BANDAI !

[Tallone]

I picked up this little beauty Saturday. Paid $50 for it. I think that is a steal.



I believe this vintage tin toy (with a working friction motor) is made in Japan by Bandai. Search the eBay sold listings for "3 wheel toy truck" and I think you will see why $50 looks like a good investment. You should see on the search results this identical toy (without the soft top) and in worse condition.

 

[Lost&Found]

Nice find. It makes me feel that Godzilla is nearby.

 

[bdsawyer]

That is a rare color! I have sold the blue/red variation and bid on others via auction, but havent seen one in this color. What is the size, about 8.5 inches? Does it have the Bandai marking on the bottom or on the litho of the dash? The only other yellow Bandai 3 Wheel Mazda I've found sold for a nice amount, I hope yours will do the same (If you sell it).

 

[mugsisme]

That is so cute! I've never seen that before. Congrats, good luck on selling, and thanks so much for posting. Gotta love this forum; learn so much from here.

 

[Tallone]

Yes, it is about 8.5" long. The only markings I can find are the Japanese (I presume) characters on the sides of the fabric top and on the back. Below is a picture of the dash. I don't see any maker's marks there.



BTW, an eBay listing for this little truck starts tonight. These 3 wheelers seem to be pretty rare. Knowing how hard kids are on toys, I'm guessing one with an intact fabric top is very rare. If this is also an unusual color, better still. Keeping my fingers crossed for lots of bidding.

 

[giniro]

The Japanese characters on the fabric top and license plate are katakana and spell out Mazda(more or less).

 

[Tallone]

Thanks, giniro! I'll add that tidbit to my listing.

 

[trdhrdr007]

Pressed tin toys like this are scary to me because I have heard there are a lot of reproductions on the market. Is there some trick to telling a repop from the real thing?

 

[bdsawyer]

The mark may be in the back of the bed of the truck, like the image below.

And trdhrdr007, once you start to study the real vintage tin toys of the 1940s-60s, it becomes pretty easy to spot a reproduction. The quality and worksmanship of the vintage pieces is easy to spot. Tallone's Bandai truck is no exception and has great detail. It just takes some time to learn, but trust me it can be well worth it. 3 of my top 5 all time finds have been toys.

 

[Tallone]

I'm no expert in tin toys but I think I have a pretty good eye for detail. This toy was quite a bit dirtier when I bought it. You can still see some of the dust in the pic of the interior. Stuff like that accumulates slowly over a period of years and is difficult to replicate. In addition, there were also some scuff marks and minor damage to the fabric that one would expect to see with age and use. Also, context is important. I purchased this from an estate. There were a bunch of other toys of similar age there. And, the late owner of the place was a former Navy guy who had obviously been stationed in the far east at some point (I heard Korean War era) as there were many old items of Asian origin. So, putting it all together, I was completely convinced this is an original piece. Had I seen this in an antique shop somewhere and it didn't have the signs of age noted above, I would have been much less certain.

There does appear to be a mark on the front wall of the bed but it doesn't show clearly in the pic I posted. I'll take a closer look tonight. Thanks for the tip.

EDIT: Good call there, bdsawyer. Here is the maker's mark:

 

[Justice70]

Good eye! I love old toys and yours is in excellent condition.

 

[Tallone]

I like them, too, but not because I am a collector. I like them because they are an easy sell and often for very good money. I don't come across old ones like this very often and, when I do, they are usually too expensive to make any money on which makes this purchase a rare bird indeed. BTW, I started my eBay listing for this truck last night. By the morning, I had 6 people watching the auction indicating there is serious interest in it. Hoping for some fast and furious bidding!

 

[OldSowBreath]

BTW, Tallone, your first pic is very nicely done. Should really help the bidding! Banzai Bandai!

 

[Tallone]

Thanks, OSB! I believe when I'm are trying to sell something where prospective buyers can't pick it up and examine it directly, it is very important to provide them with the best possible photos. My camera is an old Sony Mavica. It's not very sophisticated but it takes great pictures - especially closeups like the interior shot. Lighting is usually the trickiest part. Up to 11 watchers now in less than 24 hours.

 

[diggummup]

That is a beautiful piece in great condition. I'd say this is probably a rare piece in this color and the tarped back model makes it even better. You should make out like a bandit, if the right people see your auction. I mean if this can sell for $716.00- http://www.antiquesnavigator.com/d-481372/bandai-mazda-3-wheel-delivery-car--truck-japan-1950s.html 3 1/2 years ago, then it should be no problem to make your starting bid at minimum. The market on vintage Japanese Tin toys has only got better over the last 10 years. Here is a nice looking 3 wheeled delivery truck with a tarp that sold for only $90 in 2007 at a local auction- 254: Bandai Toy Tricycle Delivery Truck 1950's : Lot 254 I have yet to find another example of your yellow truck.

 

[allen]

That is one sweet collectible!!

 

[Tallone]

There is another yellow version very similar to mine that sold recently on ebay for $493. See:

Japan China Tin Friction 3 Wheel Truck 1950's or 60's RARE | eBay



That one didn't have the soft top and had some rust. It did have the original tag. I'm hoping to do substantially better than that.

 

[clovis97]

Nice find!!!!

Bandai also made plastic model kits too. Those kits can sell for a fortune, so keep your eyes out.

BTW, how did the truck do?

 

[BosnMate]

I was a young Korean War era sailor in Japan in the mid 50's. You might be interested in this. When you bought a beer in a bar in Yokosuka, they didh't want the can damaged in any way, because they sold them to be recycled into tin toys. I've seen some of those toys at the time, that underneath where it wasn't readily seen, there was the remains of the can's beer label. You need to remember that was only 10 years after the war, and they were still rebuilding their country, and trust me, the sailors were giving them plenty of tin to recycle. Oh yes, the cans were heavy duty compared to the aluminum ones of today, and no pop tab.

 

[diggummup]

I see that it sold. Congrats.