Yonezawa Toys (Y) Tin Lithographed Windup Chicken Japanese Toy *SOLD*

Yonezawa Toys (Y) Tin Lithographed Windup Chicken Japanese Toy

We have for you a tin, lithographed, windup chicken that was manufactured by Yonezawa Toys/Y/Yone of Tokyo, Japan.   

When wound with his dedicated key, this working chicken hops, and pecks his way across the floor.

This piece is in great all original condition with no breaks, restorations, repairs, or touch-ups. This piece shows the usual patina, fading, dust, chips, scuffs, surface rust, scratches, missing accessories, and wear that are to be expected from age and display. This is approximately 4 ½” H.  We invite you to view the photos to further determine quality and condition.         

A brief history of Yonezawa Toys Co. Ltd. (Y) of Tokyo, Japan:   

Yonezawa Toys (米澤玩具 Yonezawa Gangu) (known also as Yone or simply Y) was founded in the 1950s in Tokyo. It was one of Japan’s largest and most prodigious post-war toy manufacturers and an early participant in the growing radio control market.   

The company then focused on the production of thousands of different electrically operated and mechanical toys through the early 1970s. Some were branded not as Yonezawa but as STS. It is unclear as to the origin of the STS label, but it is presumed to be that of an importer. Yonezawa briefly dabbled in radio control in the mid-1980s with the introduction of the 1/10-scale Wave Hunter buggy, sold in North America as the Monogram Lightning.   

Under Sega’s leadership, Yonezawa Toys was briefly known as Sega-Yonezawa until the Yonezawa branding was dropped entirely in April 1998. Once Sega Sammy Holdings was formed, Sega Toys was reorganized under Sega’s entertainment contents business.   

Since the early 2000s, Sega Toys markets itself distinctively from the Sega brand, with some occasional collaboration between the two. An example of their collaboration is Sega and Sega Toys producing the UFO Catcher prize games jointly, where Sega manufactures the arcade equipment, while Sega Toys produces the prizes. (From Wikipedia)