1928 '29 AA Express

[Tudortomnz]

Hi All
A Model A friend recently acquired this AA Express toy truck at a swapmeet here. It has been repainted but appears to be to be an old cast metal one from the Thirties.
Underneath it is stamped 'Arsade', 210R, 88, Freeport Ill., 210 L.
He wants to know when this toy would have been made? Any idea of value in US ?
It is 8 & 3/8" long & weighs 2lbs.
BTW, Martin also has the full size 1929 Model AA Tow Truck with Weaver Hoist.
Thanks

 

[lookin-backtexas]

Your friend has found a nice toy. It is actually made by Arcade and was manufactured in 1929. Sometimes it is hard to read the stamped information on the underside of an old cast iron toy; this particular truck would have been identified as "ARCADE 210X".

According to the book "O'Briens Collecting Toy Cars and Trucks" Indentification and Value Guide 4th edition published in 2005 it is worth between $1,000 and $2,400.

It would have been worth more if found original rather than repainted. They rate the condition as follows:
C6 - Good, evident overall wear, well played with but acceptable to many collectors, $1,000
C8 - Very Good; minor overall wear, very clean, $1,650
C10 - Mint; like new, $2,400

Tell your friend Martin that Arcade also manufactured a 1929 Model AA Ford Tow Truck similar to his real Model AA however its value is listed as $500 to $1,100 so he has another one to look for. It would be stamped "ARCADE #215" and is the same size as this one (8-1/4 inches long).

Arcade started making cast iron toys in 1869 in Freeport, Illinois and went out of business in 1946. Here's a link to some great photos of some of their toys:
http://oldantiquetoys.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-arcade-toy-company.html

Fred

 

[Tudortomnz]

Fred, thankyou very much for your information. It is what Martin was wanting to know ; he wanted it put on FB & knew there were some collectors of these A era toys.
A bit off topic, but still Model A related.
My faith in members knowledge has been restored!

 

[Chris Haynes]

I have bought cast iron toys that have been repainted. Graffitti remover works great to remove the rattle can paint without harming whats left of the original paint.