Nov 29, 2010 Bambi Hokanson
Children love being pulled in toy wagons. - Tinypic.com
Toy wagons have been a favorite toy of children for many, many years. The Radio Flyer Wagon is the most familiar of the vintage pull toy wagons, and the company is still going strong and selling toy wagons; however, the Radio flyer Wagon was not the first toy wagon. While there seems to be only a small amount of precise information on other brands of vintage toy wagons, there are some fascinating facts that are known about the history of pull toy wagons.
The first Known Toy Wagons
Even though the very first toy wagons are not known, the pull toy wagon definitely dates back to long ago. Miniature wheeled pull toy carts are a common find in the ancient tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. An even more interesting fact is toy wagons have been found in the burial grounds of Native Americans; Indians did not make or use wagons.
History of The Vintage Pull Toy Wagon
Vintage toy wagons are thought to have been first introduced for sale in the 1880s, and the most famous wagon was the No. 4 Liberty Coaster introduced in 1923. A skilled craftsman by the name of Antonio Pasin handcrafted it entirely of wood. Dead end jobs had forced Pasin to leave Venice and he soon ended up in Chicago 1n 1917 where he saved up money and began his own business. Pasin worked at night building wagons and sold them during the day. It was at this point that he made and sold the first toy wagons at his Liberty Coaster Company that would later become the Radio Steel Company; where the steel Radio Flyer Wagon was born.
The Design of The Pull Toy Wagon
The simple appearance and design of the pull toy wagon has pretty much stayed the same throughout the years; the main structure and appearance consisted of a toy with four wheels, a core body section and a steering handle, and it still to this day consists of a main body portion, an undercarriage, wheels and a steering handle. The bed of the pull toy wagon is usually rectangular, has a flat bottom with walls or sides, and the height varies in all modern and vintage toy wagons.
After all these years, it is safe to say that the toy wagon is here to stay. The vintage toy wagon was a favorite toy for children years ago, and it continues to be today. There are now many brands of pull toy wagons, but the Radio Flyer Wagon is still one of the most popular.
References
Antique-Antiques: Antique Toy Wagons
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