- RARE VINTAGE BUILDING KIT -

GAMAGES (London department store, founded by Arthur Walter Gamage in 1878, which carried an 'unparallelled stock of toys of the day'. One of the store's main attractions was a large model railway which alternated between a day and night scene by the use of lighting. Closed its doors for the final time in 1972).

Rare architectural kit for children, with approx. 177 building pieces, sold by Gamages of London in the 1920s or 1930s.

Original vintage building kit for children. Circa 1920s or 1930s. In wooden box with sliding wooden lid. Large chromolithographic title label to lid 'The young builder'  and retailer's price sticker on side of box 'A. W. Gamage, Ld. 12/6 London.'. Approx. 177 wooden pieces (of an unspecified number), of various sizes, shapes and colours, including: 89 brown struts, 13 red roof pieces, 10 leopard stripe-effect fascia pieces, 3 marble effect pieces, 4 green metal effect pieces, 20 sticks (added later?), 18 further fascias and similar pieces, 10 triangle roof eaves, 5 miscellaneous pieces e.g. a bucket, and 5 plain wood pieces. With 6 of the original colour instruction sheets (of 10?. Size: box - 40cm x 32.5cm x 7cm.

Good to Fair condition. Expected signs of usage to pieces. One strut broken but a clean break and could be repaired with glue. Rubbing, scuffing and a couple of small stains to wooden box. Light rubbing to printed label, Horizontal split to lid with tape repair verso. Remaining 6 instruction sheets with varying degrees of wear, from light to torn and creased with repairs. Please ask if you require a more detailed condition report, or view gallery images.

This building kit for children has defied our copious research attempts. It seems to be unrecorded, so was presumably produced in a very small number, and was at the luxury end of the toy market. We can't find reference to it online, and all of information comes from the label on the box, and the price sticker. Seems to be circa 1920s or 1930s. Please research it yourself and tell us what you find out!

We can't say whether the kit is complete. The pieces fill the box to the brim, so one can assume that, if not complete, it is very nearly so!

The title label reads 'The young builder / An interesting and instructive pastime. With this box country houses, cottage etc., can be made. Complete instructions with illustrations are enclosed.' With 'Patent applied for' on bottom edge of label. There is a shield in the top right stating 'No. 208' and with a monogram enclosed. 

The remaining (quite worn, but still usable) instruction sheets include 'Smithy', 'Tap-house', and three houses of various shapes and sizes.