Tiniest toy I have ever found bottle digging! How old is it and who made it?

[FreeBirdTim]

I was cleaning out a small jar today that I found at a bottle dump a few weeks ago. It was full of dirt, so I rinsed it in the sink. Out pops the tiniest plastic toy I have ever seen! It looks to be a scuba diver and he's only one inch tall! Without a doubt, the smallest toy I have ever found at any dump site.

Does anyone remember playing with something like this when they were a kid? I'm thinking maybe 1940's or so, but I could be wrong. Any guesses as to the age and who the manufacturer was would be appreciated.

 

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[FreeBirdTim]

Sorry, meant to put this in the "What is it?" forum.

 

[releventchair]

Once upon a time.....There was a plastic diver that was a toy in a cereal box. Could be related....

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Thanks for the tip! I'll see what I can find with a Google search.

 

[releventchair]

Thanks for the tip! I'll see what I can find with a Google search.

You're welcome.
I looked...did not find a match.

 

[Ogre1190]

I remember these...

Used to put baking soda in the base n they'd dive n surface in the water for a few minutes.

 

[WaterScoop]

Cool find and so tinny

Can you imagine having to wear this outfit to scuba dive

 

[FreeBirdTim]

No way would I put that on and go under water!

 

[FreeBirdTim]

I tried Cracker Jack toys, but nothing came up. This one's a toughie to find!

 

[DCMatt]

I would guess 40's or 50's. Good save!

Try searching celluloid cracker jack or celluloid gumball toys. Good luck finding a match.

I looked a little, but there's about eleventy gazillion different ones.

 

[Tony in SC]

There was also a submarine that was 25cents and two box tops.

I remember these...
View attachment 1543831
Used to put baking soda in the base n they'd dive n surface in the water for a few minutes.

 

[digger460]

I would guess 40's or 50's. Good save!

Try searching celluloid cracker jack or celluloid gumball toys. Good luck finding a match.

I looked a little, but there's about eleventy gazillion different ones.

Had to look up eleventy gazillion 110,000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000......centillion. Beyond that is the googolplex, which is a one followed by a googol zeros. A googolplex is actually a useless number to the scientific community because it exceeds the number of particles in the universe. So if you start searching now........................................... And "Now you know" Couldn't find Gazillion!

 

[DCMatt]

Gazillion = wow.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

I'm thinking it could have been connected to the 20,000 leagues under the sea book, that might be an avenue of research you could check.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Thanks for the help. It's very poorly put together, so maybe just a junky gumball machine toy. I'll keep looking, though.

 

[Limitool]

How old do you think the bottle it was found in is possibly? Might... and I say might narrow it down some?

 

[SkaBa]

I'm thinking it could have been connected to the 20,000 leagues under the sea book, that might be an avenue of research you could check.

This is not a SCUBA suit. That stands for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.

The toy is wearing a Standard Diving Dress.

I think Back-of-the-boat is correct.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

How old do you think the bottle it was found in is possibly? Might... and I say might narrow it down some

It was a small, screw top jar. No manufacturer's mark on it. It has the numbers "751" and "3"on the bottom. Usually a single digit number on the bottom of a jar or bottle means it's pre-1940. Jars from the 40's and 50's have a two digit numbers to designate the year.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

One more note. I found a small bottle today at the same spot and it has "A.C. Barnes U.S.A." on the bottom. That company was bought by Zonite Products Corporation in 1929, so it has to be a pre-1930 bottle.