I can ship this item to any country outside of the USA in two separate packages using Priority Mail International from the United States Postal Service. The eBay shipping calculator will not accommodate two separate shipping boxes so please contact me for a shipping quote before you hit the "buy it now" button.
This listing is for a very special children's tricycle. I have spent quite a bit of time here on eBay searching for another one like it in hopes of learning who made this gem. So far, my search has been in vain. If you can possibly help me identify this unique toy, PLEASE do so.
What makes this tricycle so interesting to me you might ask? I will attempt to explain here:
1. The frame is made of welded steel tubing and was originally chrome plated as an assembly after it was
welded together. That is very unusual for a toy like this. Someone later spray painted the frame with
aluminum paint which is peeling or flaking off in many places.
2. The handlebars are of a unique ram's horn shape. I suspect this was done to make them safer for the rider.
It would be impossible to poke a handlebar like this in one's eye, ear or any other part of the body.
3. The seat is in a very low position compared to other tricycles made in the 1950s or 1960s. This makes riding
this tricycle much safer because it is very difficult to tip this machine over compared to the traditional tricycles with the high mounted seats.
4. The pedals and are cast of aluminum rather than made from hard rubber or plastic as most pedals were.
5. The seat is also cast of aluminum rather than being stamped from steel or molded from plastic.
6. The sand cast aluminum seat and pedals suggest that this toy was never made in a high quantity. High quantity
production would justify expensive matched metal dies and molds to make a stamped steel seat and molded
pedals economically.
The following is a short history of the Marx "Big Wheel" tricycle that was such a hit with children just a few years ago. This report is from a popular site and describes the history behind that very innovative and popular children's toy.
A big wheel is a brand of low-riding tricycles, made mostly of plastic, with a larger front wheel. Introduced by Louis Marx and Company in 1969 and manufactured in Girard, Pennsylvania, the big wheel was a very popular toy in the 1970s in the United States, partly because of its low cost and partly because consumer groups said it was a safer alternative to the traditional tricycle or bicycle. It was marketed primarily to boys between eight and ten years of age,[1] and thus significantly bigger and older users than traditional tricycles.
As far as condition goes, everything seems to be in good working order with no cracks, breaks or welds anywhere. I suspect the original rear wheel and tire assemblies have been replaced fairly recently.