Toy, Pull

Object Name:

Toy, Pull

Object ID:

1998.037.02

Creator:

Monaco, Arto (1913-2003) -- Artist

Place of Origin:

Upper Jay, NY

Date:

1950-1960

Description:

Stagecoach pull toy, 1950s. Painted wood. Coach with "WESTERN STAGE" along top, horses, and passengers. Blue and yellow coach; red chassis; red wheels; brown front and rear sections; four black and white horses; four passengers. Made up of three detachable coach segments and four detachable passengers (attach with pegs). Cord tied to front of toy; extends 29" beyond wood. Overall: 7.25" high, 16.25" long, 3.75" wide. No maker's mark visible.
A. Front end (horses, front wheels). 5.5" high, 13" long, 3.75" wide.
B. Bottom (coach bottom, back wheels); attaches to A. 4.5" high, 4.75" long, 3.75"wide.
C. Upper (coach top); attaches to B. 2.75" high, 6" long, 3.25" wide.
D. Passenger, painted beige/yellow; attaches to C. 2" high, 0.6" diam.
E. Passenger, painted blue; same as above.
F. Passenger, painted green; same as above.
G. Passenger, painted white/pink; same as above.

Material:

Wood

Dimensions:

H-7.25 W-3.75 L-16.25 inches

Provenance:

Given to Richard Melvin (1951-2021) in the 1950s. He was a lifelong resident of Concord, NH, and played with this toy as a child.

Attributed to Arto Monaco (1913-2003), artist, toy designer, and theme park designer who had a studio in his hometown of Upper Jay, NY, where he designed and built one of America's first theme parks, the Land of Makebelieve, in 1954. He designed several other theme parks and was a consultant for Story Land in Glen, NH, which also opened in 1954.

Credit Line:

Gift of Richard E. Melvin

People:

Melvin, Richard E. (1951-2021), Monaco, Arto (1913-2003)

Subjects:

Horses, Stagecoaches, Toys