Today is Monday which has mainly been reserved for tin-litho buildings. It is also the 2nd Anniversary of Toys & Stuff and I thought it would be nice to feature Big Tin. Tin-litho buildings have been a staple of the blog since its inception and today's toy is a great example - and what a gorgeous Hunk O' Tin this is! Here's the basics:
-It's made by Lionel and is ostensibly their version of the old Irvington Factory in New Jersey. It is actually a caricauture of a factory and does not actually resemble the original factory.
-Base Measures 19 5/16" (49.1cm) L x 9 11/16" (24.6cm) W x 12 1/8" (30.8cm) H to top of smokestack
-Building Measures 18 3/16" (46.2cm) L x 8 3/4" (22.2cm) W x 8 1/4" (21cm) H to top of Penthouse Office
-The factory is illuminated but the single bulb is best suited for an indoor setting (the photos were taken outside and the natural light simply overpowered the light bulb).
-Weighs in at a whopping 10lb 4oz !!
I have a lot of tin, but this is without a doubt the most detailed - and heaviest - of the lot. There is so much detail here, not only in the lithography but with all the angles of the building itself, the roof skylights have frosted plastic inserts, there is a stairwell with stairs leading up to the top floors, each level has people, not lithographed on the walls but separate lithographed 'flats' attached to the floors (the figures represent a variety of activities: production line, packing, a janitor, a boss and secretary, salesmen or perhaps shop foreman, etc), the sign alone is 5 pieces.
But as magnificent a structure as this is I found one glaring omission. There is only one door! Lionel spent a lot of time and effort to depict a production facility yet there is no freight door either on the side or on the back of the building! The only way in and out of this edifice is the front door. Bummer.
Anyway, it's a terrific addition to any tin lover's collection and definitely a piece to drool over :-) My Wife & Me Love Tin So Enjoy it :)
My box is a little rough
