1930’s Mettoy Tinplate Anti-Aircraft Gun

~ 1930’s Mettoy Tinplate Anti-Aircraft Gun ~

The toy has the pre-war 3-colour camouflage scheme of green, red & yellow. To the front of the gun is a shied that reads “Made in England, Sparking”.

A working elevation mechanism can be found on the circular base which also rotates.

~ Mettoy Playcraft Ltd ~

Mettoy Playcraft Ltd was the name of a range of toys manufactured in Northampton, England between the 1930s and 1980s. The Mettoy (Metal Toy) company was founded in 1933 by German émigré Philip Ullmann and was later joined by South African-born German Arthur Katz who had previously worked for Ulmann at his toy company Tipp and Co of Nuremberg.

The firm made a variety of lithographed metal wind-up toys. Both Jewish, they moved to Britain following Hitler’s rise to power in 1933. The firm is most famous for its line of die-cast toy motor vehicles of their Corgi Toys branch created in 1956. In the same year Mettoy merged with the Playcraft model railway and slot car company.

~ Dimensions ~

The base has diameter of 4.2 inches (10.7 cm). The gun has a length of 6 inches (15.2 cm). The toy has a height of 6 inches. It weighs 142 g.

~ Condition ~

The guard has three small holes (perhaps used as a gunsight) and a small rip to the top edge. The toy is in otherwise good condition. The trigger and pull back sprung action work well but it no longer sparks.