Produced from 1905
Product number 202
Hand lacquered and the bar lithographed
Mechanism: clockwork
Height approx. 23 cm / 9 inches
The rostrum in black and red
The head was found in three different versions: with real hair (wool), painted hair or with a hat.

The lawyer. (translation from a article in the “La Nature” from 1906 pag. 36)
It is not enough for our manufacturer to produce effects of address or muscular skill like those we have seen in previous toys.
But it still seems that he wants to strike the imagination and our mind with more penetrating effects.
Also he is not afraid to seek out characters whose mission consists of producing persuasion, of using convincing or pitying arguments.
It’s a lawyer who appears to us.
Dressed in his robe, he is at the bar and delivers a heated argument in favor of his client before the court.

He holds in his hand an extract from the Civil Code, and seeks by all means to convince the court that the article in question is not applicable.
He cites facts, with powerful words, shakes his head and shakes his hand and strives to prove that he is convinced that the accused is not guilty.
He seeks to have this conviction shared by the court, and if he senses that the slightest doubt still remains, he appeals to new arguments more powerful than the first, and does not hesitate to continue his pleading in this way until that he obtains satisfaction.
Our little lawyer is really very interesting, and completely fulfills his role with dignity and conviction.

Fernand Martin, George Flersheim and Victor Bonnet together have many patents to their names.
Patents have a limited lifespan and after a number of years or if the annual costs are not paid, the patents expire and others can use them freely.
For example, I found a patent from 1923 that has a great similarity with a toy from Fernand Martin.

It is the “Le Bateau Godilleur” from 1879, ( This toy has no Martin product number. In the books known to us, this toy has the number 02, but the latest discoveries show that this toy is one of the toys with probably no number ) )the working is based on the “Rubber Band” mechanism according to patent FR128445.

After 1897, Martin no longer used this mechanism.
Now I found an almost similar toy in a patent search engine with patent number FR562928A.
This patent from 1923 was applied for by Mr. Joseph and René Bienvenüe with the name Godilleur-Jouet.

If you look closely at the drawing you will see the similarity with the Martin toy, the same shape of the boat, a sailor at the rudder and the “Rubber Band” mechanism on the inside.

The only difference is that the sailor now moves in a different way then with the movements of the rudder, see Fig.2 .

Produced from 1894
Product number 131 till 143
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Number 131 till 137 with clockwork – Number 138 till 143 without mechanism
Dimensions estimated length between 20 and 25cm / 8 and 10 inches (see below in the text)

I have never seen one of these toys myself, if any readers have one please let me know, preferably with photos, dimensions etc.

Sujets Sur Socles avec Mécaniques en boites par pièce (sold per piece):
131 Mènagerie
132 Bergerie
133 Chasse
134 Gardeuse d’oies
135 Laitière
136 Porcher
137 Laboureur

Martin has used the mechanism a few times before, namely at the:
Le Traîneau Russe
La Perruche
Le Facteur De Chemin De Fer

Sujets Sur Socles sans Mécaniques (same articles as 131 till 136 but without mechanism and sold in boxes by a half dozen)
I suspect that the numbering is as follows, assuming the same order as numbers 131 to 137, but I am not 100% sure about this yet, only number 139 is certain.
138 (no proof yet) Ménagerie
139 Bergerie
140 (no proof yet) Chasse
141 (no proof yet) Gardeuse d’oies
142 (no proof yet) Laitiére
143 (no proof yet) Porcher

What also appears is that these same figures were probably also used in the articles with the numbers 165 and 166 from 1898. see this link : https://fernandmartintoys.nl/fernand-martin-toys-jouets-en-boites/

The female farmer and the shepherd are approximately 6/7cm high in the article numbers 165 – 166, converted to the above standing figures I arrive at a length of approximately between 20cm and 25cm / 8 and 10 inches

The 104nd auction will feature more than 2200 items of tin toys, trains, figures, space toys and model cars.

On Saterday March 8, there are some very beautiful Fernand Martin pieces in auction

This is a room bidding but you can also take part in the online bidding live via telephone, register your written predids or using the auction platforms lot-tissimo, the-saleroom and liveauctioneers and Sixbid you are able to to bid online. So you can submit your bids in real time during the auction. Therefor it is necessary to register on the platform of your choice not later than 24 hours before the auction starts.

The easiest way to participate in our auctions is to use our online catalogue. Here you can view all the items and directly place written pre-bids. See the catalog in the link below. You can also read the catalog in English

Catalog link: https://auktionen.anticomondo.de/en/objekte?aid=65&Lstatus=0

We hope you enjoy reading and browsing through the new catalog!

These prices are in € (Euro) and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors.
Always check the auction site for the results.

Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value.
I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction

Produced from 1905
Product number 201
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: clockwork
Height approx. 20 cm / 7,87 inches
Long approx. 37 cm / 14,57 inches

This toy is very difficult to find, the two parallel bars can be dismantled from the two upright supports.

Below a free translation from a article in the “La Nature” from 1906 pag. 36

The Gymnast.
Every year, around New Year’s Day, we see these little marvels of ingenuity appear which delight children, and which still attract the attention of parents.
The gymnast shown in the attached figure is doing the parallel bars exercise.
These two bars are very simple and easy to assemble or disassemble.
Two supports formed of two vertical rods, are joined at their base and at their upper part; the parallel bars are fixed on its rods.
The gymnast places himself on these two bars and maintains himself.
In reality they are two metal masses of an elongated shape which move on the bars.
These masses are carried on a shaft set in motion by a small clockwork mechanism.
The effect obtained is very curious.
We see the gymnast moving very easily along the bars, executing all the appropriate movements very well.

Produced from 1901
Product number 178
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Clockwork
Height approx. 20 cm / 7,8 inches

Martin produced two police officers that year, one for the French market under number 178 and one for the English market under number 181

Below you can also see the product number 181 of “The Policemen”
From the text you can see that it was produced especially for the English market.

The French auction house: Millon from Paris, has this time 4 nice Fernand Martin/Victor Bonnet toys in this “LIVE” toy auction on February 19 -2025
Furthermore, there are many more other beautiful toys in this auction that we can look for.

Collectors’ paradise: Tin soldiers, dolls, cars, model railways and miscellaneous.

Here the link for the entire collection to be auctioned: https://www.interencheres.com/art-decoration/jouets-anciens-648562?universe=art-decoration

FOR MORE INFORMATIONS MAIL TO: Alexis JACQUEMARDajacquemard@millon.com

These prices are in € (Euro) and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors.
Always check the auction site for the results.

Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value.

The 104nd auction will feature more than 2200 items of tin toys, trains, figures, space toys and model cars.

On Saterday March 8, there are some very beautiful Fernand Martin pieces in auction

This is a room bidding but you can also take part in the online bidding live via telephone, register your written predids or using the auction platforms lot-tissimo, the-saleroom and liveauctioneers and Sixbid you are able to to bid online. So you can submit your bids in real time during the auction. Therefor it is necessary to register on the platform of your choice not later than 24 hours before the auction starts.

The easiest way to participate in our auctions is to use our online catalogue. Here you can view all the items and directly place written pre-bids. See the catalog in the link below. You can also read the catalog in English

Catalog link: https://auktionen.anticomondo.de/en/objekte?aid=65&Lstatus=0

We hope you enjoy reading and browsing through the new catalog!

After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for this Martin toy.

Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value.
I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction

A WINTER 2025 AUCTION
February 14th 2025
Friday at 10am

Preview from 9-5pm full week of the auction as well as during the sale. Advance preview by appointment available in the weeks leading up to the auction. Please contact us to schedule.

Our team is dedicated to offering our quality customer service, experience and support. Do not hesitate to contact us for assistance with registration, bidding or any other questions.

A large assortment of tinplate toys from around the world to include Lehmann’s, Distler, Fernand Martin, robots and space toys, Marx and LineMar, nearly 100 penny toys, German tinplate boats and autos, carrousels and amusement toys, and much more.

In this auction are this time 4 toys from Fernand Martin and Victor Bonnet

The Bertoia team is dedicated to offering our quality customer service, experience and support.
Do not hesitate to contact us for assistance with registration, bidding or any other questions.

For the complete overview, Auction terms & Info, Shipping & Payment look at this site: http://www.bertoiaauctions.com/

The result price is in US $ and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors.
Always check the auction site for the results.

Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value.
I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction

The French auction house: Millon from Paris, has this time 4 nice Fernand Martin/Victor Bonnet toys in this “LIVE” toy auction on February 19 -2025
Furthermore, there are many more other beautiful toys in this auction that we can look for.

Collectors’ paradise: Tin soldiers, dolls, cars, model railways and miscellaneous.

Here the link for the entire collection to be auctioned: https://www.interencheres.com/art-decoration/jouets-anciens-648562?universe=art-decoration

FOR MORE INFORMATIONS MAIL TO: Alexis JACQUEMARDajacquemard@millon.com

After the auction, I will publish the realized price for these toys.

Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value.
I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view t

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8th 10:00AM 2025

MILESTONE AUCTIONS PROUDLY PRESENT “COLLECTION OF PHIL HELLEY” AMAZING SELECTION OF VINTAGE TOYS INCLUDING WINDUPS, BATTERY OPS, CAST IRON, PRESSED STEEL, & MORE!!!! MAKERS INCLUDE MARX, NYLINT, SCHUCO, HUBLEY, BING, TECHNOFIX, LEHMANN, CHEIN, GUNTHERMANN, KINGSBURY, DAYTON, WYANDOTTE & MORE!!!!

In this auction is one very nice Fernand Martin toy

Lot number 0334 $ 425

“FULL CATALOG & LIVE BIDDING THRU”
WWW.MILESTONEAUCTIONS.COM , LIVEAUCTIONEERS , & INVALUABLE

PHONE BIDS & ABSENTEE BIDS Call 440-527-8060

AUCTION PREVIEW AVAILABLE WEEK OF AUCTION & 8:00 AM AUCTION DAY

For the complete overview, Auction terms & Info, Shipping & Payment look at this site: https://www.milestoneauctions.com/

The result price is in US $ and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors.
Always check the auction site for the results.

Photos courtesy Milestone Auctions

Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value.
I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction

Produced from 1904
Product number 196
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Clockwork
Height approx. 24cm / 9,44 inches

How it works: After winding up the clockwork, the barber will alternately move both arms, the arm with the lotion bottle will suggest that he apply lotion to the customer’s bald head and with the other hand he will suggest that he rub the lotion over the head.

This toy was produced for a long time and therefore not all models are dressed the same, there are different hairstyles of the hairdresser himself and there are also different versions of the bottle used in metal and in wood.

On the box and on the original catalog page from the 1908 states that this toy won a medal at the “Concours Lépine” in 1902,
Martin bought the rights for this toy at this “Concours Lépine” from Mr. Noguier

Most of the clockwork at Martin usually had the same basis, only the functions for the movements were slightly adapted per toy model

This toy is a woman in traditional Alsace costume from the region Alsace on the border of Germany and France. It is still unclear what number this should have, but we assume it should be one of the numbers 242 -243 -244.

Produced from arround 1917
Product number probebly 242
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Clockwork
Height approx. 20 cm / 7,8 inches

It was unclear for a long time whether it would be a real Martin/Flersheim or from another manufacturer.
Fortunately, we found the existence of a black and white film where this figure can be seen, on this film are many Martin/Flersheim toys.

This woman also appears in the, probably from1917, Youtube movie https://youtu.be/8-DcWR6csy4?si=Rv1xafHFJQqlZWA5 with the French flag in the hand

Pictures from the toy thanks to Renaud Fournier

During my collection years, I only came across this toy in five different color versions.

• dress in yellow with the details in red
• dress in blue with the details in red
• dress in green with the details in red
• dress in orange with the details in blue
• dress in light blue with the details in gold-colored
• dress in yellow with the details in green
• dress in red with the details in bleu

See this link https://fernandmartintoys.nl/fernand-martin-the-rope-jumping-girl-number-31-la-sauteuse-de-corde/

Now a reader of my blog has sent me some photos of a new color variant, dress in red with the details in bleu, we now know that there are 6 different color variants.

Martin made a special figure for the foreign market more often.
In 1901 he made 3 figures especially for the English market.
Here I present the first one:

Produced from 1901
Product number 180
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Clockwork
Heigth approx. 20 cm / 7,8 inches

Below is the only known image of this toy.
Here you can also see the product number 180.
From the text you can see that it was produced especially for the English market.

On this label you can read the term C&E LONDON but I have not been able to find out what this means, an importer? a shop?
Anyone who knows, please let me know.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8th 10:00AM 2025

MILESTONE AUCTIONS PROUDLY PRESENT “COLLECTION OF PHIL HELLEY” AMAZING SELECTION OF VINTAGE TOYS INCLUDING WINDUPS, BATTERY OPS, CAST IRON, PRESSED STEEL, & MORE!!!! MAKERS INCLUDE MARX, NYLINT, SCHUCO, HUBLEY, BING, TECHNOFIX, LEHMANN, CHEIN, GUNTHERMANN, KINGSBURY, DAYTON, WYANDOTTE & MORE!!!!

In this auction is one very nice Fernand Martin toy

Lot number 0334

“FULL CATALOG & LIVE BIDDING THRU”
WWW.MILESTONEAUCTIONS.COM , LIVEAUCTIONEERS , & INVALUABLE

PHONE BIDS & ABSENTEE BIDS Call 440-527-8060

AUCTION PREVIEW AVAILABLE WEEK OF AUCTION & 8:00 AM AUCTION DAY

For the complete overview, Auction terms & Info, Shipping & Payment look at this site: https://www.milestoneauctions.com/

After the auction, I will publish the realized prices for these Martins.

Photos courtesy Milestone Auctions

Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value.
I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction

Free translation of part of an article from the magazine: Le Petit Parisien from December 25-1913

In the bag of Santa

This year it will again be filled with some amusing novelties and some amusing old things. For no one despite his great age, Father Christmas is great.

I had the advantage of being received yesterday by the very distinguished manager of the celestial department stores, who kindly entrusted me with his projects for 1913.

Despite his great age, Santa Claus is extremely vigorous and alert and envisions without the slightest boredom the overwhelming task that will fall onto him during the last week of the year.

Only the airplanes worry him a little, although on his aircraft of clouds, the excellent old man does not fear much of the fantasy of the aviators.

“Even though I am, “he tells us,” a specialist in chimney descent, I do not see without a certain emotion that humans would risk doing the same.

“Then, calling in a friendly gesture to a young and charming typist lady responsible for keeping his accounts and correspondence” he named her Miss Lactualité [French word game], he said, the gentleman is coming to interview me on our next Christmas. Would you please stay here? If I would forget something.

He said te me: Let’s start with the news… This is Miss Annaïc, a Breton servant and plate-breaker. ( La Casseuse D’assiettes ) Admire with what precautions she watches her rickety pile of porcelain, do you remember Bagessen, the brilliant clown? Annaic digs it up – if I dare say it – “Bang”!

What did I tell you? the pile of plates collapses to the ground, and Annaïc, suffocated with stupor, falls back, a pure wonder.

I now present to you the little motorcyclist (La Pédalette), he does nothing but walk straight, look here, four turns of spring and he spins like an arrow.

This new toy is called “La Pédalette”… Bad title, but fun toy. wind up the spring and see the little guy perched on his balance bike: he spins, rolls and turns as he likes, propelling himself with the tips of his feet.

Here are Bulgarian, Serb and Romanian soldiers marching in step, arms on their shoulders.

I recognize them, I say they were successively Boxers, Boers, English and French  policemen!

. Um! said Santa Claus… we can’t hide anything from you.. Let’s continue.

Here is the little skater ( Le Petit Patineur ) , the Auvergnat merchant of pigs ( Les Cochons Du Père Francois ) , the pianist ( Le Petit Pianiste). And then here is the peacock walking and the dancing bear (L’ours Martin)

I received a whole order for the gifts of a high Parisian personality, who is it Miss Lactualité already? 

For Mr. D’Annunzio, replies Miss Lactuality to Santa Claus! But you do not show the prettiest toy to the reporter, continues blushing the very young person.

What ? said Santa Claus The little tango dancers (Les Valseurs)?, who were little waltz dancers – the climbing bear (L’ours Blanc)?, the fireman (Le Pompier a L’échelle)? , the clown (Le Petit Culbuteur) ? who tumbles, the wrestlers ?, or the little delivery boy (Le petit Livreur)?

But no said Miss Lactuality , it is the air loop!

Ah! Yes….the air loop ( L’aéroplane) “Santa Claus opens a box”. Here: on this mast constituted by a blade of tinplate in twist, decorated, from place to place, with a rack, I place this rod provided in its centre with a bayonet socket, and, at each end, a small plane, see.

The monoplanes leave slowly, accelerate their movement, turn, circle around the mast, and suddenly, stopping their course, dive with the nose, loop the loop and resume their circular march.

Delicious, I said enthusiastically. You should send one to Pégoud and one to Chevillard. [two stunt aviators of the time]

What?? said Santa Claus …. I will gladly give one to them someday, but only when they pass by here.

Reporter: Jean Claude

Note:

The rest of the article has not been translated since Martin toys were no longer mentioned.

Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Fröhliche Weihnachten und ein glückliches Neues Jahr
Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année
Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo
Boas Festas e um feliz Ano Novo
Kala Christougenna Ki’eftihismenos O Kenourios Chronos
God Jul och Gott Nytt År
Glædelig Jul og godt nytår
Geseende Kerfees en ’n gelukkige nuwe jaar
Hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta

Produced from 1897
Product number 158
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Clockwork
Height approx. 13 cm / 5,1 inches
Length approx. 27cm / 10,6 inch

The winding mechanism is placed between the rear wheel of the father and the front wheel of the mother.
This mechanism is with a fixed key
After winding, the whole family starts to ride including the movement of the legs of the father and the mother.
The movement of the mechanism is transferred by means of an axle to the front wheel of the woman’s bike and to the rear wheel of the father’s bike.
By means of a “chain” the legs are moved to suggest cycling.
The “chain” is a string

It is marked on one of the legs of the father with: FM Bt. S.G.D.G. MRe DÉPOSÉE. and that means : (Fernand Martin, Patent without government guarantees and brand name is registered )
FM = Fernand Martin
Bt > Breveté = patent
S.G.D.G. = This owas a common abbreviation for “Sans Garantie Du Gouvernement“ (without government guarantees).
MRe > marque =brand name
DÉPOSÉE. = registered

The transmission of the motion of the mother’s bicycle is accomplished by an axle through the mother’s rear wheel to the child’s front wheel.

The father figure was used more often in his toys at that time:
Old number 41, new number 121 -La bicyclette Martin 1892
156 Le monocycle aérien 1896
159 La pompe 1897
168 Le motocycle (has another hat)1898
And the still unknown toy the three-wheeled bicycle, see blog article: https://fernandmartintoys.nl/did-i-found-an-unknown-martin-toy-or-not/

The pictures of the toy courtesy E.T.

This toy is a delivery man/driver, possibly alleged Félix Potin driver. It is still unclear what number this should have, but we assume it should be one of the numbers 242-243 -244.

Produced from around 1917
Product number probebly 244
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Clockwork
Height approx. 20 cm / 7,8 inches

At that time, all the big department stores had their own delivery services.
They brought the purchased goods with their trucks to the customers’ homes.
One of these department stores was Félix Potin but there were many at that time.
I started from Félix Potin because the clothes and cap look a lot like those of Félix Potin but it could also have been another department store.
Perhaps this figure was made especially for a customer as an advertising object.

This figure walks by means of two rods that come out of the shoes and go up and down, thus simulating walking.

This principle was applied quite a lot by Martin as can be seen on the Patent sheet below of the distinguished gentleman ( le vieux marcheur from1901 )

Pictures of the toy: thanks to Renaud Fournier

Martin made a special figure for the foreign market more often.
In 1901 he made 3 figures especially for the English market.
Here I present the second one the Englisch policeman ( the Bobby):

Produced from 1901
Product number 181
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Clockwork
Height approx. 20 cm / 7,8 inches

Below is the only known image of this toy.
Here you can also see the product number 181.
From the text you can see that it was produced especially for the English market.

This box label looks very similar to the catalog page of the French police officer (Les Agents number 178) see below.

Victor Bonnet produced various tin pistols in the period from 1919 to 1933.
The number we know now is 8 pieces but maybe we will discover more.
the list of the pistols known so far is:

The Victor Bonnet list with pistol models with article numbers
Le Pan-Pan 247
Flac 256
Bombarde 257
Le Pétard 258
Tape_Fort 262
Le Sans-Balle 264
Le Costaud 266
Le Corsaire 269 ??

Here we present :

Name: Flac
Number: 256
Year of first production: 1927
Dimensions: 8,5 cm x 7 cm / 3,35 inch x 2,76 inch

The operation is very simple.
You pull the catch back and place a ” pop cartridge ” on the brass plate then aim and pull the trigger.

In an earlier blog ( part-2-martin-toys-used-in-art ) I showed Jacques Milet’s works.
Now it turns out that his daughter is also a gifted artist.
She also made a work of art with Fernand Martin’s toys as the subject.
This work of art has the Martin toy “Le Familie Vélo” as its centerpiece.

This work of art is depicted in Frédéric Marchand’s book “The History of Martin Mechanical Toys” on page 96.

The “la famille vélo” is from 1897 and has product number 158″

More about this toy in another blog is planned in three weeks.

I see them on the market every time, toys that are affiliated with Martin but are not Martins and/or his successors at all.
I already wrote 2 articles about this in 2019, but I think it is time to republish these 2 articles with some adjustments in 1 new article.

Martin himself also happily copied toys, but I will come back to that in a separate blog.
The names of the manufacturers are not always known because they were mostly small firms.

The last known imitations are fairly recent and from the Spanish Paya and are clearly recognizable.
Paya has made 10 imitations, luckily these are very recognizable as being. Example: the hairdresser, the drunkard, the judge, the conductor etc.

But older imitations are more difficult to recognize, are also on the market.

You can see it most clearly in the shape of the key. (see my older blog about the Martin keys : https://fernandmartintoys.nl/different-martin-keys/
But also the location of the key, with Martin the key is usually (not always) on the left side of the toy body, when you look at the toy with the face facing you, so on the right side.
So if there is a key on the other side or at the back then you have to be careful.
And of course the face is not what you can expect from a real Martin toy.

You see above some examples of imitations of the Le Violonist and the Le Pochard.
Look special to the face from these imitations and you can see exactly what I mean by that.
Sometimes these imitations have in the course of time received original parts from real Martins such as the bottle, a head, clothes or the box.
And then the question: What happened to the original production molds, were they destroyed or did they end up in the hands of companies that turned them into “Martins” again?

But there are also various “look a likes” from the fireman, from Günthermann, Gama, and others.

Gama has a very clear connection bar between the hands and a ladder on wheels.
The Günthermann can be recognized by:
-a short tube under his left elbow
-model of the key
-the plate on the ladder with imitation flames
-the shape of the freestanding support of the ladder.

And then there are the incomplete parts used to make a “NEW” toy under the name of Marin and Victor Bonnet.

Exception:
There was a toy maker in Paris that made very nice “Martin” look and likes.
This manufacturer is named S.I.J.I.M. with director Prosper Levi.
He started this factory in 1909 but with the rise of the first world war he disappeared quickly in 1917.
S.I.J.I.M. means: Société Industrielle de jouets et d’inventions mécaniques.
He has not made many pieces but a few very beautiful.
The best seller and known is the organ grinder : le joueur d’orgue, this is often referred to as Martin.

33 Le Joueur d’orgue. (The Organ Player)

But S.I.J.I.M. has also made less well-known pieces.

32 La Poussette. (The Stroller)

34 Les Chevaux Hygieniques

35 L’apprenti Cavalier. ( The Rider Apprentice)

36 Le Livreur Rapide ( The Fast Delivery Man)

Two pages of the 1912 catalog from the department store: Choumara Paris with 6 Fernand Martin toys – 3 S.I.J.I.M. toys and other toys

The likely reason that they look so much like Martins is that the manufacturer, Prosper Levi, would have been a former employee of the Fernand Martin factory, but there is no 100% certainty about this fact that he was a former employee of Martin.
He made his own toys after the good example and style of Fernand Martin.
And not without success because these toys are very beautiful.
Even the key is a copy of a “Martin” key

So stay allert and pay attention.
An imitation doesn’t have to be ugly, if you like it, that’s fine, buy it and enjoy it.

Unless specifically stated all photos are from my own collection or courtesy of Michael Bertoia Auctions

Produced from 1903
Product number 195
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Clockwork
Height approx. 20 cm / 8 inches

The cake walk was very popular between 1870 and 1910.
There were even dance competitions.
The dancers kicked their legs as high as possible one by one and the winning dancers won a cake as a prize.

The dance was so popular that toys were made about it. In the Concours L’epine in 1903 there were at least two designers/inventors, each with a version of this Cake Walk, see pictures below with toys by Mr. Noguier and Mr. De Champville In the picture of the designs by Mr. Noguier we see another toy that looks very similar to one produced by Martin, the “Le Petit Cuisinier” (The Little Cook) number 198 from 1904, coincidence????

Both black and white images from the magazine: Le Bon citoyen de Tarare et du Rhône. Supplément littéraire September 13, 1903

After winding up, the lady goes forward (with the little wheels you can see on the picture) and throws her legs up in front of her.
At the back under the dress is a counterweight (you can see on the left) so that the dancer does not fall over.

Original page from the 1908 catalog

In his early days of an toy manufacturer Fernand Martin invented a mechanism with a rubber band (elastic) as the drive.

He used his invention on his first piece: the fish (Poisson Nageur) but he discovered that another manufacturer Mr. Fournier used his invention and the Richard brothers sell these toys.

July 5, 1884.
Lawsuit: Fernand Martin versus Mr. Fournier and the Richard brothers.

Mr. Fernand Martin had patented a drive system for children’s toys.
The mechanism consisted of a twisted rubber, intended to turn an eccentric, this successively touched the two prongs of a fork on which he pressed thus made a reciprocating movement, transmitted to the moving part of the toy.
A few days after taking out his patent and without having used it yet, Mr. Fernand Martin discovered an improvement for which he obtained a certificate of addition, which consisted in replacing the eccentric with a gear that acted on the fork, which had the advantage that the number of movements increased significantly.
Mr. Fournier and the Richard brothers claimed that the patented system was already known and after selling toys equipped with a mechanism identical to Martin’s patent, Fernand Martin sued them for counterfeiting in the criminal court of the Seine; the case was referred back to the 10th Chamber on February 6, 1883 and pronounced the following verdict:
After deliberating in accordance with the law.

While Mr. Martin took out a patent on January 14, 1879 to retain exclusive ownership of a propulsion system applicable to children’s toys and especially originally to so-called fishes.
The mechanism he uses to operate his toy consists of three different parts: a twisted rubber band, an eccentric hook, and a fork that is later referred to as the mechanism’s anchor. While this fork plays an important part in the combination of the various parts of the device, it does not exist in the toys previously manufactured according to the patented models of the Société Dandrieux, Gravier et Cie. and the gentleman Mancelin and Duval.
While the description in Martin’s patent shows that the rubber band, returning on itself after undergoing extreme torsion in its movement, takes with it the hook which successively touches the two small tabs, of which the fork or escape anchor to which the tail of the fish is attached and meanwhile moving it back and forth, these beats work from right to left, he works like a roer and produces a forward action. While Martin has obtained propulsion motion through the arrangement of various organs; that he succeeded in putting together an industrial product through the new application of known means. While he has adapted his system to different toys such as boats, swings and others; that, in order to increase the swings of the fork, he replaced the rod with a gear, as evidenced by the certificates of additions and improvements dated February 18 and June 25, 1880, duly taken, while Fournier does not dispute not the manufacture of toys to whereupon he modified the mechanism assembled by Mr. Martin, contenting himself with claiming that the device was not patentable.

While it follows from the confessions of the Richard brothers Ciné and Jeune that they offered and sold toys manufactured by Fournier, knowing that they were counterfeit.
Considering that the tools mentioned in the minutes of Mr. Signorat, judicial officer in Paris, dated December 21, 1882, were wrongly seized.
Whereas the forgery of which Mr. Martin has caused him lifelong damage for which he must be compensated.
The court has sufficient evidence to determine the amount of damages to be awarded.
For these reasons:
Does the court sentence Mr. Fournier and the two Richard brothers jointly and severally to a fine of 100 francs,
Orders them to pay Mr. Martin, namely: Mr. Fournier an amount of 1000 francs and the brothers Richard each to an amount of 500 francs as compensation and also condemns all three to the which ones advanced by Mr. Martin, civil party, to the amount of 43 Fr. 50 and orders the confiscation of the said objects and their delivery to Mr. Martin.

Source Gallica: Annales de la Propriété Industrielle Artistique et Littéraire Jan. 01-1885

From the Pousse-Pousse Annamite from 1889, (for the production number see the Note below) we only knew one model in various colors so far.
The model we know from 1889 has a flywheel drive.

This Pousse-Pousse Annamite was specially made for the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris together with two other toys, Fernand Martin also mentioned this on his gift list in 1908.

I bought one at a French auction house, it was one with a clockwork and with a Martin type key and that was a reason to take a closer look.
I quickly found some notable detail differences.

Note: So far we don’t find a production number yet, in the existing books it was givven number 28 but in an earlier blog I explained that this is not the correct production number, the number 28 was assigned to the toy by the writers.

What to know:
Martin donated a almost compleet toy collection in 1908 to the Musée des arts et Métiers in Paris and to his best friend Henri d’Allemagne.
I don’t know how many were actually made, but I haven’t come across any others yet.

For additional information about the collection at the Musée des arts et Métiers in Paris, see the description on page 74 in the book “Fernand Martin Toymaker in Paris”

The model from 1908 gift to the Musée des arts et Métiers museum is in near mint condition and is better preserved.

Over the years, the colors and especially the yellow stripes and the hat from the overpainted model 1908 has changed to orange, probably due to the effects of time, the poor storage conditions, the overpaint black color and taking the photo with different lighting.

The differences I found:
The first version from 1889, the movement was with a flywheel, the 1908 version had a clockwork with a Martin type of key.
The wheels were first cast with 8 spokes, in the 1908 model wheels were made of tinplate with 10 spokes.
The wheels have a different color than the original, these were neatly painted over on my model in the past.
The 1908 model no longer has an impeller.
The trousers of the 1889 model are wider than those of the 1908 model and the shoes has another model.

When I bought this model from 1908 it had red accents on the jacket, but on the pants there were yellow/orange stripes, which I thought was strange.
After research the male’s coat appeared to have been completely repainted following the example of the model of the first version 1889, i.e. with the red colors.
I started very carefully removing these overpaints and it turned out that yellow/orange details emerged beneath the red and black paint.
It now appears that it is the same version as the 1908 model, with this one and the model in the museum in Paris, only two are known so far.

I suspect that a part of Martin’s donation from 1908 was re-produced in 1908 because not all of the toys were anymore in production and/or were no longer available in the factory warehouse, even loose parts and fabrics to make the clothing could be lost over time are no longer in stock.
One of the reasons is that technology continued to develop and new, often better, more modern and/or cheaper production methods were developed, such as the drives and movements of the toys.
With Martin’s toys you first see the Rubber Band driving, then the flywheel and then the clockwork.
Toys were often produced for years, sometimes even decades, but at a certain point production stopped and after the production stop, loose parts were often used for other models or the production molds were adjusted, but that production also stopped over time, so after for many years, many individual parts were no longer in stock.
A large number of the toys intended for donation were still in production or in stock, but the missing pieces were probably made in very small series (the exact number is not known) and how many copies are still in existence today?
And of course these ‘new’ pieces, produced in 1908, may differ from the original.
There are more objects in the museum’s collection that differ from those we know, especially the clothing and colors of some of them often differ.
The previously used fabrics for clothing were probably out of stock or no longer available.

When you want to visit the site of the Musée des arts et Métiers in Paris, then go to:
https://phototheque.arts-et-metiers.net/?idPageWeb=95
and you can see the pictures of the Martin toys collection.

Victor Bonnet produced this pigeon but at that time it was a fairly common toy and pigeons were sold by many toy manufacturers, also in other countries such as Germany.
It therefore happens quite often that a tin pigeon is called a Martin even though it is made by another manufacturer.

This Victor Bonnet pigeon is produced in several color variations but the most common are light blue/grey and black.

From the moment the old Martin factory ceased to exist at the end of 1933, the production was taken over in 1934 by another Victor Bonnet factory in another building in Paris.
This pigeon was produced from 1919 and presumably until the second world war.
The production number from 1919 till the end of 1933 is 251.
After the take over of the production of various toys that were produced in the old Martin factory like this pigeon toy, Victor Bonnet started to renumber his toy production in 1934, this pigeon got number 3.

Below a few other color variations

If you want to buy one you should pay attention to the following things:
Look at the bottom if there must be a bottom plate that protects the mechanism and there must also be two feet under the pigeon.

When the mechanism is turned up, he moves forward and his head moves up and down.

This “Le Ramier” is found with three different versions of the keys; with a separate key, with a Georges Flersheim type key and with a Victor Bonnet type key.

The logo is on the belly side, he is found with two different bronze colored logo plates used from 1919 till the end of 1933, after the relocation of the factory in 1934 this pigeon get a VEBE logo, this logo was hammered into the sheet metal, , Victor Bonnet used this VEBE logo before in his other factory for household products, he already had this logo captured on April 16, 1929.

In an 11-page document published in LES ANNONCES DE LA SEINE on May 16, 1932 the juridical and legal history of Victor Bonnet’s toy factory from 1919 to 1932 can be found

Establishments V. BONNET Public limited company with a capital of 750,000 francs Headquarters in Paris, boulevard de Ménilmontant, n° 88

TIMELINE:

After having exposed that by deed under private seals, dated in Paris, 23 march 1919, registered, it had been formed between V. BONNET as sole manager and three other people as sponsors, under the name V. Bonnet et Cie, a simple limited partnership, having as its object: the operation of a factory of metal iron toys, automatics’ and articles in Paris, located in Paris, boulevard de Ménilmontant, 88, for a period of fifteen years, nine months and six days from March 23, 1919.

That by another deed under private signature dated in Paris on March 20, 1930, registered, the aforementioned simple limited partnership was transformed into a limited liability company, the effects of which dated back to January 1, 1930 for a duration extended until December 31, 1960.

A NEW NAME AND A NEW LEGAL FORM FROM THE DATE JANUARY 01, 1932

Following deed under private signature, dated in Paris on April 21, 1932. The Limited Liability Company V Bonnet et Cie is transformed from 1e January 1932 in a public limited company which will be governed by the laws in force and by these statutes.

The name of this Company is: Etablissements V. BONNET,  located in Paris, Boulevard de Ménilmontant 88

After this date, bills and checks were stamped (found only in red ink) with this new name: Etablissements Victor BONNET. presumably to use up the old stock.

first production date : 1883
production number unknown, this toy is probably not numbered (In the books known to us, this toy has the Martin product number 07, but that must is incorrecte)
mechanism: rubber band
height: 13 cm / 5,12 inch – length: 17 cm / 6,7 inch
produced by Fernand Martin

The anvil is placed in the middle and on top of this anvil is the Martin mark “FM”

No, this beautiful toy is certainly not Fernand Martin, but what is it….

Le Saute Mouton. (The leap frog)
This toy was depicted in a magazine from the department store Choumara Paris in 1912 togehter with other S.I.J.I.M. , Martin and other toys.

This toy has been offered for sale at auction a few times over the past 10 years.
It is then offered as a “suspected” Fernand Martin toy.
I’ve discovered a few things now.
An old predecessor was presented in the magazine: La science moderne, this toy with a flywheel in 1891.
After that, nothing can be found, including the maker’s name.

This toy was redesigned and now with a wind-up mechanism, the “inventor” was Mr. Noguier from Paris.
He offered the rights to these toys for sale to the prevailing major manufacturers at the Concours Lepine in 1909
There was a Mr Max Dieckmann from Paris who bought the rights to this piece.

Mr Max Dieckmann was originally a toy dealer, importer, freight forwarder with a lot of different articles, I have found many advertisements from him, all with the address: 24 Reu de Paradis Paris with articles like: wall games, tennis rackets, attributes for athletic sports, paper bags for kites, paper airplanes, Steiff toys, puzzles and in 1910 he had a stand at the 2nd aviation exhibition in 1910.

French postcard from Max Dieckmann with Steiff toys. date: July 10th, 1909 Text translation: “Fine toys of all kinds, specializing in animals and fabric dolls. Max Dieckmann, 24 Reu de Paradis, Paris.
Courtesy: Rebekah Kaufman, Steiff Historian, Blogger, and Consultant www.mysteifflife.com

Max Dieckmann applied for the patent for this toy in 1910 stating that the original inventor was Mr. Noguier.
I cannot find anywhere whether Mr. Dieckmann himself had the capacity to produce toys, I found a advertising where he askt to request for offers of services from manufacturers of color letterpresses used for the manufacture of puzzles

So I suspect that he outsourced the production of this tin toy to one of the existing manufacturers, who????

Mr Max Dieckmann sold his toy department 24 Reu de Paradis Paris, on September 9, 1913 to Mr Jules Bernat, after which I have been unable to find anything.

Produced from 1906
Product number 206
Hand painted
Mechanism: spring
Dimensions approx: The frogs are long 4″ and wide 2.5″
Name: Jeu de péche à la grenouille sauteuse

He bought the idea for this toy at the Concours Lepine in 1905 from the inventor Mr. Celestin Gasselin.
This frog game is depicted and described in the French magazine: La Nature on page 581.
Mr. Celestin Gasselin named this toy: La Grenouille Récalsitrante

Invention of Mr. Celestin Gasselin shown at the 1905 Concours de lepine
Pictured and described in La Nature 1905 page 581
Free translation:
Mr. Gasselin, the inventor gives us a frog game that will be extremely cheap and will allow young people and even adults to spend happy evenings with it, it’s a matter of hanging up.
A ring hangs from the end of a wired rod and there is a frog in stamped tin, which you have to pick up with the ring.
But the frog has a hook from which it has to be picked up and on this is a lever with a spring that comes loose with a shock and makes the animal jump before it can be hooked.

The frogs are long 4″ and wide 2.5″
Mister Gasselin designed this toy with a ring on a fishing rod, Martin has pointed this out in a U shape hook on a fishing rod.

Discription on the box lid:
Nothing more amusing than this game which consists in fishing, un the frogs with the hook.
The winner will be the one who succeeds in hook up the greates number of frogs without allowing them to spring up.
INSTRUCTIONS: Set the spring of the frogs.

Martin started in 1880 his first factory at the address 90 Boulevard de Ménilmontant, a L-shaped 6-storey building ( ground floor, 4 floors, attic floor) and a backyard, in the middle of the building is an porch that leads to the backyard, this building was built around 1860

As a starting manufacturer, he must have rented only a small part of the address 90 Boulevard de Ménilmontant.

Due his commercial succes of the “Petit Garçon Livreur” (the delivery boy) in 1888, (we know this toy as the “Le Livreur”) Martin has now the money to acquire a new building to expand his factory.
In 1892 he acquired the adjacent building number 88 with a square form and after a renovation / rebuilding around 1900, the factory was a lot bigger than his old factory and was, for that time, a revolutionary conception.

After Bonnet’s departure, the facade of the building 88 Boulevard de Ménilmontant was adjusted, the old facade was a pointed facade and the new facade suggested a flat roof, but behind this facade there is still a pointed roof.

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Three different manufacturers and the differences between their models

In this article I try to provide some clarity about the various versions of these toys.
Fernand Martin started the first toy with the name La Petite Marchande D’Orange in 1901 and product number 184.
The successor’s of Fernand Martin > Georges Flersheim and Victor Bonnet continued the production but made some changes to this toy.
When you have one or you want to buy one and you want to know more then see this overview with the differences.

OVERVIEW:

Characteristics of the Fernand Martin versions.

• name: La Petite Marchande D’Oranges.
• product number 184.
• first production year 1901
• key model Fernand Martin.
• place key: above the right wheel.
• mechanism placed vertically until “in” the cart.
• cart equipped with oranges.
• two price tags on top of the oranges.
• the lady has a bustle under the skirt.
• hairstyle model.

Characteristics of the Georges Flersheim versions.

• Georges Flersheim used two different names
• name for the model with oranges: La Petite Marchande D’Oranges
• name for the model without oranges: La Petite Marchande.
• product number 184.
• first production year 1912
• key model Georges Flersheim and a few with model Fernand Martin (probably in the first year)
• place off the key: left of the right wheel.
• the mechanism is placed horizontally under the cart.
• hairstyle in two models.

• the lady has no bustle under the skirt only in the first year, after which the “bustle” disappears.
• the oranges are also stacked less high than the first model of Fernand Martin and lack the two price tags.
• the cart up in different models: All models are without a bent edge on top of the card.
  • —Model equipped with oranges has sometimes a green border around the oranges.
  • —Model without oranges.
  • —Model (very rare) with oranges as a candy container.

Characteristics of Victor Bonnet versions.

• Victor Bonnet used two names like George Flersheim and two different product numbers.
• product number: in the catalog of Victor Bonnet from around 1928 this toy is mentioned with two different product numbers; La Petite Marchande D’Orange with number 184 and La Petite Marchande with number 185, this is probably a print mistake in the catalogue, the number 185 on boxes are never found. (Note: that number 185 was used in 1901 for the Le Vieux Marcheur.)

• first production year 1919
• key model Victor Bonnet
• place key: left of the right wheel.
• mechanism placed horizontally under the cart.
• all models are without a bent edge on top of the card.
• models with and without oranges.
• model with the oranges are they equal the model George Flersheim
• the lady has no bustle under the skirt

• hairstyle model.

Various additional images to clarify the text :

Picture courtesy:
PA TOYS OF TIME PAST
BERTOIA AUCTIONS
SPIELMUSEUM SOLTAU GERMANY
AND MY PRIVATE COLLECTION

Fantastic Selection of Mechnical Banks, Still Banks, American Tin And Clockwork Toys, European Aeronautical Toys, and Much, Much More.

​IN THIS AUCTION ARE TWO MARTIN TOYS

There are many more beautiful toys in this auction

For the complete overview, Auction terms & Info, Shipping & Payment look at this site:
https://www.rslauctionco.com

These result price are in US $ and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors.
Always check the auction site for the results.

Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about authenticity, condition or value.
I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction

Produced from 1908
Product number 213
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: clockwork
Height approx. 19 cm / 7,5 inches

There are currently 4 different box labels known for this toy, I will post about this in another blog.

A free translation from a article in the “La Nature” from 1909

The most curious of all is undoubtedly the clown of figures, two arms and two legs, articulated to a body in which the whole mechanism is located: and this one is simple; a spring that activates a series of gears, ending in 4 pinions attached to each of the members.
Wind up the spring and you will see the clown perform the funniest turns and pirouettes, depending on the reactions he gets on the ground.
This game could be the source of some very nice mechanical issues.
The left figure gives us some examples of mechanical clown dexterity.

Produced from 1908
Product number 209
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: clockwork
Height approx. 21 cm / 8,3 inches

Note: Unfortunately, the fish has often disappeared and replaced by another specimen, the original model can be seen in the museum in Paris where Martin’s gift in 1908 with this “The Perfect Fisherman” is on display.

The French magazine La Nature from 1909 contains an article with the description and two drawings about the technique of this fisherman

Here is the little fisherman: seated comfortably at the edge of an imaginary watercourse, he throws his line to the left, the current, or rather the mechanism, takes him back to the right, along the flow of the water; then suddenly the fisherman picks it up, throws it to the left again and so on. The mechanism is easy to understand: when released, spring A activates a series of gears controlled by an transmission via the connecting rod B and the rod T it gives the fisherman’s body a back and forth movement.

But Martin was already working on an idea for a fisherman in 1906, he has already used a fisherman in his film (see photo below), he took the “Le Pochard” ( the drunk) for it, gave him a sitting position and a fishing rod in the left hand where the drinking cup would normally be.
The entire film can be seen in my blog:

film-from-1906-with-a-lot-of-martin-toys

As is known, in 1908 Fernand Martin made a donation to the museum Cnum in Paris in the form of 100 toys as an overview of his (almost) total production from the beginning of his first piece.

The museum has divided the original enumeration over a number of sections, I have returned it in the overview below to the original numbering as Martin wrote it down. This list is also published in the toy book of Mary Hiller Automata & Machanical Toys from 1976

In 1960, the museum Cnum (Bibliothèque numérique en histoire des sciences et des techniques) made a publication about toys with a chapter about this gift, (all rights reserved – CNAM)

At the end of this overview there are also three pieces that belong to the collection of the Museum but that do not belong to the gift.

Link to the release: https://cnum.cnam.fr/CGI/fpage.cgi?M6136/0002/100/70/0009/0066

See the overvieuw of the Fernand Martin toys in this publication from page 63 up to and including page 66.

Overvieuw gift from Fernand Martin in 1908, a total of 100 toys original numbering as Martin wrote it down:

Date. — Name and number on the gift

1878. — Le poisson mécanique  1

This fish is the first toy of Fernand Martin

1879. — La balançoire mécanique  2

1880. — Le bateau godilleur   3

1881. — La grenouille nageuse  4

1882. — Le patin mécanique  5

1803. — Le moulin mécanique à tic-tac   6

1883. — la locomotive routière  7

1883. — Les forgerons infatigables   8 

1884. — Le cheval bascule  9  

1884. —  Le vélocipède  10

1885. — Le trapèze   11

1885. — Le sonneur endiablé   12

1885. — Les valseurs   13

1886. — Les courageux scieurs de long   14

1886. — La danseuse de corde   15

1887. — les fameux duellistes   16

1887. — Les pompiers   17

1888. — Le Livreur 18

1888. — Les joyeux danseurs  19

1888. — L’autruche   20

1889. — La grosse caisse  21

1889. — L’écrevisse   22

1889. — Le fauteuil roulant de l’exposition  23

1889. — Le pousse-pousse annamite de l’exposition   24

1889. — La grosse caisse annamite de l’exposition  25

1889. — Le cab  26

1890. — Le lapin vivant   27

1890. — La sauteuse de corde   28

1890. — Don Quichotte  29

1890. — Le diable en boite  30

1891. — Les boxeurs   31

1892. — Le chérif  32

1892. — Le traineau russe au 33

1892 — La charrette anglaise   34

1892. — Le pêcheur à la linge 35

1892. — Le bicyclette Martin 36

1892. — Le courrier parisien   37

1893. — Le perroquet   38

1893. — La chaloupe à vapeur   39

1893. — La perruche 40

1894. — La course de taureau   41

1804. — Le piocheur   42

1894. — L’attelage flamand   43

1894.— Le facteur de chemin de fer 44

1895. — Ma portière 45

1895. — Le treuil   46

1896. — L’araignée et la mouche   47

1896. — La forge.   48

1897. — La famille Vélo 49

1897. — La pompe  50

1898. —  Les Boeufs   51

1898. — Le petit décrotteur  52

1898. — Le motocycle   53

1899. — L’oie 54

1899. — La faucheur 55

1899. — La blanchisseuse 56

1899. — Le pochard  57

1900. — The gentleman khaki   58

1900. — Le vaillant Boer 59

1900. — L’homme de corvée  60

1900. —  Le chinois 61

1901. — Bamboula  62

1901. — L’agent  63

1901. —  God save the king 64

1901. —  The Policeman 65

1901. — Le Marchande  d’oranges 66

1901. — Le garçon de café 67

1901. — L’homme sandwich 68

1902. — La sentinelle française 69

1902. — La sentinelle russe 70

1902. — La sentinelle italienne 71

1902. — Le charcutier  72

1902. —Le vieux marcheur  73

1902. — Le fort de la halle 74

1901. — Le petit pianiste 75

1902. — Le clown 76

1902. — L’artiste capillaire 77

1903. — Le gendarme 78

1903. — L’ours Martin  79

1903. — Le cake walk   80

1904. — La Voiture â bitume   81

1904. — Les pompiers à l’échelle  82

1904. — Le cuisinier   83

1905. — Le joueur de boules 84

1905. — L’hercule populaire  85

1905. — Le gymnaste   86

1905. — L’éminent avocat   87

1905. — Le laboureur   88

1906. — La boule mystérieuse   89

1906. — La course en sac   90

1907.— Chand tonneaux !!!  91

1907. — Le petit diabolo   92

1908. — Le partait pêcheur   93

1908. — Le petit boucher   94

1906. — Le petit écureuil vivant  95

1908. — Le menuisier   96

I908. — Le petit culbuteur     97

Double numbered in the gift with the remark “bis”

1887. — Le jeu de bascule  15 bis 

1897. — Le lapin tambour 49 bis   

1897. — Le gai violoniste  5o bis   

                                          _______________

Total                                            100 objects

Note: On the list in this 1960 edition of the Cnum publication there are three extra toys mentioned, however, these toys are made after 1908 so not included in the gift.

1909. — L’autopatte

1909. — Le singe savant    

1912. — Le petit livreur.

During my search for Martin articles I found this drawing in the French magazine: LE MONDE ILLUSTRÉ Dec 7 -1901. This image shows Fernand Martin with his toys on display. This stand was the first edition of the famous Concours Lepine in Paris in 1901.

The drawing also clearly shows the toys and also shows the name “MARTIN”, on this drawing you can see: Madame Loubet, (the wife of the then President of France) looks at the inventor Mr Martin with the “LE POCHARD” (the drunk man) toy in his hand, at her side M Lepine the organizer of this exhibition / competition in 1901

The Concours Lépine is a French invention competition created in 1901 by Louis Lépine, then police prefect of Paris.
Initiated by Prefect Lépine, the event was called the “Paris Toys and Articles Exhibition” from September 30, 1901, and gave rise to a competition from November 24 to the following December 8, before a jury. This competition became annual and was renamed in 1902 “Lépine competition” and still exists today.

Produced from 1890
Product number 117 (In the books known to us, this toy has the Martin product number 33 which is not correct. )
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Rubber band

Length approx. 14,8 cm/ 5,8 inches
Height approx. 14 cm/ 5,5 inches

The operation of the mechanism as indicated in the etching above, I have previously written a blog about these four nice etchings, see: https://fernandmartintoys.nl/very-small-etchings-from-1892-with-toys/

Free translation from the article from the magazine: “LA NATURE” page 44 and 45 1892.

The devil in a box mechanism is arranged horizontally, the delicate question with these types of movements is that they must be balanced as precisely as possible so that they can function as regularly as a pendulum.
We see in our drawing the counterweight E used for this balancing, and the oscillating balance D which maneuvers a vertical rod at each of its entrances.
One of these rods F. passing between the man’s legs makes him lean forward to slay the devil as soon as he appears; the other rod serves to alternately open and close the lid of the box to which the devil is connected by a metal plate. As for labor, here is an interesting fact, this toy has a total of 150 different operations.
These operations include cutting, stamping, trimming, bending, stapling and mounting.
As for the cast iron for the counterweight and the broom that moves to defeat the devil (this broom is a counterweight intended to balance the moving bust of the character), which we obtain through the use of molds in which molten metal is poured.
The steps indicated above also require soldering the various parts, decorating and painting, mounting the rubber band, adjusting and packaging.
Finally comes the manufacture of the labels which, although given as an extra, must also have a small example of elegance.

This is one of the rarest Martin toys

Date of first production 1878
Length 26.5cm / 10.43 Inc
Drive: rubber band
Product number: Unknown (In the books known to us, this toy has the Martin product number 02 which is not correct. )
Hand lacquered

Presumably the second toy that Martin has put on the market.
No factory number is known. (a guess: it could be number 101)
The drive is by means of the rubber band mechanism known at Fernand Martin

I found in this French book the patent number of this toy
The patent was published under number 128,445 on Januari 14 -1879 and original for his first toy : the fish
The third addition to his original patent 128,445 was mentioned for a swing toy, any jumping insect and for a boat, this third addition was dated June 24 -1880.

— What we see in the Barracks. — Toys of the day. — What interesting automata. — For the joy of the little ones and the tranquility of the grown-ups.

Paris, December 24 – 1910 La Dépeche – journal quotidien

While the traditional chromolithographs (Chromolithography is a method for making multi-colour prints.) continue to represent to us an icy Christmas where the cottages half disappear under the snow, where the trees with bare branches let stalactites of frost hang down to the ground all white, while the storytellers still speak to us of evenings cold, whistling wind, avalanches of aerial snowflakes, we wade through the warm and humid atmosphere of an absurd month of December when the mercury in the thermometer reached crazy heights for the season. Nothing would remind us of the approaching Christmas if the New Year’s Day barracks weren’t there, faithful to their post, from the Madeleine to the Bastille, spreading out their stalls crying in the wind. Poor sellers! We say a lot of good and a lot of bad. There are people who find them quaint and others who find them cumbersome. It depends on the temperaments. Moreover, in such matters, only point is the children’s point of view, and their point of view is that there are new toys in the little shacks every year. Where are the dolls of yesteryear? Where do the toy soldiers and wooden horses smell? Poor old-fashioned toys, we hardly see any more. They gradually gave way to the invasion of mechanical toys, science toys, animated marvels and prestigious automatons. This year, the airplane is the great winner. You find it everywhere: toys for two pennies or toys for thirty or fifty francs. The automobile, even the catastrophe automobile, is somewhat abandoned. She’s not up to date enough anymore.

As for the automatons, the inventive genius of the builders has, as always, given free rein to them. What do you say to this “shackled” who hops awkwardly in her fashionable skirt? (Fernand Martin number 220 L’entravée)

It is exactly that, as absurd as reality. And it’s a piquant spectacle: on the trestles of the barracks, the tin shackles jump. On the sidewalk of the boulevard, the flesh and blood shackles skip. But here is an organ player (Prosper Lévi S.i.j.i.m. number 33 Le joueur d’orgue ) who actually plays the organ. Listen: Don’t you recognize the tinny sounds of « Si tu veux nous serons heureux » (If you want we will be happy) almost everywhere ?

finally, we find a fight between the two age-old enemies. What am I saying! secular! millennials, rather! That is about the woman and the mouse, ( Martin number 221 La chasse au rat ) these two beings who, since they exist, have been inspire a mutual fright. You know that all it takes is a mouse to put a woman on the run. On the other hand, if a woman starts chasing a mouse (which is rare), the mouse runs away.

But this year, a toy offers you the view of a courageous janitor with a broom in hand, stand up to the enemy. It’s a quaint duel, but the inventor was well advised to choose a concierge. No ordinary mortal of the tenant race, a pusillanimous race, would have dared to engage in battle against such a formidable enemy.

name: Dame de la crois rouge (the red cross nurce)
production number 237
production from: 1913
hoogte 20 cm / 7,87 inch
manufacturer: Georges Flersheim (successor of Fernand Martin)

I have personally seen a total of 6 pieces at auctions and in museums.
What is striking is that the face/head is not always the same, there are versions with a raised edge at her height and without this raised edge, whether both are original or one of these is not original? I don’t know.

This Red Cross sister goes for a walk after the clockwork has been wound.
The walking mechanism is the same as that of the “Le Vieux Marcheur” (the walking gentleman) with number 185 from 1901 with patent number FR 298509.

The Red Cross name and logo was a registered trademark and could not simply be used on products.
It is not known whether Flersheim had permission.

I found an article in an old French technical magazine La Nature from 1894 about a tin boat made by Martin.
This nice piece is put in motion by the well-known Martin “rubber band” method, the motion is done by a winding handle at the front of the boat, under the boat is, in the tube, the “rubber band” that goes to the movement mechanism.

Produced from 1893
Product number 125 (In the books known to us, this toy has the Martin product number 43 which is not correct. )
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Rubber band

length approx 27.5 cm (10.63) inches

Original article and drawing’s from the magazine “La Nature 1894” Source: (Cnum – Digital Conservatory of Arts and Crafts – http://cnum.cnam.fr)

SCIENTIFIC TOYS
THE THRUST RUDDER
Looking at it closely, or is almost always astonished, and often amazed at the ingenuity displayed in the construction of any toy.
The child who breaks his rattle has no idea that he sometimes destroys a wonder, and Mum is far from even thinking of it. It only cost fifteen sous, they say.
But it is specified by the modieity of its price that the mechanical toy is generally a tour de force of combination.
To reduce everything to the maximum of simplicity from the point of view of the manufacture and assembly of the parts, such is the condition under which a toy will not be sold, because it will be too expensive.
Among the new creations of the last day of the year, we will choose one that is typical: the boat with propellant rudder.
Whoever imagined it must have often observed the fish, seen the way in which they throw right and left a blow of the tail which makes them move forward, and he undoubtedly sought to imitate this movement in the toy of which we speak.

Here is (fig. I) our little boat
At first glance, one thinks to see a boiler and a propeller, with a pill oddly sitting down with his steam engine and holding the rudder ropes. However, that is not the mechanism.
The pilot only serves to amuse baby, the boiler too.
The whole engine is in the keel; it is a simple rubber thread concealed in a channel, and fixed in the center of a toothed wheel; ‘at the other end, it is attached to a lever which rests on the two notches of a ratchet
The toothed wheel is nothing more than an escape wheel, and not the least; it is an anchor escapement of which the rudder head forms the counterpart.
Under the alternating impact of the teeth of the wheel (fig. I detail) between two stops placed to the right and to the left of the axis of the gourernail, the latter begins to perform oscillations which communicate its movement to the boat.
By what mechanism is the thrust carried out?
It is easy to realize this by analyzing the movement of the gourernail. Oscillations around the axis can be likened to periodically interrupted rotation.
However, this rotation results in a centrifugal movement of the water, and, consequently, a reaction on the rudder, the component of which along the axis of the boat is directed forward.
But there is another cause, probably dies effective, of propulsion.
If the rudder were to execute movements with symmetrical speeds, it would experience a thrust forward as it approached its mean position, and a retrograde thrust of the same mean value from that point on.
But this is not the case.
When the rudder leaves the escape wheel, the latter falls back with force on the second stop, and loses part of its kinetic energy there, immediately imparting a certain speed to the rudder; it then acts on the maximum lever arm, but when the rudder passes through its equilibrium position, the stop is already tilted a little; it slips away more and more, until the loose tooth is caught.
The speed of the rudder therefore decreases from the moment it begins to throw water back, until it reaches the end of its course.
However, the resistance of water is roughly proportional to the square of the speed of the moving body; therefore the pressures are stronger from back to front than in the reverse direction.
On average, this results in a propulsive force for progression which makes our little boat move forward.
We compared it earlier to a eur. View ecti.mblo and detail of the fish rudder; the analogy is real, but it is not perfect.
The rigid rudder employed as a propellant is far from being advantageous, since its action depends above all on a difference in speed and can only be very slight, and we know that, in nature, actions are generally very well combined.
If, instead of a rigid rudder, an articulated rudder is adopted (fig. 2), the apparatus becomes more advantageous; attempts in this direction have been made in the past.
The thruster consists, in this combination, of two parts A and B connected by a vertical axis.

Plane A carries, on the right and on the left, two stoppers which limit the movement of B.
As soon as this last plan ceased to act as a propellant.
A goes back, and resumes B in the symmetrical position of the one he occupied.
We can now replace the single joint with a series of hinges, each of which leaves the plane it carries a certain degree of freedom. We thus manage to build a propellant similar to the tail of the fish, of which our small boat shows the mode of action by an elementary mechanism of extreme simplicity.

In one of the previous auctions of the Milestone auction house I found a Le Pochard with a very rare and different box for the Martin number 172.
This box has the name : The Zig-Zag Man.

It is difficult to say where the name comes from but I found a possible option:
The “ZIG-ZAG Man” is based on the story of a French North African soldier (Zouave) aka Captain Zig-Zag, whose smoking pipe was shattered by a stray bullet during the battle of Sevastopol in 1854, so he rolled his tobacco using a piece of paper torn from a musket cartridge.
In 1855 was a French firm that used the name Zig-Zag as a brand of rolling papers, this firm was originated in Paris.
The Zig-Zag brand introduced a new and convenient way to roll up tobacco products with specially designed paper.
Zig-Zag was awarded in 1900 a gold medal at the Universal Exposition in Paris
Perhaps Martin made at the request of this “Zig-Zag” company an advertising figure, but that is unclear.
(Part of the text is from Wikipedia)

The number on the box is 172-bis and the label is the small version, so it was made in a later period than the year 1899 in which the first copies were made.
The figure still has a typical Martin key, so it was made before the takeover in 1912

In 1892 a French newspaper La Petit Presse gave its readers a special advantage to buy products that the newspaper purchased directly from the manufacturers.
The products mentioned also include a number of toys.
On closer inspection of the toys, these are all Fernand Martin products.

The number behind the toy name is the product number from the newspaper and not a Martin number.

We wish everyone a happy and peaceful Easter

One of Fernand Martin’s strengths was that he converted people from everyday life into children’s toys, to give these toys a good likeness and of course to hide the mechanism he gave them clothes.
This has several advantages, the children like this better, you can give a figure a different profession or look very simply and of course cheaper.

Here are some examples I found in my collection of magazines.

In 1905 a world exhibition was held in Liège, Belgium.
France was also represented at this exhibition with the French toy industry in section 100.
In this earlier blog :

original-antique-stereo-glass-plate-of-a-sale-booth-with-martin-toys

I presented a original glass stereo photo that was taken at this exhibition and depicts a counter full of Fernand Martin toys.

I now found in the book: Exposition Internationale 1905 Liege, Section française Class 100 more information and also a photo showing the back of this counter.

In this photo you also see a large white statue, I have already mentioned the existence of this statue in one of my previous blogs.
This colossal statue was personifying “the Toy Fairy distributing toys”.
In the glass stereo photo from my earlier blog and on the first photo above, you can see a part of this image on the left (white part of the image and black part of a cloth over a foot/table).

Fernand Martin was one of the jury members at this exhibition, the jury members can be seen in a photo from that book, in this photo you can also see Martin himself.
Photos of Fernand Martin himself are quite rare.

Reference book: Exposition international 1905 Liege ; Section française Class 100, this book can be found on the CNUM website

Produced from 1885
Product number unknown (In the books known to us, this toy has the Martin product number 13 which is not correct, this trapeze artist has probably not been given a product number.)
Hand lacquered
Mechanism: Rubber band

Length approx. 14 cm / 5.5 inches
Height approx. 17.8 cm / 7 inches

By winding the rubber band, the movement is converted into a pendulum movement that allows the gymnast to do his tricks.

This is a quite rare toy from Fernand Martin.
The column and roof were also used for: Le sonneur endiablé in 1885 number 102, but also much later by the presumed successors/descendants of Georges Flersheim in the toy: Je sonne la paix in 1916 number 246.
The figure of the gynast has also been used more often in other Martin toys.

This is an updated version of a previously posted article because new things have been found.

Until now we know the boxes of many Fernand Martin toys.
The first box label of a toy was designed just before the first production of these toys.
Once on the market, the most toys remained the same box for many years and even decades.
But from the Le Petit Livreur, ( the acrobat ) a tumbling clown, produced from 1908 with Fernand Martin number 213, there are, till now, four box labels known.

In the bottom of the box is one of the narrow upright side a hole in which, the key was attached with a ribbon or rope that goes through that hole in the box.
This ribbon has long disappeared in most cases, I have only seen it a few times.

Three boxes contain a label and one box only a stamp.
It is not known when which label was issued.
You can see that one box has an English inscription, otherwise the box has exactly the same texts and logos as the box for the French market.

Something about boxes in general :

Boxes generally tell a lot about a toy and are therefore very interesting.
The manufacturer’s name.
The factory logo.
The product number.
The manual.
Country of origin.
Sometimes also patent applications and even the patent numbers.
Martin often put there gross and net weights.
And he told everyone which (international) prizes he has achieved and where he was a member or president of the jury.

It even happens that a loose box at auction will yield more than the toy, of course because these are much rarer.
Children threw the box away and a box is also much more fragile and broke and thrown away.

Martin has often accidentally or deliberately forgotten to include a number in his product numbering.
In his period from 1878 to his first Bonshomme de Ma Portiére in 1895 a number of figures without number are known, see my article for this: https://fernandmartintoys.nl/the-numbering-of-the-fernand-martin-first-period-who-can-help-me/

From the Ma Portiére in 1895 to the sale to George Flersheim in 1912, a few figures without numbers are also known.
Starting with two figures featured in the image from the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis.

In this image a few are recognizable and the corresponding figures have also been found.

Maybe there are still some figures on this St Louis photo, but the photo is so bad that they cannot be recognized immediately, wait until the actual figure(s) is found.

But there are still a few figures that cannot be found in the well-known catalogs and there are no boxes available.

Another image also shows a few figures whose number is currently unknown.

These two figures are incorrectly numbered in the existing literature, see why in my blog: https://fernandmartintoys.nl/change-of-martin-numbers-for-some-toys/

(both images courtesy Bertoia Auctions)

Martin donated 100 toys to the “Musée Dez Arts Et Métiers” in Paris in 1908, this donation was a good overview of the toys he has produced since the beginning, he also made a list of them.
All the pieces in his donation can be traced back through documentation and old found catalogues.
These four pieces are therefore not only numbered, but are also not included in the donation.
As can be seen above, they are documented.

The Flersheim period

In the Flersheim period from 1912 to 1919 there are still many uncertainties, the photo below shows a Le Petit Livreur with a trunk, on the far right.
This is not mensioned in the numbering known to us.

And one of my collector friends has a version of the L’autopatte with the same trunk on it.

There is a lot of uncertainty about the numbering of the Flersheim period from 1912 to 1919, many figures are known, but the product numbers are often not.
We’ll wait and see and maybe we’ll get this numbering complete one day.

In black the numbers and names known to us, the numbers in red have yet to get their corresponding name, if any of my readers know the correct names of one or more of the missing numbers (with proof like a numbered box) please message me.

List of confirmed numbers :

227: “Chaud les Marrons“
228: “Le Motocycliste Enragé“
229: “Le Petit Patineur“
230: “La Pédalette“
231: “Le Motocycliste“
232: “Soldat Bulgare“
233: “La Casseuse d’Assiettes“
234: “Le Chef d’Orchestre“
235:
236:
237: “Dame de la Croix-Rouge”
238: “Soldat Marocain”
239:
240: “La Guerre Aérienne”
241: “Ma Nounou”
242:
243:
244:
245:
246: “Je Sonne la Paix“

first production date : 1892
production number: 127 (In the books known to us, this toy has the Martin product number 36, but the latest discoveries show that the real number is 127.)
mechanism: clockwork
height: 8,5 cm / 7,87 inch – length: 21 cm / 8,27 inch
produced by Fernand Martin

Around 1912 there were a few toys that differed in detail from the normal models.
This happened just before or just after the takeover from Martin to Georges Flersheim.
A few models were then modified and provided with an open space to put in presumably sweets.
These spaces were created in two ways.
A tin container was placed on the models of the “Le petit Livreur” and the “L’autopatte”.
The model of the “Le petit marchane d’oranges” the top was made so that it could open.

In the Martin “Le petit marchane d’oranges” model, the mechanism is “in” the space between the bottom of the cart and the fruit, in the later model the mechanism has been moved to the bottom of the cat.

So it was three known models with a “temporary” adjustment.
Whether Martin or Flersheim were responsible for this is not entirely known, but they all have clear signs of the Martin models, the later Flersheim models have several specific changes compared to the Martin models, so I think they are models that were produced by Flersheim immediately after the takeover using parts that were still in stock from the earlier Fernand Martin production.

These three models with the candy container are very rare.

In 2023 I published a blog : https://fernandmartintoys.nl/magazine-les-jouets-et-jeux-anciens/ 

That blog mentioned a report about a meeting in 1906, during which a film was published with mainly Martin toys but also toys from Lehmann, among others.

I received a copy of this report from Mr. Claude Lamboley which included the following text:

Translation:
Then the whole series of well-known mechanical toys was paraded before us that are manufactured in the factory of Mr. Fernand Martin. Cinematographic films presented the workshops and the tools of this manufacture; hands showed the toys being made, turning them, turning them over, while the lecturer gave the explanation (very curious effect).
Then, finally, the cinematograph projected amusing and dramatic scenes, the actors of which were Mr. Martin’s’s mechanical little bonshommes.

In that blog from July 18 -2023 I said: Now we have to find that film.

Now I can tell you that I found this film. This film is used by Mr Klaus Lorenz in his lecture : THE MAGIC OF AUTOMATES on June 02 – 2023 This lecture was held in the CINÉMATHÈQUE Paris – Room George’s Franju 

(Wikipedia: The Cinémathèque Française Paris, founded in 1936, is a French non-profit film organization that holds one of the largest archives of film documents and film-related objects in the world.The archive offers daily screenings of worldwide films.)

In an old Pathé-Frères catalogue from 1907, this film is listed under number 1356 with the following text:

Bob’s Theater….
Bob’s father was undoubtedly generous, because on the small theater stage we will recognize all the popular types of the latest toys of the year.
Bob, as an excellent director, managed to introduce them to us as an artist, and despite the age it is a pleasure there, it will certainly please everyone.

The hole lecture is about 1 hour and 15 min. , in this compleet lecture you see a lot of other toy automates, this lecture is in French. 

The part with the Martins start on 0.00 min. till 6.35 min. , it is a silent film so no text, music or spoken words. 

Here the link to the complete lecture with the film: Le théàtre de Bob de Gaston Velle.

https://www.cinematheque.fr/video/2082.html

ENJOY…

Name: La Patinette
Produced from about 1929
Produced by Victor Bonnet (VB&Cie)
Production number 263
Movement mechanism: turning key with a loose key
Height: 22.5 cm / 8.86 inch
Length: 23 cm / 9.06 inch

If you look closely at the legs and the shoes you will see that Victor Bonnet has reused them from the boy on roller skates, Le Petit Patineur number 229 from 1914 made by Georges Flesheim.
The movement mechanism is also the same, they make a step movement with their right leg while the other leg is fixed on the roller skate with the Le Petit Patineur and on the step with the La Patinette.

This figure was used years ago by a Dutch investment / mortgage company in one of their advertisements.

In recent months I have presented all till now known Victor Bonnet pistol models.
To make your search a little easier, I have combined them in this blog
Here is an overview of all models with the corresponding link to the relevant blog for each model.

The Victor Bonnet list with pistol models with article numbers and link to the specific blog:
247 le-pan-pan
256 flac
257 bombarde
258 le-petard
262 tape_fort
264 le-sans-balle
266 le-costaud
??? le-corsaire (Product number unknown)

A very early Martin with the name: Le Livreur (the delivery guy)
Made from 1888
Product number 108
Length 15.6cm / 6.14in
This was probably the most successful Martin ever.

The history that preceded this:
Due to an article in the American “The Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office” of October 20, 1885 on page 352, I came across the patent number 6470 of a “mechanical toy animal figure” .
I started searching further and it turned out to be an English patent.
In 1884 there was the Englishman Mr. William Hamilton Hall, 72 Denmark Villas, West Brighton, he was an inventor / toy manufacturer.
He filed a patent in England in April 17, 1884 under number GB 6470
The patent was filed under the name: “Improvements in Mechanical Toy Animal Figures”.
An extensive correction followed on January 26, 1885.
The Complete Specification was dated January 16, 1885, and it contains 7 pages of text and 3 pages of drawings.
The patent was directly applied for in several countries.
Here is an overview of the countries now known:
United States October 20, 1885 patent number 328912
France July 4, 1884, patent number 163149
Belgium March 28, 1885 patent number 68347
Austria December 4, 1884, patent number 34162
Hungary December 4, 1884, patent number 56714
Germany July 1, 1884, patent number 29806
England April 17, 1884, patent number 6470

The British Library Business & IP Center 96 Euston Road London make the patents available with explanation and images.

I found in David Pressland’s beautiful book “Pressland’s Blechspielzeug Der Welt” from 1995 and published by “AS Verlag Zürich” on page 241 a photo of a toy with his original box, the box appears, after further investigation, to have patent number 6470 and this is exactly the toy patent number from William Hamilton Hall produced from 1884, but are the box and toy on the photo from Hall?

I had a toy as on the picture from David Pressland book in my collection myself that looks like Martins “Le Livreur” but until now I do not know who the manufacturer is. As seen on the picture there is no crank-shaft between the wheels of the cart and there are no connecting-rods from the cart to the legs as seen on the Patent drawing above, Martin replaced that with a flywheel. Is this Hall’s “automatic postman” ?

Is it possible that Hall later adapted his toys, because they might have been cheaper and worked better, to Martin’s construction?”, yes that is possible, but he would have infringed Martin’s patent.
Or vice versa, Martin’s patent wouldn’t have been valid, if an instantiation of his invention had been commercially available.

I think that Martin study the Hall patent and he thought this was a wonderful toy and saw the business benefits.
But he had other thoughts about the mechanism and he applied for an “improved” patent for this type of toy.

In the book Fernand Martin Toymaker in Paris 1878-1912 it is stated on page 33 (with the wrong product number 22) that the story of the Le Livreur started with patent 75632 (printing error they meant 15632) on November 15, 1887 (this date will be reflected in the further story) but the story started with the William Hamilton Hill patent 6470 from April 17, 1884 in England so 3 years earlier.

Martin made improvements and on November 15, 1887 applied for a patent in England under the name “Improvements in Device or Mechanism for Communicating to Toys Movements Analogous to those of Human Beings and Animals when Walking.” and it get patent number 15632
The patent was reprinted as it was amended and quotes the following dates:
Date of Application: November 15, 1887,
Complete Specification Left (at the Patent Office,) May 09, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted July 27, 1888.
The patent contains 6 pages and includes 1 page with 4 drawings.

There are notable difference of Hall’s and Martin’s patents.
This is why “improvement” in Martin’s patent title takes its full sense, is that he eliminated the need for the crank-shaft between the wheels of the cart and the connecting-rods from the cart to the legs and replaced that with a flywheel.
He very smartly achieves it with the gripping of the heel of the supporting foot.
It therefore makes the cranked axle-tree easier to bend and the overall toy more reliable and simultaneously less expensive (less parts, less assembly time).

Regarding the Hall and Martin patent, Martin explains a few things on page 5 of his English patent.

Martin wrote the following text:

Having now specifically described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I am aware of Hall’s Specification No. 6470 AD 1884 and I make no claim to anything described and claimed therein, but what I claim is:
A kind of toy with a miniature figure (preferably of a man) the legs of whitch imitate the natural movements of walking by the combined action of a motor vehicle having a continuous translation motion and abutting point placing itself alternately on any suitable surface, in such manner that retaining one leg an instant on the ground and the movement of translation continuing this abutting point forces the leg in contact with the ground to incline itself thus giving a movement similar but in the reverse sense to the second leg with which it is connected by a bent or cranked axle.

About the same time, Martin also applied on November 12, 1887 for this patent in France, where it was given the number 186948.
See more in my other blog from August 15 2019:

le-livreur-description-of-the-patent-number-186948

But so far, all Martin copies and boxes found have the patent number 15632, so the English patent number.
I have not yet found any copies or a box with the French patent number.
On the top of the cart and on the box is written: “F.M. S.G.D.G. France & Etranger Paris Patent 15632“
France & Etranger meens French and foreign.
I think Martin used the English patent number because it had already been approved and the application for the French patent was still being processed in France.

Martin-Lehmann
Fernand Martin and E.P. Lehmann turned out to be good business colleagues and Lehmann also saw something in this toy.
Lehmann was allowed to use this patent against payment of 5 francs per 144 (12 dozen) pieces sold.
The success was enormous and within 8 months Lehmann came to Martin with a payment of 5000 francs, so 144.000 of the Lehmann “Express” EPL number 140, had already been sold up to that point.

On the back of the Lehmann Express (the copy of the Martin Le Livreur) , the text is Engl.Patent without a patent number.

A toy and his box :

Take a good look at the boxes from Martin, Lehmann and Hall ? , they are very similar.

The success of the collaboration between F. Martin and E.P. Lehmann was expanded with several Martins, of which Lehmann was allowed to use the patents and were also allowed to be manufactured.

With special thanks to:
The British Library. Business & IP Center. 96 Euston Road. London
To make the patents available with explanation and images.

Benjamin was a French newspaper for young people founded by Jean Nohain. First published in January 1929, it ended in 1958. Source gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France

A journalist from the magazine “Benjamin” visits M. Bonnet “President of French toy manufacturers…”

-Monsieur Bonnet, see you soon, madam, would you sit down?
The charming secretary who received me is a sociable person, she talks to you with respect.
-It’s because Monsieur Bonnet is very busy…
I know that.
mr. Bonnet honors himself with the admirable title of: President of the Syndicate Chamber of French Toy Manufacturers, but that’s not all, it’s an official title, but that generally means nothing.
-It’s no small feat, you can imagine, continues the dear secretary, to be governor-general of all French toys!
The time has come, now it gets interesting, I no longer wait for the chairman of a union chamber, but for the governor of toys, the king of toys, the Napoleon of toys, a gentleman who only talks and thinks of dolls, soldiers, trains…

—Would you like to go in, ma’am?
Mr. Bonnet stands before me and leads me into his opulent office.
I have to admit right away, Mr. Bonnet didn’t tell me this.
Disappointed and unless you’re unreasonable enough not to let in any toy king other than a six-year-old boy, everyone will agree that Mr. Bonnet is also exactly “the right man”, the type of the real good grandfather and a grandfather who spends his life surrounded by toys, judge a little!
Oh sir, you must know things that no one has the slightest idea!
Surely you can tell me how many toys we make each year?
Now impressive figures on toys come from France and elsewhere
—In France, on average, 70,000,000 are made, that is, for about 300,000,000 francs.
Who would have thought that? Every year, 70,000,000 toys are needed for little French people!

And what kind of toys do we mainly make, dolls and trains?
We can say that dolls alone make up a fifth of this production, the railway industry and the mechanical toy industry are about equally important, the rest of this figure achieved is represented by all kinds of toys.
And find all these dolls, all these trains, all these different toys, buyers?
—Certainly, and we could produce even more, since 20,000,000 pieces of foreign toys flow parallel to ours.
Imported toys then? Ah yes, I know one of the “Made in Germany” toys myself.
So there are so many toys made in Germany that those little Germans can’t destroy everything and that our little French children have to help them?
—We make a lot of them, but in the United States they make a lot more.
Is it the United States that produces the most?
Yes, they can be the main toy producing country classified according to the importance of their production: United States, Germany, France and Japan, where regiments of celluloid babies are born.
But it is Germany that exports the most, isn’t it?
—Yes, at least to France, the United States mainly exports to South America, Japan and to China.

Germany prefers to trade with us, firstly because it is our neighbor and secondly because French industrialists have a reputation for being very good payers.
—In 1930, of the 13,348 quintals (quintal is an old unit for weight of one hundred kilograms) of toys imported into France, 11,217 quintals came from Germany.
—But in Germany everyone has to make toys? You think I’m not telling the truth?
—In addition to the large factories, which are wonderfully equipped for the manufacture of mechanical toys, one can find whole families in small villages, such as in the Black Forest, for example, who are busy assembling small toys at home.
—Their work is paid at the rate of 0 Fr.50 to 2 Fr. per hour, which is too little and not good, as you can expect they work as much as possible.
You haven’t told me about the toy soldiers, sir.
—The toy soldier industry is starting to recover a bit, but each country is enough for its own consumption, other toys are also sold locally because it would be too inconvenient to ship it, for example, these are heavy toys such as wheelbarrows, carts, small furniture, wooden horses…

Here is a statement signed by Mr Bonnet

(translation) The president of the French toys manufacturer is hereby thanking the small junior Benjamin’s for listening to all our discussions.
He is asking them to please children of workmen and French toy makers by prioritizing toys made by their parents .

Sir, I didn’t believe the toy industry was so successful at first
—It is strong, important and also very complete, because it makes almost all crafts work, the little girls and boys want everything they see in the hands of adults in miniature, they have toy cars, sewing machines, bicycles, microscopes, clocks needed and who knows what else?

—On the other hand, some toys require a very diverse workforce.
—Open a box of board games and try to imagine the number of workers from many professions who had to work together to produce all these objects together.
But I think, sir, if the youngest didn’t break their toys, it would be a national disaster! half more unemployed?
—Certainly, ma’am, but thank goodness we’re not there yet and there will be a lot of water flowing under the bridges before the race of the little wrecker dies out, thankfully.
Who tell you, sir? I have a horrible three year old nephew who can bust the hardest toy in five minutes but darling is a good little civilian!
VIOLET-JEAN.

Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Fröhliche Weihnachten und ein glückliches Neues Jahr
Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année
Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo
Boas Festas e um feliz Ano Novo
Kala Christougenna Ki’eftihismenos O Kenourios Chronos
God Jul och Gott Nytt År
Glædelig Jul og godt nytår
Geseende Kerfees en ’n gelukkige nuwe jaar
Hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta

An overview of the contents of the new Antique Toy World Magazine January 2024:

Antique Toy World is the leading publication for toy collectors worldwide.

Published since 1970.
Antique Toy World is a monthly magazine published in the USA by Dale Kelley, the magazine’s founder, editor and publisher.

To subscribe go to https://antiquetoyworld.com/about-atw/
Email: ads@antiquetoyworld.com

An article with image of the bullfighter from Fernand Martin number 129 ((In the books known to us, this toy has the Martin product number 47, but that is incorrecte).

NEW YEAR’S DAY BARACKS 1894/1895

It seems that this year, the small booths on New Year’s Day have had a real resurgence in success. We don’t want to witness it except the compact crowd that hasn’t stopped crowding the boulevards since Christmas Eve.

During our walk we came across several sensational toys. In the series of mechanical toys, always very successful, here is the Bull race, which buyers have already dubbed the Little Sugar Bowl (explanation see below): two horizontal bars, one ending in a bull, the other in a toreador armed with his muleta, chase each other; the bull, with articulated legs, leaps upon the toreador who flees from him.

Explanation: Le petit sucrier: the sugar bowl. that was the nickname of Max Lebaudy, the son of a very wealthy French sugar manufacturer, who died young in 1895, after wasting millions, much of it in the most absurd way.
1894 is the year when Max fell in love with bullfighting.
He then intends to organize several bullfights on his estate and thus has an arena built for the occasion.
All of Paris and local notables are invited to attend these bullfights, orchestrated down to the smallest detail, even the program which was written in Spanish!
Because Fernand Martin also belonged to the notables of Paris, it is very likely that he also watched one of these bullfights and in an interview for the magazine: Almanach Pratique illustré du Petit Parisien 1913 article: Les jouet mécanique, invention bien Française by Paul Lagarlère page 71-80, Martin told that he was inspired by the Max Lebaudy bullfight’s to design this toy.

You can find another article about this toy in the link below:

 course-de-taureaux-the-bull-fighter

INFORMATION ON AUCTION 278

The auction will be held on December 5^th at 15:00 CEST in Bertolami Fine Art headquarter in Piazza Lovatelli, 1 – Rome.

In this auction there are 4 Martin toys, but there are more beautiful other toys in this auction.

The following methods of participation are available: in person; by telephone; online upon registration on our website www.bertolamifineart.com, or on our partner portals (see list below); by a written absentee bid to be received by 12:00 CEST on Tuesday 5^th November 2023.

List of partner portals:

Drouot – Invaluable – Live Auctioneers – Arsvalue – Bidspirit – One Bid

For more information click on this link: https://www.bertolamifineart.com/uk/special-conditions/informazioni-sullasta-278.asp?layout=0

These prices are in € (Euro) and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors.
Always check the auction site for the results.

Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about condition or value.
I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction . 

This very beautiful toy was first produced by Fernand Martin’s successor, Mr. Georges Flersheim.
In the late 1920s, approximately around 1928, these toys were produced again in a slightly modified form by Georges Flersheim’s successor Mr. Victor Bonnet
The height of both versions is approximately 19 cm / 7,5 inch

The differences are mainly in:
Georges Flersheim version is named: La Casseuse D’assiettes
Produced from 1913
Product number 233
Hand-lacquered
A characteristic Flersheim key
Produced in a red and blue version

Victor Bonnet version is named: Madelon Casseuse D’assiettes.
Produced from around 1928
Product number 260
The body is no longer hand-lacquered, only her face and hat with bow are hand-lacquered.
A distinctive Victor Bonnet key
Got cloth clothes

The number of dishes and the color of the dishes may differ depending on the version.
Georges Flersheim’s version only had “white” dishes.
Various color versions of the plates were found in the Victor Bonnet version.

• Only “white” dishes.
• “White” dishes with a “red” dish on top attached to the rod
• Dishes in “red” with gold-colored stars as decoration
• Dishes in “red” with gold-colored dots as decoration

The bottom dish that is attached to the hands is colored “white” in the Flersheim version, in the Bonnet version it is “white” and features a red factory logo with the text VB&CIE PARIS MADE IN FRANCE

‘La Casseuse d’Assiettes’ was inspired by a comic strip featuring a girl called Becassine.
The comic strip was first published ‘La Semaine de Suzette’ (February 1905), a weekly edition for girls and very soon Becassine became a French icon.
In 1913 Flersheim made her into a fantastic toy but he was not allowed to use the name Becassine because it had been registered as a trademark in 1910.
I found a book: La Semaine de Suzette with the first 26 weekly numbers of 1914, in this book the publisher placed advertisements, in which he sold ‘Becassine Casseuse d’Assiettes’ at 2.90 Francs, without naming Flersheim.

Book: “la Semaine de Suzette”, from 1914 10-ième année – Premier semestre 
Advertising 1 Bécassine 001 from “la Semaine de Suzette” No. 9 – 2 avril 1914 ( 10-ième annéé)
Advertising 2 Bécassine 001 from “la Semaine de Suzette”No. 11 – 16 avril 1914

Below you can see two patents about this toy, the first is the France patent with number 458560 of Mai 29 -1913 and the second is the German patent with number 270852 of July 13 – 1913, on the patent drawings you can see how complicated and ingenious the mechanism is. If you look at the mechanism from the inside you will also see solidity.

The Box:

The differences between the box of the Flersheim version and the Bonnet version are clearly visible

The operation is as follows: after turning the mechanism, the figure vibrates forward, after a short time the dishes are thrown into the air and the figure falls backwards. Then the dishes must be gathered together again, placed on the support rod and the rod with the dishes must be pushed back into the bottom dish that is fixed between the hands.

Carl Bagessen, born in 1858 in Denmark.
In 1895 he was a contortionist at Cirque Rancy in Lyon, under the name “Corkscrew Man”.
He also had a comedy act very similar to our toy in action where he drops a huge pile of plates on the floor.
For twenty years, Bagessen brought this act to all the variety theaters in the world.

Explanetion of the “triangel” mark sign on toys

On many toys from around 1887 till the thirty’s of the last century, we see a triangular symbol with a number below it on the boxes of toys and even on the toys.
This symbol was once invented by the”La Chambre Syndicale des Fabricants de Jouets Français”, of which Fernand Martin was a board member and even once chairman, in the thirty’s of the last century the triangle probably had lost any meaning and disappeared.

This symbol was a sing of quality from a French manufacturer.

The manufacturer who wishes to make use of this mark only has to justify his quality of French manufacturer, and to pay the registration fee for the serial number of the police in perpetuity, a fee which amounts to a single sum of five francs.

FACTORY BRAND
FRENCH TOY
The Trade Union Chamber of French Toy Manufacturers filed with the Registry of the Commercial Court of the Seine, June 1, 1886, under number 23,795, a trademark of which we give the facsimile.
The Chambre Syndicale, with the aim of developing national industry, grants authorization to use this mark to any French industrialist who so requests.
It is enough to justify its quality as a French manufacturer.
For information, contact the Chambre Syndicale on the third Friday of each month, Hôtel Moderne, place de la République.

Each toy manufacturer that was allowed to use this symbol received a separate number.
Fernand Martin’s factory was registered under number 138

Some examples of the “triangel” mark sign on toys, catalogue or toy box of various manufacturers with their number

Excerpt from the original report: group: Class 100 section Bimbeloterie
There was a colossal statue personifying the Toy Fairy distributing toys.
The French toy exhibition included 63 exhibitors representing a wide variety of branches of the toy industry.
One of them was Mr. Fernand Martin, former president of the Trade union Chamber of the manufacturers of toys and games.
(Reporter, Mr. A. Chauvin.)

Victor Bonnet produced various tin pistols in the period from 1919 to 1933.
The number we know now is 8 pieces but maybe we will discover more.
the list of the pistols known so far is:

The Victor Bonnet list with pistol models with article numbers
Le Pan-Pan 247
Flac 256
Bombarde 257
Le Pétard 258
Tape_Fort 262
Le Sans-Balle 264
Le Costaud 266
Le Corsaire (Product number unknown)

Here we present :

Name: Le Corsaire
Number: Product number unknown
Year of first production: 1932 ??
Dimensions: 18 cm x ?? cm / 7 inch x ?? inch

After the relocation of the production of the Victor Bonnet factory in 1933, we no longer find pistols in the product range.
Probably is that the Victor Bonnet & Cie-in-liquidation, sold the patents and trademarks of guns/pistols to JEP.

In one of my previous blogs I mentioned that the Le Deverseur was only found with a French label on top of the box and for the Englisch market with a Englisch instruction label inside on the bottom of the box..

I’ve seen one now one, with all the labels in English.
Below you can also see on the box label that the name has been changed in : Self Unloading Waggon.

The label on top of the box, the instructions for use picture on the side of box and the separate instructions for use are all in the English language.

The separate user manual card is executed in two languages, French and Englisch, in the right photo you can see that he is not called “Waggon” as on the box label but “Lorry”

This is a very early toy from 1885
Length approx. 17,8 cm/ 7 inches
Height approx. 12,5 cm/ 5 inches

No final product number is known for this toy.
In the book by Lourens Bas : Toymaker in Paris 1878 – 1912 he is listed under number 16 on page 45 but we now know that the numbering of the “first” period is completely different, see my article https://fernandmartintoys.nl/the-numbering-of-the-fernand-martin-first-period-who-can-help-me/

It has long remained unknown how this toy looked like but an article written by Renaud Fournier in the Antique Toy World Magazine of december 2016 mentions that one copy was found at a French auction, but a second copy has since been found at a French auction at Galerie de Chartres January 2022 at Le Coudray.
This toy is very fragile and both found pieces have missing parts such as broken hands, arms and heads.

These toys also appear not to be made of cardboard, as is stated in the book by Lourens Bas: Toymaker in Paris 1878 – 1912, but of tinplate and cast metal.
The front is lithographed and the back is blank tinplate.
The whole rests on two transverse strips.
The three figures are flexibly mounted on a rod.
On the front is written at the top the word Massacre and at the bottom in small FM Bté S.G.D.G. Paris Modele Déposé.

In the past, this toy will have been delivered in a box with one or more small balls to try to knock over one or more of the three figures.
The figures are a devil, a polichinelle and a pierrot made of cast metal.

We are not yet 100% sure from catalog images or the sales box whether this is really a Martin, but there are a few indications that this is a Martin:

• the reuse of the devil figure in the Le Jeu De Force from 1884 and the Le Diable En Boîte from 1890.
• the text : FM Bté S.G.D.G. Paris Modele Déposé, which can also be found practically written in the same way on other toys from that time such as the Les Joyeux Danseurs and the Les Courageux Scieurs De Long….

Photos of the toy: Jeu De Massacre, courtesy Renaud Fournier and Galerie de Chartres

Victor Bonnet produced various tin pistols in the period from 1919 to 1933.
The number we know now is 8 pieces but maybe we will discover more.
the list of the pistols known so far is:

The Victor Bonnet list with pistol models with article numbers
Le Pan-Pan 247
Flac 256
Bombarde 257
Le Pétard 258
Tape_Fort 262
Le Sans-Balle 264
Le Costaud 266
Le Corsaire ??

Here we present :

Name: Le Costaud
Number: 266
Year of first production: 1931
Dimensions: 14,5 cm x 11,5 cm / 5,7 inch x 4,53 inch

Patent number is FR 730.021 d.d. April 04-1931

After the relocation of the production of the Victor Bonnet factory in 1933, we no longer find pistols in the product range.
Probably is that the Victor Bonnet & Cie-in-liquidation, sold the patents and trademarks of guns/pistols to JEP.

first production date : 1912
production number: 227
height: 19 cm / 7,5 inch produced by Georges Flersheim

After winding, his head moves and his right hand goes spinning over the chestnuts, his left hand moves with the lid of the kettle.

Roasted sweet chestnuts were already sold in Rome in the sixteenth century. In Paris they were roasted and sold on the spot on the street, nowadays there are still many European places where they are offered on the street.

This street scene is of course also seen by toy manufacturers and like so many street scenes there was an ingenious inventor who designed a toy out of it.
I found an article in the magazine La Nature from 1911 with a description and picture of a “Le Marchand de Marrons” that looks very much like the Flersheim version.

The original inventor of this toy is Mr. Raoul Maurin from Paris. Source picture : (Cnum – Digital Conservatory of Arts and Crafts – http://cnum.cnam.fr magazine La Nature 1911

As is well known, Fernand Martin has bought many inventions from the small inventors in his career, this toy came from the old Martin portfolios, Martin had bought the design of this toy at the Concours Lepine in 1911 and Flersheim patented them under his name. Note:
Flersheim acquired with the company all Martin’s patents and this one is one of them.

Released with different logos and texts and the winding key at the bottom.

Maker: Fernand Martin

Year: 1897

Number: 159

Dimensions: High 20 cm ( 7,9 inch) Long 15 cm ( 5,9 inch)

This very rare toy is driven by a rubber band, Martin used this rubber band a lot in his first period.
A man pumps water from a village pump.
Many working figures are unknown and this toy had a real working pump.
Water had to be put in the container under the pump and after winding up the rubber band, the man started pumping and the water came out of the pump.

If you look at the drawing you can recognize the working of the pump.

I have seen this toy with the man in two differend colors, yellow en red. This man was also used by Martin in other toys such as the La Famille vélo from 1897, the Le Monocycle aérien from 1896 and with a toy which I previously wrote a piece about but is unknown so far, see my blog: https://fernandmartintoys.nl/did-i-found-an-unknown-martin-toy-or-not/

In the next Ladenburger Toyauction there is one Martin toy with Lot number 017 but there are many more other beautiful pieces in this auction
We are pleased to present you this catalog in German and English language.

For the complete overview, Auction terms & Info, Shipping & Payment look at this site:
https://www.spielzeugauktion.de/?&lang=en

Le Pompier L’Echelle – (the fireman) – Martin number 197bis. This model was made by Victor Bonnet from 1919.

The price is in Euro € and without Buyer’s Premium and subject to errors.
Always check the auction site for the results.

Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about authenticity, condition or value.
I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction

Victor Bonnet produced various tin pistols in the period from 1919 to 1933.
The number we know now is 8 pieces but maybe we will discover more.
the list of the pistols known so far is:

The Victor Bonnet list with pistol models with article numbers
Le Pan-Pan 247
Flac 256
Bombarde 257
Le Pétard 258
Tape_Fort 262
Le Sans-Balle 264
Le Costaud 266
Le Corsaire ??

Here we present :

Name: Le Sans-Balle
Number: 264
Year of first production: 1929
Dimensions: 9,5 cm x 7 cm / 3,75 inch x 2,8 inch

In the next Ladenburger Toyauction there is one Martin toy with Lot number 017 but there are many more other beautiful pieces in this auction
We are pleased to present you this catalog in German and English language.

For the complete overview, Auction terms & Info, Shipping & Payment look at this site:
https://www.spielzeugauktion.de/?&lang=en

Le Pompier L’Echelle – (the fireman) – Martin number 197bis. This model was made by Victor Bonnet from 1919.

After the auction, I will publish the realized price for this Martin.

Regarding the objects described in this article, I do not make a statement about authenticity, condition or value.
I advise interested collectors always do to research yourself, to view the object or to contact the seller / auction

We all know the chestnut vendor “Chauds les Marrons” , it was produced by Georges Flersheim but Fernand Martin bought the rights during the annual “Concours Lepine” in 1911.

Here an article from I found in the magazine “La Nature” from 1911 of the “original” toy.

A free translation:

TOYS

The chestnut vendor.
Here comes winter.
The chestnut merchant sets up his itinerant shop under a doorway or on a street corner and offers passers-by a bargain.
The one shown in our drawing is very natural.
With one hand he stirs the contents of the pan, with the other hand he keeps the circle and the movement of his head towards the oranges and chestnuts, kept warm under a cloth, very clearly indicating that he offers his goods to passers-by.
How does it all work?
The circular movement of the right arm, the one that stirs the chestnuts, is done by means of a rod A, driven by the spring mechanism placed in B, and crossing the pan to direct the hand using a pin C.
The head is driven by a rod D taken eccentrically and hidden in the body of the man from the “Auvergne” (province in France)
The inventor is mr. Raoul Maurin, 24 rue de Belfort, Paris.

I will soon make another blog with more details and things worth knowing about this toy.

The early period of the pavements in Paris around 1900

With the increase in traffic on the streets of Paris in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was necessary to cover the ground with a homogeneous material that was easy to drive on and walk on.
At that time, there were 5 options: large cobblestones, small pitted cobblestones, wooden cobblestones, asphalt or macadam.
These five different types of pavement were successively used in the city, each with their advantages and disadvantages.
The method of paving with wooden cobblestones received a lot of enthusiasm at the time and was the first option developed.
Made of pine, these wooden pavers were laid perpendicular to the road and then sealed with bitumen.
The wooden pavers were finally abandoned completely after 1930 in favor of stone pavers.

So around the turn of the 20e century and long afterwards you could see the asphalt workers in the streets.
A wagon with boiling hot asphalt was pulled by a horse.
The asphalt was poured into buckets and distributed over the existing wooden cobblestones in the streets and on the sidewalks.
A tough and hot job.

Fernand Martin made a toy as a result of these diligent workers and put it on the market in 1903
The toy is about 26 cm / 10,2 inch long and was powered by a clockwork.
The man at the back is also driven by this clockwork, which makes it seem as if he rotates a rod, you can also see the same rod on the images of the real asphalt wagons.

Fernand Martin number 194

This article is published in the June 2023 issue of ANTIQUE TOY WORLD monthly magazine. After publication in the ATW, this article has been slightly modified in a few places

These boxes contain very different toys than we know from Fernand Martin.
At the end of 1900, many toy manufacturers made little figures, mostly from tin/lead, wood, tinplate or a mixture of wood flour and glue, in Germany called “Masse” (such as Elastolin, Lineol etc.).

The smallest Martin figures like the chickens, ducks, goose etc. are made of tin/lead and massive.
The bigger Martin figures like the cows, dogs, sheep, building, fences, persons etc. are made of two kinds of metal, I tested them all with a magnet, the bottom plate is magnetic so tinplate and the figures, animals, etc. are not magnetic.
I think they are made of pewter (a ductile metal alloy of tin and other metals ) and soldered / welded to the bottom plate.
They are not massive but hollow on the inside, which makes them very light and all painted by hand.
These boxes have the Martin number 165 and were produced from 1898.

Number 165:

On this original catalog image are various numbers and texts.
The numbers are clear, what is striking is that number 5 is missing.
The first three numbers are about a village,
From number 4 and 6 till 9 you see behind each number 4 names
The translation of these names in English are : menangerie— farm —hunting scene and shepherd.
So there must be a total of 23 different boxes
These boxes are very rare, but I have received two pictures from Frédéric Marchand of a box with a hunting scene.

On the box is also the text “No” but the number is not visible anymore and probably written earlier in pencil and almost completely disappeared in the last more than 120 years.
I tried to “edit” the image and I could very badly discover that there might have been a 7.

In my collection I have a nice group of a shepherd with his sheep and a group of a farmer with animals, both without the box.

This shepherd with his sheep was purchased from a large French toy dealer and he told me that these were determined by Frédéric Marchand as Martins, (Bergerie) but which box number is unknown.
The figures themselves do not have an FM logo or the like and I don’t know if it is complete.
The shepherd is about 7 cm high (2.76 inch) and the farmer is about 5,5 cm high ( 2,17 inch).

Number 166:

Boxes with wooden and hand painted decorations with number 166.
These boxes with background decorations were sold complete with figures and animals, on the catalog pages is mentioned the text: “Animaux modelés d’après nature”, and that’s translated: “Animals modeled after nature“
I count a total of 12 different boxes on the catalog page, but the numbers 20-21-22 and 50-51-52 are still a mystery to me!

But I found a little more.
One of the old original Fermand Martin catalogs contains an image of other boxes with animals and figures.
This box is not numbered in the catalog but is depicted immediately after the box number 165 “Jouets en Boites“.
This box contains figures and animals.
The French text is: Animaux & sujets en vrac. assortis à la grosse and that means: Animals & subjects in bulk. Assorted by the dozen. So they are extension boxes for the boxes with number 165 and 166 “.
According to the picture there are 3 different boxes with each a different assortment.

In this image of the Extension box: assortment number 2, you can also clearly see from the box of the Shepherd (Bergerie) and the box of the Farm (Ferme), the both type of sheep, cow, goat, donkey, dog, farmer and some of the animals from the box Hunting (Chasse) the wild boar, deer, fence and the two dogs.

The catalog image “Extension box: assortment number 2” is not depicted in the book “Fernand Martin Toymaker in Paris 1878-1912”.
The toys that belonged to the numbers 163 to 166 were not clear to both authors at the time the book was made. ( see their comments on page 101 in this book )

On an original poster by Fernand Martin from 1902 with a lot of toys from that time, there is an image with 12 pigs, with this image it is stated: Animaux sur cartes (Animals On Card). The card is marked FM in a circle and the well-known triangle with 138. So I assume that there were several different replenishment cards to supplement the boxes, whether these cards were given a separate number is unknown to me until now.

What also appears is that these same figures were probably also used in the articles with the numbers 131 to 143 from 1894.

Conclusion:

In the book “Fernand Martin Toymaker in Paris 1878-1912” p. 101-102 the toys that belonged to the numbers 163 to 166 were not clear to both authors at the time the book was made. ( see their comments on page 101 in this book ) This article has brought some clarity, but there is still a lot is unclear.
In this article I present the articles numbered 165 and 166.
In the list of Martin articles in the period 1897 – 1898, there are two numbers left (numbers 163 and 164) of which we do not know for which article these are.
There is a possibility that these two numbers are for the “expansion boxes” and/or for the “animals on card”, but I have no proof of that yet.
Furthermore, the numbering on the original catalog page with article number 166 with the wooden boxes is still unclear.
It appears that many different boxes were sold with many different figures in each box, an enumeration of these is almost impossible.

Perhaps there are more figurines and boxes to be found among collectors.
If you have something like that, please let me know so that the “Martin” puzzle becomes a little more complete.

According to the Martin book: Fernand Martin Toymaker in Paris. page 110 there are two versions of the L’ homme de corvée, Martin number 173, in the text on this page it is not clear why they differ. They both have different clothes and a different cap

This toy is mentioned in a French newspaper from 1900 and in the text in this newspaper it is mentioned that there are a French soldier and an English sailor.

Part of the text from the article: LES JOUETS DE L’ANNÉE in the French newspaper: Le Patriote de la Vendée 1900, Journal de Politique, Agricole et Commercial, Organe d’union Républicaine.

Translation: Then it is the “L’ homme de corvée”, a small French soldier or English sailor, depending on the country of destination, who operates a broom

I found another article in the magazine: La Charente December 18, 1900 indicating that the English sailor toy was produced especially for the English market.
a part of the text of that article:
Les Jouets Du Nouvel An
–Then there is – the “L’ homme de corvée” – a small English sailor or an French soldier, who operates a broom, the name depending on the country of destination.–

A catalog page /box label is known. It is also not known if two different boxes were released or if they were both sold in the same box, I presume in the same box as the instructions for use are written on this label are in French, English and Spanish.

Photos courtesy Bertoia Auctions, Catalog label and postcard are from my own collection. French newspaper article source gallica.bnf.fr: Le Patriote de la Vendée 1900, Journal de Politique, Agricole et Commercial, Organe d’union Républicaine