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Beautiful Russian Space Toy with Box


gernot

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This beautiful Russian Space Toy was recently sold for a record price of over 1800

http://www.ebay.com/...=p204675.l2557

Please take alook at the pictures before they are gone (Brian please add them to the Database, if possible)

I have problems getting the pictures from the auction, if anybody can add these it would be great.

It is the first time that I have seen the box for this toy.

It was complete with additional paper informaiton, which dates this toy back to 1959.

I like this toy very much, it combines a three dimensional earth with a surrounding space capsule and

nice graphics added of classic fairytales.

The box makes this toy exeptional, there are different picturs of space ships added to the front.

I guess it was sold when the Russian Sputnik sattelite was launched.

Some bidders wanted that toy so much that they pushed the price to this record height.

I wonder if this was the record price for a Russian Space Toy.

Who can translate the text on the paper?

Russian Space Toy.pdf

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The auction description:

This vintage Russian sputnik wind up toy comes in its original box with original paperwork. There is a date on the paperwork that indicates it was purchased in 1959. I know the former owner was in Russian in the late 1950’s. The toy is in remarkable condition for its age. It, as well as the box, has great graphics. The tin litho toy has a key wind that causes the little plastic sputnik to orbit the earth; as it moves a bell rings. The toy is missing its key but I was able to run it with another toy’s key. It needed a little prodding at first and then orbited on its own. The toy measures 4 ½” high and 3” across the base. What a great early space toy! Please see the pictures and email me with questions. New Jersey bidders add 7% sales tax or supply a valid resale number. Good luck for this is a fine find!

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What a wonderful and bizarre toy - is that supposed to represent the history of human flight? We started with witches on brooms and wizards riding magic carpets, moving forward through children on giant birds and elves flying creepy snarling dogs. Then, balloons and zeppelins and finally, crazy looking rockets! Or maybe those rockets are looking into the future? It seemed expensive to me until I looked at all those graphics. What a brilliant piece! I wonder that it hasn't got santa and his reindeer on it - do they do Santa in Russia at all?

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It is not a Sputnik satelite, it's a American space capsule, Mercury. That's odd, if it was made in the late 50's, there was no Mercury capsule yet launched, the Sputnik was a small round object with protruding spikes, antennas. The USSR had a space capsule that was also round. So, is maybe its early 60's, and its represents the American space race ? Wish we could read the material it came with.....

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  • 2 years later...

Who can translate the text on the paper?

as they say, "better late than never"!

I can translate it, but probably with some errors in English:

stamp "department of technical control # 38"

name and address of the factory

"Handling rules of clockwork toy:

1. When winding up of mechanism should rotate key in a clockwise

2. Turning the key in the opposite direction is not allowed

3. In order to avoid premature wear of the mechanism is not recommended to fully tighten the spring

_____________________________________________________

Place for stamp of shop and the date of purchase

_____________________________________________________

When making a claim, show these Handling rules with a stamp of store and purchase date.

printing house...

June of 1959

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Ninoi4506, can you identify the fairies printed on the toy?

I can identify:

"Pinocchio" - Wooden boy with long nose and goose. Story by Carlo Collodi

"Nils Holgerson" - Boy sitting on flying goose. Story by Selma Lagerlöf

The flying witch on barrel. Is it Baba Jaga?

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Yes, I can try to identify its all.

(First of all, it is worth to mention that it is an object of Soviet propaganda as well. Therefore, all the stories of Russian authors only. But part of Russian fairy tales are adaptations of Europe fairy tales. Therefore, I will to refer the source where I can too).

So here we go:

post-2086-0-25356000-1428063674_thumb.jp

These are the two main characters tales "Old Hottabych" - Bearded Old Hottabych gin and a boy, who released him - a pioneer Volka. This tale is authentic, although the author (Lazar Lagin) admitted that he was inspired by "The Brass Bottle" by Thomas Anstey.

post-2086-0-94814600-1428064111.jpg

1 - Doctor Aibolit by Korney Chukovsky (based on Doctor Doolittle by Hugh John Lofting). In one of the episodes Doctor Aibolit went to Africa to save sick animals, and а flock of eagles helped his team move through the mountains - so we see it in the picture.

2 - Buratino by Alexey Tolstoy (based on Pinnokio by Carlo Collodi). (I don't remember why this wooden boy clung to a goose=).

post-2086-0-00394700-1428065014.jpg

1 - Omar Yusuf - Old Hottabych brother, the evil genie.

2 - Baba Yaga (you are absolutely right) - old witch, the authentic character of many Russian fairy tales, mostly evil but sometimes it can be a good quality.

3 - Ivan Tsarevich and the Grey Wolf authentic characters of some Russian fairy tales (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsarevitch_Ivan,_the_Fire_Bird_and_the_Gray_Wolf).

4 - Smith Vakula ride on Chort that he tamed. Scene from authentic fairy tale "The Night Before Christmas" by Nikolay Gogol (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_Eve_%28Gogol%29)

post-2086-0-94454100-1428068251.jpg

1 - The Magic Swan Gees stole a little boy (Ivan) and takes him to Baba Yaga. Authentic Russian folk tale. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_Swan_Geese )

2 - Humpbacked Horse carries his friend and master - Ivan the Fool. Authentic fairy tale by Petr Ershov (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Petit_Cheval_bossu_%28conte%29)

post-2086-0-44307100-1428068690_thumb.jp

Zhar-bird (Firebird) - the authentic character of many Russian fairy tales.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firebird_%28Slavic_folklore%29)

Phew, done!

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Great and very interesting info, Ninoi!

Is it asking too much, you also translate the text and captions written on the box? That looks like details about the manufacturer.

And you might also explain, why the moving satellite on the toy actually is a model of a Sputnik?

Thanks, K.

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