This article is published in the ATW Antique Toy World magazine of March 2020-Volume 50- No3.
Read that article here but now with a very recently found additional supplement.
This additional supplement was unfortunately too late for publication in the ATW.
The Martin period is brought together from the beginning of the first Fernand Martin toy the POISSON NAGEUR in 1878 during the move of Victor Bonnet from the original old Fernand Martin factory on the 88 Boulevard de Menilmontant Paris to another location in 1934
The last toy we now, till now, was the VOITURE NOUNOU POUPON with number 265
Until now we thought that this VOITURE NOUNOU POUPON with number 265 was the very last “Martin” produced in the factory on the 88 Boulevard de Menilmontant Paris, but that is now changing.
We can now add this extra number 266 to it.
And maybe there are more extra numbers to discover.
I have now found a new piece with number 266 on the box.
It is a pistol with the name LE COSTAUD
And luckily with the original box in a fairly good condition so we now for sure that it has number 266.
Dimensions box approximately 2,5 x 10,5 x 16,5 cm (1 x 4,5 x 6,5 inch) Dimensions pistol approximately 11,5 x15 cm (4,5 x 6 inch)
I can say that we have found another piece of the big “Martin” puzzle.
And I have an original bill from Victor Bonnet in my collection that includes this pistol.
The bill dates from June 16, 1933 and this bill also shows the old trusted location of the original old Fernand Martin factory on 88 Boulevard de Menilmontant Paris.
On this bill there are three well-known Bonnet pistols:
–the PAN PAN (number 247)
–the TAPE FORT (number 262)
–the FLAC (number 256)
And now the unknown LE COSTAUD with number 266.
But there is still another unknown part on this bill under the name: “EPERVIER” in English this means (Sperrow) Hawk.
I think this is also a pistol, because I have often seen tin toy pistols with the name Hawk but till now not from Victor Bonnet but I am not sure yet.
And now the recently found addition:
I very recently found the French patent for this pistol LE COSTAUD with number 266
The patent number is FR 730.021
The following dates can be seen on this patent:
-Announced on April 04-1931
-Submitted on May 03-1932
-Published on August 05-1932
Now we know for sure that this pistol has been produced since 1932.
The displayed bill and pistol are from my own collection