The Brownies Reindeer Sleigh Iron Toy

The Brownies Reindeer Sleigh Iron Toy
Very Scarce Electroplated Toy. By Kenton Hardware Company. Kenton, Ohio - 1900 - 17" Long. Perelman Toy Museum Collection. Palmer Cox was a Canadian illustrator best known for a writing a popular series of humorous verse books and comic strips about a group of fairy-like sprites known as The Brownies. These imaginary creatures were often mischievous, but always kind-hearted in their relations with others and life in general. They were characterized as a band of swollen-bellied brothers. Due to the enormous success of the books, The Brownies came to be replicated in many different forms. China sets were decorated with their likenesses; numerous toys and children's games were modeled after them; even George Eastman's handheld camera for the Kodak Company was named after them, the BROWNIE camera. This plaything by Kenton Hardware is a perfect illustration of the intense interest in The Brownies. The electroplating process was both labor intensive and costly. This may explain why there are so few extant examples of this magnificent toy. It's a real show-stopper.