Bidspirit auction | Mid-20th Century Animated Electric Windmill

Mid-20th Century Animated Electric Windmill Toy - A mid-20th century animated electric display toy featuring a windmill scene with figures. The piece is constructed from painted tin components and die-cast metal figures, all mounted to a green-painted wooden base. The scene depicts a yellow windmill tower with a red gabled roof and green and cream striped sails. Below the tower, a die-cast male figure in a cap and overalls stands behind a die-cast donkey. A red metal chute is positioned to the side of the figures. The toy is powered by an externally mounted electric motor finished in green paint. The motor housing features embossed text including a logo with the letters AWH inside a vertical rectangular frame. The text reads THE A.W. HAYDON COMPANY WATERBURY, CONN. U.S.A. U.S. PAT. 2,391,859 2,194,541 CAN. PAT. 510,221 VOLTS 115 CPS 60 WATTS 2.5 R.P.M. 60 MOD. NO. 4402 R.L. 121-6 SYNCHRONOUS. A drive shaft and red-painted adjustment wheel are visible on the rear of the windmill housing. The unit retains two white insulated electrical wires. Based on the ruler visible in the photographs, the windmill sails have a span of approximately 4 inches (photo 7) and the wooden base measures approximately 6 inches in width (photo 7). The toy shows significant signs of age and wear throughout. The yellow paint on the windmill tower and base is heavily crazed with visible underlying surface oxidation and rust (photo 1). The red tin roof shows paint loss and scattered oxidation (photo 3). The die-cast figures exhibit significant paint chipping, particularly on the donkey's flanks and the man's hands and arms (photo 2). The green motor housing has minor scuffs to the embossed lettering (photo 5). The wooden base shows wear to the green paint, exposing the underlying grain (photo 6). The electrical wiring is frayed at the points of exit and the functionality of the motor has not been tested (photo 4).