This rare collectible lithograph tin action toy is from 1945 and features “Lil’ Abner and his Dogpatch band”. It was made by Unique Art Manufacturing Company in New Jersey.
Li’l Abner was a comic strip that appeared in newspapers in North America, Canada, and Europe. It featured a family of “hillbillies” who lived in the fictional village of Dogpatch in the U.S. It was written and illustrated by Al Capp. This popular culture classic comic ran for a stunning 43 years.
The Yokum Family Chronicles
The main character was Li’l Abner Yokum, a lovable, dimwitted but sweet country boy. He was very tall, about 19 years old, and lived in a log cabin with his family. His parents were known as Mammy Yokum and Pappy Yokum.
Another main character; Daisy Mae is depicted as a sweet, attractive, and naive young woman who is deeply in love with Li’l Abner. Throughout the comic strip, Daisy Mae consistently seeks Abner’s attention and affection, often employing various humorous and charming tactics in her pursuit. Li’l Abner is mostly oblivious to these advances, but later she is triumphant and becomes his wife. The wedding was a much talked about event in the ’50s and even appeared on the cover of Life Magazine.
While the comic strip introduced many characters these main characters were the ones featured in this toy. Each one can be removed from the piano.
Artistry in Motion: Tin Toy Lithography
While the wind-up toy has been around for centuries, dating back to Europe in the 15th Century, the lithograph process changed production significantly. The lithograph process revolutionized toy and product manufacturing in the late 19th century, enabling rapid mass production. As the process extended beyond paper to various materials, it ushered in an era where inexpensive, factory-made toys supplanted hand-painted products. Check out a great history of the lithograph process and the history of toys at Collector’s Quests. Finding these antique toys today is getting harder to do and are often sought after by collectors. Character toys such as this one are particularly in demand.
This featured Dogpatch Band tin lithograph set includes all its pieces, and the gears inside remain unrusted—an essential factor to consider when examining an antique wind-up toy. This particular toy arrived in our store, Kerbobble Toys, from a customer who had inherited it from his father. It’s not often such a great toy from the ’40s arrives in this condition. After winding up, the characters begin moving with Daisy Mae on the piano, Li’l Abner standing and dancing, Pappy playing drums, and Mammy on top of the piano keeping time. This is an amazingly well-preserved toy from an era of simple yet fun toys.
