Vintage ca. 1930’s J. Chein, Barnacle Bill the Sailor Tin Litho Windup Toy Japan *SOLD*

Vintage ca. 1930’s J. Chein, Barnacle Bill the Sailor Tin Litho Windup Toy

Here we have a vintage Barnacle Bill the Sailor tin litho wind-up toy circa 1930’s, made in Japan for J. Chein & Co. Harrison, NJ. This early tin litho “Barnacle Bill” windup features a Popeye type character. This is an early tin litho “Barnacle Bill” figural wind-up character toy featuring a Popeye type character with dedicated key. This one is clean and very nice overall with minor scattered wear, fading, and paint chips that are expected with age and play. The mechanisms work well and Bill shuffles around as expected when he is wound up. Although this toy is unmarked, it is a known production of Chein. It is approximately 6” tall and 3” wide.

A brief history of J. Chein and Company:

J. Chein & Co. was founded in a loft in New York City, New York by Julius Chein. They produced toys from 1903 until about 1979. Chein specialized in tin mechanical toys, banks, drums, and tea sets. Chein’s tin toys were mostly lithographed. Chein`s line of comic and circus tin toys received wide acceptance in the 1930’s and leading up to World War II.

In 1907, Chein moved to its full production plant to Harrison, New Jersey. In the 1920’s and early 1930’s, Chein produced a popular line of toys under the “Hercules” name, rather than their own name. In the 1970’s Chein became known as Chein Industries, Inc.

In 1979, toy manufacturing was phased out entirely. Then in the late 1980’s, Chein Industries, Inc. was sold to the Atlantic Can Company, who then changed its name to Atlantic Cheinco Corporation. The company was beset with problems with manufacturing resulting from environmental issues. Due to their issues, in 1992 they filed for bankruptcy protection. Atlantic Cheinco Corporation’s assets were then purchased by Ellisco, In. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which was a division of CSS Industries, Inc. In 1994, CSS then sold Ellisco to the U.S. Can Company of Baltimore, Maryland, who continues to produce stamped metal products.