JEP Tin Train Penny Toy with original box

Item:     JEP Tin Train Penny Toy with original box
Origin:  France,  c. 1920

A little larger than the typical penny toy, this colourful tin train comes complete with its original box. The train is made completely tin and has been hand-painted. It was made in the 1920’s by the French toy maker JEP (Jouets en Paris) who was, at the time, trading as J de P.

The train is comprised of locomotive, tender and passenger car. It measures 11 inches long by 2.5 inches high (28 cm x 6.5 cm).

What’s extraordinary, is that the train

comes with its original box which has an original JEP pictorial paper label. The graphics on the label are very detailed and depict a busy  station with trains coming and going, and a station master giving instructions to crew busily unloading freight. It’s wonderful.

The train itself does not have a maker’s mark, but the box says it all. The label on the box lid is clearly marked “Made in France” and bears the “J de P” shield. This was the trademark for Jouets en Paris until it was changed to JEP in 1932. There is anotoher paper label which wraps around the box and reads “Chemin de Fer” and “Made in France”.

Condition:
The train and box are complete, and do show some wear for their nearly 100 years. There are chips to paintwork, most notably on the orange passenger car, and areas of oxidation on the locomotive. Otherwise, the original paintwork is quite good, including the wheels, which are all original and intact.

The box has water stains throughout, and the lid has partially come away from its sides at one corner. The original staples are oxidised. Remarkably, all staples are in tact and there is no paint or adhesive on the box at all. The bottom right corner of the label has torn away, and the the word “train” is inscribed in pencil (?) on the image.  Apart from the split, the box is still quite robust. A testament to the saying, “they don’t make ’em like they used to.”