Hubley Ferris Wheel, Bertoia auctions, November 8, 2013
Last week, the cars were removed for the winter from Deno’s Wonder Wheel as Coney Island’s amusement parks closed for the season. Meanwhile, vintage toy Ferris wheels, which are perenially popular with collectors, are up for bid at several auction houses. These old-fashioned toys would look enchanting set up under the Christmas tree. This clockwork-driven Hubley Ferris Wheel is made of cast-iron and tin. The 17-inch tall toy has six original gondolas and a dozen riders. It will be on the auction block at Bertoia’s Christmas Wishes Auction in Vineland, NJ, on November 8, and via online bidding. The pre-sale estimate is $1,000-$1,200.
Penny Toy Ferris Wheel, Bertoia Auctions, November 9, 2013
This circa 1920 miniature Penny Toy Ferris Wheel was manufactured in Germany by Meier. The tin toy features four gondolas and is just two-and-a-half inches tall. Its pre-sale estimate is $250-$350. Along with the Chein Ferris Wheel shown below, it will be sold on November 9th at the second session of the Christmas Wishes Auction.
Chein Ferris Wheel, Bertoia Auctions, November 9
The Chein Ferris Wheel sports Mickey Mouse’s face on the hub of the wheel. Another version features a clown’s face. The 16-1/2 inch tall lithographed tin wheel is clockwork activated and has a pre-sale estimate of $200-$300. There’s also a Chein toy roller coaster, rocket ship and carousel in the sale. The Ferris Wheel whirls really fast!
Related posts on ATZ…
February 19, 2013: Miniature Biplane Is Coney Island’s First New Ride of 2013
January 28, 2013: Rare & Vintage: 1906 “La Boule Mysterieuse” Circus Toy
April 27, 2012: The Dancing Doll “Miss Coney Island” Speaks
February 22, 2012: Rare & Vintage: 1930s Tin Litho Bumper Car Wind-Up Toy
Amusing the Zillion 
I let out a gasp when I saw those! Wow!
Yes! wish I still had the spinning tin Ferris Wheel and Carousel toys of my childhood
So wonderful. Tricia, have you ever seen the big, beautiful tin Ferris Wheel at the Coney Island Museum? If not, check it out some time. I don’t know where they are keeping it these days, but … IT’S MINE! I gave it to the Museum on long-term loan back in the 1980s. I bought it in the late 70s in a thrift shop in Portland, Oregon. In those days, you could pick up gorgeous old wind-up toys for a song, even in NYC (well, maybe more like for an aria or two in NYC). The toy is a beauty, though it no longer works, and the museum is a fitting place for it.
That’s lovely! I will look for it when they’re open again. yes, the 70s were a great time to find treasures in thrift shops