Golden Arrow Racer thumbnail 1
On display

This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Golden Arrow Racer

Clockwork Toy Car
1929 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
The Kingsbury Manufacturing Co. (manufacturer)
Place of origin
New Hampshire (manufactured)

This model, which is not a completely accurate representation, of the Golden Arrow Racer was made in 1929. It is modelled on the car designed by Captain J. S. Irving and driven by Major H. O. D. Segrave at Daytona Beach, Florida that same year. There the car broke the land speed record, reaching a speed of 231.446 mph.

Object details

Categories
Children & Childhood
Dolls & Toys
Toy Vehicles
Mechanical Toys
Object type
Clockwork toy car
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Mechanical Toy
  • Automobile
  • Box
  • Packaging
TitleGolden Arrow Racer (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Mild Steel
Rubber
Cardboard
Welding
Brief description
'Golden Arrow' Racer Land Speed Record Car, USA, Kingsbury Manufacturing Co., 1929
Physical description
Electrically welded mild steel car with hand decorated gold lacquer finish. Equipped with Dunlop rubber tyres and a strong clockwork mechanism, with integral key, situated below the driver. The driver is painted silver.

The cardboard box lid has a drawing of the car on it.
Dimensions
  • Car height: 75mm
  • Car width: 115mm
  • Car depth: 515mm
  • Box length: 502mm
  • Box width: 120mm
  • Box height: 76mm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • KINGSBURY MOTOR DRIVEN the K and the Y are vertically elongated MADE IN USA (on the base of the car)
  • Kingsbury Motor Driven Toy. Golden Arrow Racer. An authentic and exclusive reproduction of 'The Golden Arrow' made with my permission (signed) Maj.H.O.D. Segrave. 231.5 MPH (set in 1929) (on the cardboard box sides 1&2)
  • Golden Arrow Racer. A Kingsbury Motor Driven Toy. (on the cardboard box sides 3&4)
Credit line
Given by Lawrence Bray
Object history
This model represents the Land Speeed Record Car in which H.O.D. Segrave set up a new world record of 231.4 m.p.h. in 1929.
[78/1256]
Production
Reason For Production: Commemorative
Subjects depicted
Racing Cars
Sir Henry Seagrave
Associations
Irving, John Samuel
Daytona Beach
Summary
This model, which is not a completely accurate representation, of the Golden Arrow Racer was made in 1929. It is modelled on the car designed by Captain J. S. Irving and driven by Major H. O. D. Segrave at Daytona Beach, Florida that same year. There the car broke the land speed record, reaching a speed of 231.446 mph.
Collection
Young V&A Collection
Accession number
MISC.195&A-1978

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Record createdFebruary 23, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O93573/golden-arrow-racer-clockwork-toy-car-the-kingsbury-manufacturing/
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