Judy's Old Wood Toys

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White Horses

by Judith Lile and Jim Sneed

The White Horses
The ring size of a real circus is made to be just right for a galloping horse. Horses are as much a part of a circus as elephants. 
The white horse was introduced first in 1905. 


Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Kramer

Glass eyes

The ears are leather, the mane a cloth strip, and the tail is a bundle of string. There is a halter on some of the GE white horses.


Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Sneed

 


Photo courtesy of Bertoia Auctions


Photo by Judith Lile

Painted eyes

The main change in this design was to the horse's head. The mane was painted. A leather halter is always present.


Photo by Judith Lile

 

 

(Need reduced open mouth)(

 

 

 


Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Kramer

Reduced size, closed mouth, decal eyes


Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Kramer


Photo by Jim Sneed

Decal Eyes

Later, the eyes were applied using decals. This example, ca 1933, came with its colorful box.

 


Humpty Dumpty Buttons

Sometimes, though rarely, Schoenhut put a very small metal button on the belly of certain animals. The button reads: "Humpty Dumpty".

 

Pony Blitz

While not really part of the circus, the Pony Blitz was nevertheless an interesting ride-on toy. The ad shown below illustrates this. The photo above shows the Pony Blitz next to a regular size glass eyes white horse. This hobby horse was mounted on a pull platform. This is a very rare Schoenhut horse - only a few are known - perhaps only this one and one other.

GiantHorseAd750.jpg (465575 bytes)

A ca 1905 ad for the Pony Blitz. 

Click on thumbnail to enlarge.