FlutterFly, 1929

FLUTTERFLY 1929

The description below was taken from Greenberg’s Guide to Marx Toys Vol. 1 1988

FlutteryFly: 1929 3” long X 5” wide (Wingspan).

Flutterfly has multicolored celluloid wings and a red, tin body, with black, white and yellow stripes. A rubber suction cup allows the toy to be placed almost anywhere. The suction cup is often unusable after so many years because rubber hardens with time. The wings flutter when the spring motor is wound.

According to the 1929 Fall/Winter Sears catalog, this “New” toy “looks and acts like a real butterfly.” In 1929, Flutterfly sold for .25 cents.

The Butterfly comes in a attractively illustrated box which is possibly more desirable than the toy. The orange and dark blue box shows detailed drawings of the Flutterfly on a boys forehead, a hand, the window of a car, and a babys stroller, add 10.00 to the price of the toy with box.      15.00-50.00.”

The description below was taken from “Grand Old Toys” web site (http://www.grandoldtoys.com/toydb_Detail.php?id=227&S_keywords=&Search.x=0&Search.y=0)

Gorgeous clockwork tin lith "Flutterfly" manufactured by Marx. Incredibly difficult toy to find intact especially with original box. In this case the toy grades in spectacular near mint in excellent+ with near mint box!

The "Flutterfly" butterfly was the only butterfly toy produced by Marx. It features mosaic-like multicolored celluloid wings which flutter up and down. The body is embossed tin litho. It winds-up from the underside using it's separate key correct key. The underside still has its original rubber suction cup.

The box for this toy was extensively illustrated on both sides. It shows several scenarios where the "Flutterfly" could be used (i.e,. window pane, hand, rear auto windshield, baby carriage handle, and even on a kids forehead). The endflaps were printed with a single line instruction for use. Front and rear aprons feature the Marx name, trademark, etc.

This toy was available for only a short time appearing in the Fall/Winter Sears-Roebuck catalog selling for 25 cents. I've only seen it one other time. In that instance the wings were broken off, suction cup was missing, there was no key, and no box. In fact this is the first box for this toy I've seen.