For sale is a 1950 MAGNETIC CRANE TOY TRUCK from the Louis Marx & Co, NY, NY. This pressed steel toy truck was was exclusively sold through the 1950 Montgomery Ward Christmas Catalog. Due to the short time period this truck was sold, this is a difficult collectible toy to find. This unique toy was designed to operate as a real working electromagnet. The back cabin had a D-cell battery compartment with an electric current that magnetized a thick disk that hanged from a crane. This toy is missing some of its original parts such as the battery compartment and the crane. The crane on the truck for sale is not original to the toy and was made from parts from vintage Gilbert erector set. The wood floor inside the cabin is also not original to the truck. The back cabin is mounted on a swivel. Two of the exterior cabin walls has a large worn decal with the words “Crane” and “Magnetic” spelled out in block lettering intersecting through the letter “N”. Between the intersected words are four black lightning bolts. This large toy truck measures about 21 inches long and 5 inches wide. The top of the crane is about 12 inches high. The metal truck has a one-piece grill-headlight-front bumper assembly and black wheels. Even though this toy is missing some parts, its a great looking collectible toy.
Louis Marx founded the MARX toy company in 1919. By 1922, both Louis and his brother David Marx were millionaires. Unlike most companies, Marx’s revenues grew during the Great Depression. By the 1950s, Marx was the largest toy manufacturer in the world. Marx ceased its business in 1978.
