c.1934 Chein, No. 172 Hercules Mechanical Ferris Wheel

Classic No.172 Hercules Mechanical Ferris Wheel manufactured by Chein & Co. 100% lithographed tin with spring driven motor. This particular example is one of the finest examples I’ve found. It looks like it was used a few times and then stored. It comes complete with it’s original illustrated box. The toy is characterized by its brilliant red and yellow design. It has six spokes and gondolas and features the famous smiling clown hub. The opposite side hub includes a spinning, ringing pinwheel. It was produced in four versions from the early 1930’s through the early 1960’s. It originally sold for $1.00. A fifth version was produced in the late 1920’s, but without the Chein logo. Instead it had a Nifty trademark and was distributed by Borgfeldt. It’s very difficult to find and can be identified by its one-eyed, winking clown face hub. This being the earliest of the Chein sold Ferris wheels, it can be identified by its period graphics (knickers, old style orangeade dispenser) and the freak show side panels. The freaks were replaced with animals in later versions.