ShareThisDear Helaine and Joe:
I am enclosing a picture of a miniature washing machine for doll clothing that was mine when I was little. It is marked "Wolverine, Made in U.S.A." I would appreciate knowing what it is worth.
Sincerely,
M.K.S., Hobe Sound, Fla.
Dear M.K.S.:
There was a time in America when it was thought that toys needed to have a serious purpose, and were designed to educate or prepare children for their roles as adults.
Little girls, especially, were bombarded with toys that prepared them to follow in Mommy's footsteps. Items such as dolls suggested lessons about child care, miniature sewing machines taught little girls about the joys of making clothing, stoves and ovens prepared them for the daily ritual of meal preparation and, yes, toy-washing machines taught them the old proverb about cleanliness being next to godliness.
Over the years, a number of toy companies have made toy-washing machines. Among them are the Ohio Art Company, Louis Marx and the Wolverine Supply and Manufacturing Company of Pittsburgh, which went into business in 1903. Initially, Wolverine made a toy line called Sandy Andy, lithographed tin toys that generally operated by unloaded sand or marbles from a funnel-shaped hopper.
By the 1920s, this line included such things as the Sandy Andy Bunny, Sandy Andy Rooster and Sandy Andy Merry-Go-Round. These are very popular with modern collectors, and especially with those interested in beach toys or toys made to be used in or with sand.
In 1918, Wolverine expanded its line to include toys designed to appeal to little girls. This new line was introduced at the New York Toy Fair that year and included such items as tea sets, washtubs, glass washboards, ironing boards, miniature grocery stores and sand pails.
In 1928, Wolverine introduced its Sunny Andy and Sunny Suzy toys, which included all the company's toys that were not operated by sand. Then, in 1929, Wolverine added a line of airplanes, boats and buses.
Wolverine continued expanding its business through the 1930s, almost as if the company were immune from the effects of the Great Depression, which was causing so many other companies to close their doors. Wolverine became part of Span Industries in the late 1950s, and today it is known as Today's Kids.
The washing machine in today's question was probably made in the late first or early second quarter of the 20th century and has a red-painted tin top and stand, plus a molded glass cylinder, and a painted wooden handle and wringer. A painted tin washtub usually came with this washing machine.
On the current market, this Wolverine washing machine has an insurance replacement value of between $65 and $100.
(Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson are the authors of "Price It Yourself" (HarperResource, $19.95). Contact them at Treasures in Your Attic, PO Box 27540, Knoxville, TN 37927. E-mail them at treasures(at)knology.net.)
TREASURES IN YOUR ATTIC
