Hubley Circus Vans and Wagons

Rare and Fancy Offerings

Buffalo Van

Listed from 1919 to 1926 in a medium Size. Not found in later catalogs. I've only seen it with a red body and yellow wheels led by black horses. Listed at a length of 13 1/4 inches. Very Scarce

Eagle Van

Hubley Eagle Van - Offered in small sizes. Listed in the Catalogs from 1919- 1926. Offered at Two lengths 7 and 8.5 inches long. I've only seen it offered in green with yellow wheels. Scarce toy.

Clown Trapeze Mirror Van

There were two versions of the Hubley Trapeze Van this one the largest and more elaborate version at 16.5 inches in length. Also referred to as a mirror van there was a mirror van version without the trapeze attachment. This version displayed a clown hanging from the trapeze and angels blowing a horn embossed on the sides. Found in the Hubley catalogs from 1919 to 1926. Not shown in later catalogs.

Farmer Van

One of the more ornate and unusual of Royal circus parade wagons, heavily embossed wagon features rhino on side, pressed steel roof top. Articulated action features the cast head of farmer able to peer out and hide back inside wagon as toy is pulled along by team of Two horses with wheels at front feet. 16'' long. Appears in the Hubley catalogs from 1919 to 1926 and then dissapears from later versions. Green body with gold trim and red starburst style wheels. I have seen versions with black , white and brown plumed horses.

While not offered in the catalogs Hubley did sell a Rhino Van that was similar in appearance to the Farmers Van without any mechanics. I've only seen this offering with a red body

Giraffe Wagon

Large Style Splittier Wagon containing a large mother giraffe and smaller baby giraffe. Pulled by two plumed Hubley horses. Hole in the roof allows the mother to extend her head above the wagon and peer out. Offered in the 1919 to 1926 catalog offerings. Catalog shows either a two horse or four horse offering possible at either 16.5 inches or 24.5 inches in length. Colors offered Red wagon with yellow wheels or Green wagon with yellow wheels. Various horse colors possible. The lancaster History museum has a picture of a white giraffe cage wagon.

Lion Van

Found offered in the Hubley Catalogs between 1919 and 1926. Smaller sized cage embossed with a Lion figure on both sides of a solid van. Scarce offering not often found.

Monkey Van

Similar to the Clown Trapeze . Mirror van body . Offered in a medium size .

Revolving Monkey Cage

Hubley Cast Iron "Monkey Cage" Pull Toy (No. 488)

The Hubley No. 488 Monkey Cage is widely regarded as one of the most enigmatic and desirable "holy grail" pieces in the world of antique cast iron toy collecting. While prominently featured in Hubley catalogs for nearly a decade, specifically from circa 1919 to 1926, the toy is believed to be a pre-production prototype that was never put into full-scale production for public sale. The reasons for this remain speculative, but theories often point to its complex, multi-part design, which may have been deemed too costly to manufacture or too fragile for children's play.

Its status as a cataloged but unproduced item contributes to its extreme scarcity. The consensus among leading collectors and auction houses is that only two authentic examples are known to exist. For years, there has been dialogue about a possible third example; however, the prevailing belief is that this was one of the two known examples which had been repainted at some point and was later misidentified. This theory is supported by the distinct and different color palettes of the two authenticated toys.

The impeccable and well-documented provenance of these two examples is key to their legend:

The Museum/Gottschalk Example: This piece boasts a truly elite lineage. It was once a prized exhibit at the famed Perelman Toy Museum in Philadelphia. From there, it passed into the legendary collection of Bill and Lillian Gottschalk, two of the most respected names in the hobby. This version is often distinguished by its ivory or off-white colored cage.
The Former Employee/Philadelphia Find: The second known example surfaced fresh-to-the-market in the Philadelphia area, geographically close to Hubley's factory in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Its history is traced to the family of a former Hubley employee, which strongly supports its prototype status. This example features a vibrant, multi-colored cage of red, blue, and yellow.

Tiger Van

Ornate van with a tiger embossed on both sides. Scarce offering found with a red or green body. Various horse types and colors possible. Listed in the catalog at 12.5 inches. Somewhat scarce find.