steamboat Willie" so this was undoubtedly an early licensed toy.
The penny tin toy battleship seen above wasmanufactured in the first decade of the 20th century. I did an inflation calculation and found that a penny toy in 1900 is worth 29 cents in 2017 money so it was quite a value.
IRAN
Grandfather of Iranian toys "Professor Zardusht Houshvar" was born in 1310 in one of the old neighborhoods of Tehran.He rebuilt childhood toys.
Internash car toy that was made by toy maker in around the shrine of King Abdul Azim.
( Mehr news agency.)
In an interview with Mehr News Agency, Professor Hoshvar said:At the time of our childhood, around the shrine of King Abdul Azim( Ray city), was the largest selling toy store that toys were built in garages and the most of them were made by gypsum, pottery, wood and tin, because plastic was not imported like it was today.
Tap-Tapou boat toy was played 70 years ago. it was made by tin and worked with oil