It’s a cold dark rainy Saturday here, good time to snap a few pics and show something a little different. Today we examine another cast rubber car, similar to the others I have reviewed in the past. This is a rubber model of an Oldsmobile Six. As with the Ford 3-window I posted some time ago, this is a nicely detailed vehicle:
One can see there is no shortage of fine casting lines and realistic detail. I estimate scale to be a little larger than 1:43, perhaps the 1:36-ish scale that seems to pop up now and then. This cast is modeled after a 1937 model Oldsmobile, and this toy was likely only sold for about a year around that date. These rubber models were popular before the war and were made into the 1950s - I imagine they were seen as safer than metal toys, maybe cheaper too. This example would be considered to be in excellent condition, as they often warp and become brittle with age, and the paint can fall off (there is black rubber underneath the red). From all angles, it is a fairly precise item, especially for something that is 80 years old and was cheap when new:
Front and rear have similar detail. The grille and headlight placement distinguishes this from a 1938 model:
The hollow base has identification and maker data. Most rubber vehicles of the era (and many diecast metal models) were on white rubber wheels:
Another old timer that I am pleased to have in my collection. I picked this up at an estate sale along with the other rubber vehicles a few years ago, for a good price. I’ve always had an interest in 1930s and WW2 things, and this fits in. Rubber castings are an interesting chapter in model vehicle history, and one can see care was taken in their production:
A few 1:1 images from pinterest and leftcoastclassics.com - one can see the accuracy of detail on the casting:
One also may recall this was the family car in “A Christmas Story”. I am not sure if this sonofabitch would freeze up in the middle of summer on the equator. Pic from imcdb:
This cast also makes me think of something else, maybe worthy of its own post. Has anyone here collected anything other than diecast? Maybe as my parents were hobbyist antique dealers, I kind of had it ingrained in me - I have collected stamps, coins, militaria, clocks, sports memorabilia, radios.I don’t collect so much anymore, other than cars, but I have a few things left. The grille on this reminds me of one of my favorite radios, one I still have:
This is known as a “car grille” radio, a rare Motorola from 1939. I found this when I was a teenager, and have held on to it. I had the chassis restored a few years ago, and it plays amazingly now - the sound quality from these vacuum tube sets can’t be replaced. There’s a local old music station that plays period music, and hearing Glenn Miller or Tommy Dorsey on this machine can be a real time warp experience.
That is all.