Arcade Fordson Tractor Cast Iron *SOLD*

Arcade Fordson Tractor Cast Iron

This one is hard to sell, as there is just so much charm to used cast iron toys.  This one was obviously loved and played with, yet retains its beautiful red, grey, and gold highlight paint.  Yes, there is chipping and wear but the toy appears all original.

Fordson tractors like this one by Arcade came in a number of sizes.  This is one of the largest.  Then they were later produced with rubber tires and less detail; this is the early high detail casting.

Fordson was a brand name of tractors and trucks. It was used on a range of mass-produced general-purpose tractors manufactured by Henry Ford & Son Inc from 1917 to 1920, by Ford Motor Company (U.S.) and Ford Motor Company Ltd (U.K.) from 1920 to 1928, and by Ford Motor Company Ltd (U.K.) from 1929 to 1964. They later also built trucks under the Fordson brand. American engineer, inventor, and businessman Henry Ford built experimental tractors from automobile components during the early 20th century, and launched a prototype known as the Model B in August 1915. Further prototypes, with a dedicated tractor design, followed in 1916. With World War I raging in Europe, the first regular-production Henry Ford & Son tractors were exported to the U.K. in 1917 to expand British agriculture.

A brief history of Arcade Manufacturing Company of Freeport, Illinois:

The Arcade Manufacturing Company of Freeport, Illinois was originally founded as Novelty Iron Works by Edward H. and Charles Morgan in 1868, and conducted business in two small buildings with a staff of ten people.

The company operated between the years 1868 to 1946. They began making toys and coffee mills and then moved to a new site in 1893 (after fires, financial issues, and changing their name from Novelty Iron Works). 

Arcade toy catalogs appear to start at 1902 and as late as 1939. Arcade`s toy line included over 300 toy items. Yellow Cab was their first successful toy followed by Andy Gump in 348 and Chester Gump in His Pony Cart. Arcade also made toy banks, doll house furniture, and cast-iron penny toys.