Username: @hotmilkfan96
Item Name: KOEUB & CHIROL Wind-up Tin Toys (Manufactured circa 1928)
Estimated Production Date: 1928
Contributor’s Notes:
Found these at a random garage sale last week. The seller had no idea what they were, and honestly, neither did I. But I thought they looked cool, so I grabbed both for like 3 bucks. Pretty sick, right? Some old cartoon girl and a dog or fox or whatever. They’re rusty as hell, but I kinda like that grungy look. Not sure if they’re worth anything though — are these even rare? Or did I just pay $3 for literal trash?
Administrator's Note:
These are indeed valuable finds — wind-up tinplate figures of KOEUB and CHIROL, manufactured around 1928. Items like this were typical of early character merchandise, designed to be simple mechanical toys that could walk or wobble when wound up. Due to the fragile nature of their materials and the passage of time, very few of these figures have survived in any form, let alone as a matching set.
The rust and surface wear visible in the photos are consistent with items of this age, particularly for toys stored in less-than-ideal conditions. Notably, CHIROL's figure appears to have suffered damage, with part of the faceplate detached and lying beside it. However, such imperfections are common in artifacts of this era and often add to their historical authenticity.
The design of KOEUB in a strapless dress and CHIROL with exaggerated features aligns with promotional artwork from B&C Studio's late 1920s catalog. The key-wind mechanism located on their backs further confirms their authenticity as period toys.
Given the rarity of these items and the increasing interest in early animation history, this set holds significant value among collectors and historians. Despite the contributor’s casual purchase, these figures represent a tangible piece of 1920s character merchandising culture.
