Marx The Poor Fish, 1936

1936 Poor Fish

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

Poor Fish: 1936. 8-1/2” long X 2-3/4 “ high. Poor Fish is a tin, windup toy with lithographed scales. The fish body is made from separate sections of sheet steel joined together. Wheels are situated just below the back of its head.

The Poor Fish sold in the 1936 catalog of the Blackwell Wielandy Company, located in St Louis, at $4.00 per dozen wholesale. The fish was described as follows: “ Mechanical Poor Fish……New and novel idea in mechanical action toy. Crawls along in wobbly fashion and wavy motion of its body as if walking out of water, very amusing action.. lithographed in natural colors.”

The prototype for this toy is painted gray with out lithographed scales and has blue wheels. Instead of the mouth being closed as in the production toy, the prototype reveals shark like teeth.

In the box illustration for the toy, Poor Fish, is pictured with its mouth open, is quite large and looks as it if might devour bather standing nearby. 

The Marx Poor Fish is not commonly found. 

The description below was taken from “ Grand Old Toys” listing of this toy from 2009. (http://www.grandoldtoys.com/toydb_Detail.php?id=666&S_keywords=pressed%20steel,wind-up&Search.x=0&Search.y=0)

Rare and unusual steel litho (not tin) clockwork "The Poor Fish" by Marx. Scarce toy and even scarcer box. In fact it's only the second example I've sold. The last time was nearly 8 years ago. I've seen only one other boxed example. It has no manufacturer's marks making it nearly impossible to identify without having the box. Comes complete with original Marx key too! 

I only wish I knew the story behind this toy. Of course there were other fish toys, but none were so mean looking, or so realistic. It was accurately lithographed from darker at the top, to lighter towards the belly. Realistic looking scales and fin lines were also added. And then there's the head with that large single, red bloodshot eye with black circular disk and the large mouth outlined in black with a red center and and a long row of teeth at the bottom. The head is shades of green and blue and highlighted with black details including the gills.

The toy is made from 5 separate segments including the tail. They're pinned together so they move in random directions. The toy runs on two blue cam-like wheels which gives it a lumbering motion. It balances using the tail. The top fin sort of waves from side to side

The key is original and correct for this toy. 

The box is just as fantastic as the toy. It shows a beach scene with a white haired middle aged man leading his wife and two children away from the water. They all smile and look back at the giant fish emerging leaping out of the waves. It too has a smile, but with its numerous, large teeth and gaping mouth it probably has a different reason for doing so. It also interesting to point out that the man curiously resembles Louis Marx. I'd bet that the Marx logo printed on his chest was not a coincidence either. There was probably a good reason for this scenario as well as the existence of the toy and its scarcity which are now lost.

Size: 8½" long x 2¾" high.