Bidspirit auction | The ”Charles” Hose Reel Carriage

The ”Charles” Hose Reel Carriage - Made by the George Brown Company. Forestville, Connecticut - Circa 1870. 15 1/2” Tall x 9 1/2” Deep x 23” Long. Early hose reel carriages were pulled by volunteer firemen as opposed to later ones that were drawn by horses. Several of the early tin toy makers listed hose reel toys as part of their product line in their catalogues. The ”Charles” is the largest among them; while the smallest measures a mere 6” long. Standing in front of the ”Charles”, one is immediately struck by its fusion of airy and elegant curving wires, tin tubes and plaques. Though it appears to be quite fragile, it's actually surprisingly solid and sturdy. This magnificent fire toy includes ringing bells and incorporates rarely used transfer images for the decoration of the plaques and tubes. In his book ”The World of Antique Toys”, Jeffrey Levitt, proprietor of Mint and Boxed, succinctly described the ”Charles” hose reel as the most important American tin toy in existence. I wholeheartedly agree with his observation. And that's an otherwise rare occurrence for me. In 1990, it carried a price tag of $1,000,000, an asking price never again equaled by any other American tin toy. It has resided in the Haradin home for nearly 3 1/2 decades, but now, it will make its way on to the shelves of another savvy collector. Illustrated on pages 232 and 233 of American Antique Toys 1830 - 1900 Condition: Pristine Condition.