Mechanical toy airport scene, made in Japan by Kokyu in the 1960s.

A square mechanical tin toy depicting four different countries around the sides (Japan, France, England and America) and an air terminal with a bell in the centre. Key landmarks from each country are depicted, such as the Eiffel Tower and Tower Bridge. The scene has a red piping around the edges and on the bottom, and the key colours used are green, blue, red and a pale orange. The inside of the scene has a circle cut out of it which is made into a track for a train and a car to go around when the key is turned. Mounted at the centre on a long metal rod is an aeroplane. The plane's body is green with yellow wings and a red tail and propeller. The rod and plane rotate as the key is turned.

A square card box lid for the toy. A colourful illustration of an airport is printed on the top of the box with a train and the Eiffel Tower. The sides of the box show further illustrations of different countries around the world including Japan, England, France and America. The base is a square box of plain card stapled in each corner to keep its shape. It also includes a square piece of tissue paper cut to fit the base of the box and a strip of card folded and helped with tape.

Given by Alexandra Buhler

This object was donated by Alexandra Buhler from the Michael Buhler collection. Buhler collected a vast array of tin toys and published a book on the subject called 'Tin Toys 1945-1975'. His collection covers a variety of subject matters ranging from space toys to more domestic objects. The collection contains tin toys from around the world including Japan, Europe, India and the USA.

This object was donated to the Museum from part of the Michael Buhler collection of tin toys. Tin toys cover a vast array of subject matters ranging from the space age to domestic objects. This mechanical toy scene depicting an air terminal was made in Japan. It was not until the fifties that the Japanese firms begun to make their own original designs. They were mainly concerned with the American market meaning that their toys reflect American culture in some way. The idea of a plane circling an airport has been taken up by many manufacturers and different examples can be seen in Buhler's collection, including in the UK.

The Japanese tin toy production was at its peak in the 1960s. Increased labour costs and the demand for die cast models affected the production of tin toys and contributed to its decline in both quality and quantity, as well as plastic being used as a material for toys which was cheaper and safer than tin.

B.98:1 to 4-2010