Collectable mechanical tin toy made of chromolithographed metal:
tin toy in the shape of a southern brown kiwi, tokoeka, or common kiwi.

Collectable tin toy made out of tinplate and colorfully painted by chromolithography.

Description of this mechanical tin toy:

Mechanical tin toy in the shape of a kiwi.

After activating the wind up mechanism, the kiwi starts to peck.

Encyclopedia:

A tin toy, or tin lithograph toy, is a mechanical toy made out of tinplate and colorfully painted by chromolithography to resemble primarily a character, a robot, an animal or vehicle.

Tinplate was used in the manufacture of toys beginning in the mid-19th century. The invention of sheet metal stamping machines in 1815 allowed for the mass production of inexpensive toys. Tin toys were made from thin sheets of steel plated with tin, hence the name tinplate. Tin toys were a cheap and durable substitute for wooden toys. The toys were originally assembled and painted by hand. Spring activated tin toys originated in Germany in the 1850s. In the late 1880s offset lithography was used to print designs on tinplate. After the colorful designs were printed on the metal, they were formed by dies and assembled with small tabs. The lightweight nature of the toys allowed them to be shipped less expensively and easier than the heavier cast iron toys.

Technical details about this mechanical tin toy:

Dimensions of this mechanical tin toy: 11 X 6,5 X 6,5 cm.

Item# of this mechanical tin toy: 1654.

PLEASE NOTE:

This mechanical tin toy is a collectible toy for adults only. Not suitable for children under 14 years old.