Cast Iron Hubley Motorcycle with driver. Red "Indian" motorcycle with sidecar has a removable policeman with uniform, goggles, badge, sidearm, cap, boots and gloves. Cycle is painted red with silver handlebars, engine and highlights; sidecar seat is black. Decal on left side of gas tank has "Indian" on gold ground. Policeman is painted black with silver goggles, badge and buckle; face is pink. Three tires are marked "HUBLEY MFG CO. BALLOON" w/ size and "CORD". Metal "clicker" underneath. Sidecar policeman missing.
Moderate overall wear with soiling and significant scattered rusting and corrosion. All tires are flattened with some additional deformation.
Object ID
2010.023.2
Notes
Hubley Toy Company produced many different models, sizes and compositions of motorcycles during the years they were in production. Most of the motorcycles were based on Harley Davidson and Indian in the earlier years and then expanding to the BMW and perhaps others. Indian models are the most sought-after and have the highest value.
Hubley cast iron toy road roller based on actual roller made by Huber Mfg. Co. of Marion, Ohio. Tractor-like vehicle is green with red wheels. Long, thin body has single set of roller wheels at front and large roller wheels at back. At rear are a detachable cylinder tank and attached rake with wheels.
Gold-colored tank is embossed "HUBER" on both sides. Name is repeated within small molded ovals at both sides of front and on front grill body. Underside marked "HUBLEY" in raised letters. Various number on underside of various components.
Losses of paint, esp. on wheels and upper surface of vehicle. Rust and corrosion on unpainted surface. Break at one arm of rake attachment, underneath. Driver apparently missing.
Object ID
2010.023.3
Notes
The Smithsonian writes: "The Hubley Manufacturing Company of Lancaster Pennsylvania, became one of the nation's premier toy making companies. Incorporated in 1894, the company made eletric train related equipment before moving into the toy business in 1909. The toys were made of cast iron, and were often modeled on actual vehicles or machinery. The Huber mark refers to the Huber Manufacturing Company. Inventor and industrialist Edward Huber's Huber Manufacturing Company made farm machinery in Marion, Ohio. The company is credited with inventing the first workable gasoline tractor. It als manufactured road-building equipment."
Cast-iron toy tri-motor Fokker aquaplane, painted yellow. Made of multiple castings fitted and securred with screws. Three wire spring cables are fitted to pulleys under plane, allowing the 4 rubber wheels to turn the 3 propellers and activate a noisemaker. Raised letters atop wings spell "FRIENDSHIP". "NX4202" is on tail and "Fokker" is on left side of fuselage. All letters painted blue. Inside hollow fuselage is "HUBLEY." Gold seal on left end of wing reads "It's a Hubley Toy". Profile of Earhart is cast into one of the two rear windows on left side.
The Friendship was flown across the Atlantic from Newfoundland to Wales, on June 17, 1928, with Amelia Earhart aboard. She was only a passenger, but this event won her immense fame, including a ticker tape parade in New York City, and started her career as a major celebrity. (see Notes on why this plane was made.)
Provenance
Plane was given to donor by his friend Charlie Reiger (sp?).
Moderate overal loss of paint; rust on exposed metal; cracking rubber on wheels.
Object ID
G.88.9
Notes
Hubley Mfg. Co. was commissioned by Pittsburgh industrialist Arthur E. Braun (1876-1976) to make 22 yellow aquaplanes modeled on Earhart's Friendship. Earhart signed each one and Braun gave the planes out as gifts at a reception in honor of Earhart, held at his own residence in Pittsburgh in June of 1929. This plane is unsigned, suggesting perhaps that this example may have been a factory extra.
In 1932, Earhart flew solo across the Atlantic, again achieving acclaim as the 2nd person and 1st woman to do so. She received the Distinguished Flying Cross from Congress, the gold medal of the National Geographic Society and the Cross of the Legion of Honor from France.
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Gift of Samuel S. Snyder, Heritage Center Collection