Magic Marxie
The Presidents
 
Paint Your Own Presidents store diplay
Click on a row to see a closeup of the toys.
From the Flubber Gallery collection.
All photos copyright Abby Weissman, 2008

The "ELEGANTOY MINIATURES" display from the late 1950s shown above features both the MINIATURE SPORT CARS and FUN ON WHEELS product lines, Both featured the cartoon stars from Walt Disney Productions (Mickey, Donald, Pluto and Goofy) and King Features Syndicate's Popeye (Popeye, Olive, Bluto and Wimpy).

The MINIATURE SPORT CARS line featured the cartoon characters in a variety of sports car-type vehicles. Each character appeared in three different cars -- and there were up to 12 different types, which included racing and sports cars of the day, as well as a Volkswagon Beetle and a Jeep. In total, there could be up to 36 different versions. The automobiles represented are what appears to be a wide range of late-1950s foreign cars including: Formula One-type racing cars, a Mercedes, Jaguars, BMWs, and Alpha Romeos. (Note: I am not a "car" expert). All the cars and the small character figures driving them were hand painted - and the cars came in different colors.

The FUN ON WHEELS series was as expansive than the MINIATURE SPORT CARS line. There were the four Popeye characters (shown above); and well as eight different Disney characters, which added Lady, Tramp, Brer Rabbit and Figaro ot the original four. (shown above). Besides these twelve Disney and Popeye FUN ON WHEELS toys, Marx made a variety of other figures in this strange format; including blue ribbon dogs, donkeys, elephants (Dumbo?) and other animals. And to make things more confusing, the eight Disney FUN ON WHEELS toys came in two sizes: the miniature version shown above and a larger edition complete with rubber wheels.

Both the FUN ON WHEELS and MINIATURE SPORT CARS products were sold in small Disneykin-like individual boxes like the ones shown at the top of the display - for 10 cents each. They were all "hand painted by artists."

A second edition of miniature Disney cars was also available featuring classic early American automobiles (pictures to come). It was called appropriately OLD FASHIONED CARS. The series featured the four Disney characters (Mickey, Donald, Pluto and Goofy) in one of four different "antique" cars: a Stanley Steamer, a Stutz Bearcat, a 1910 Ford, and a 1910 Studebaker.

Marx also made a line of toys featuring their own Magic Marxie character (the Peter Pan-like elf). Magic Marxie had his own series of MINIATURE SPORTS CARS in virtually the same frmat as the others. Marx aso made miniiature Magic Marxie Disneykin-like figures as well as Magic Marxie lapel pins. All Magic Marxie items are highly valued by colectors.

ELM logo   The display is branded with the ELM company logo. ELM was a Hong Kong-based subsidiary of Louis Marx Toys. The initials ELM stands for Empire Louis Marx. ELM products are essentially the same as those made by the Louis Marx Toy Company. Individually-boxed Disneykins were frequently sold under the ELM trademark.
 

Website created by FlubberGallery, NYC, USA. All photographs by Abby Weissman unless noted.
All original content copyright The Flubber Gallery. Contact abbyw@flubbergallery.com for information.
Last updated 6.29.08
© 2008, All rights reserved.
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