I’ve always wanted one of these vintage Disney tin toys but have never been able to justify the cost. But today I found one at a reasonable price, although it has many condition issues. Let’s have a look:

 Wonderful graphics!

This is a roller coaster that uses small individual cars which are drawn up the main ramp by a belt and then traverse the track using downward momentum alone.

Now let’s look at the whole toy:

So the first condition issue is the spring which has sprung:

Also, the wind-up key is missing as is the conveyor belt used to move the cars up the main ramp:

And… the cars themselves are missing. But here is what they look like according to an eBay seller:

But other than that, it is in beautiful condition and will make a very nice display piece!

Now let’s look at the graphics more closely and see the wonderful characters that are attending the fair today:

Nice pattern on the ‘floor’:

And here is a final shot of the bottom of the toy:

J. Chein & Co. was the manufacturer and the piece was likely produced between 1951 and 1953. I say this because Alice (in Wonderland) appears on the toy (July 28, 1951) but Peter Pan does not (February 5, 1953). Nor do characters from Lady and the Tramp (1955) or Sleeping Beauty (1959) and no characters from the 1960’s or later appear either.

The eBay seller I mentioned above is selling this piece for $150.00 US in a more complete condition than the one featured in this post. I paid just $42.50 CAN but again with more condition issues. But for me I simply want it for display purposes.

To conclude, here is some information about the J.Chein company:

J. Chein & Company was an American toy manufacturer in business from 1903 through the 1980s. It is best remembered today for its mechanical toys made from stamped and lithographed tin produced from the 1930s through the 1950s. Founded by Julius Chein in a loft in New York City, Chein’s earliest toy production was a line of premiums for the Cracker Jacks snack line. The American Can Company provided the lithographic printing for Chein’s early output until 1907 when Chein opened their own full production plant in Harrison, New Jersey. With their new facilities, they were able to produce piggy banks, noisemakers and model horse-drawn carriages. They also manufactured a number of toys under license from such companies as King Features Syndicate and Walt Disney Productions, producing Popeye, Felix the Cat and various Disney character toys.