The Marx Day & Nite Service Center above (c.1960, USA) is complete right down to the little sponge in the car washing bucket. I got one of these for Christmas when I was about 7, but it didn’t even survive Christmas Day (a cousin sat on it). I acquired this nice example many years later to right that old wrong, as stupid as that probably sounds.

Above right, from 1950, the wonderful Transogram Little Country Doctor set with 3-Way X-Ray Red-Ray Scope and scads of other doctor stuff!

Old toys are one of the most popular collectibles. And there are literally millions of different old toys out there to choose from. This daunting reality keeps me from from getting too serious about collecting them. Most collectors focus on a sub-category like model cars, toy guns, dolls, space-related toys, etc. And most collectors seek the toys of their youth—the toys they grew up with.

As for me, well these days I’m partial to toys that don’t take up too much room! Toys like the Pin Ball Game below (S.T Toys, 1950s, Japan). Next to it, the Trick Snake Radio is what’s known as a “cross-collectible” since it appeals to radio collectors and toy collectors alike. This goofy toy (1950s, Japan) says “Offer your radio and snake jumps out–watch the fun.”

Try and imagine a child playing with the Ideal Telegraph Sending Receving Set, sending morse code to a friend (1950s, USA). Just like texting!

The A.C. Gilbert Company’s Atomic Bomb game (1940s, USA) is a real eyebrow-raiser. The point is to move the thing around until the little weighted “bombs” rest in their intended targets, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Magic Sun Picture Set is a cardboard box “camera.” I really can’t explain it; it is, after all, magic (1950s, Japan). In Jet you shoot little steel balls with just the right force to get them in the scoring slots (1950s, Marx, USA). The Crystar camera (Japan, 1950s) takes real pictures on tiny film.