Toy Collector Mel Birnkrant


(Video link) I paid another visit to Mel Birnkrant's amazing collection of antique comic character toys and made this short video about how he got started collecting.

Disney characters are ® and ©Disney Enterprises, Inc.
During the visit, Mel showed me some of his most precious and wonderful animated toys, including the one he calls "Toothy Mickey," an extremely rare wind-up tin toy that he hasn't operated in more than 20 years. On the video you'll see Mickey turn around as his eyes change and his teeth come out.

There's also a drummer Mickey and a dancing Mickey, and some unpainted wood crank-operated toys by Sonny Hatfield.

I have dreams about all these toys, wonderful, strange dreams that inspire me in new directions as an artist.
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Read more on Mel's website about:
Mickey Tin Toys
The unpainted wood animated sculptures of Sonny Hatfield
Little Sammy Sneeze and other one of-a-kind sculptures by Charles Ponstingl
The Bisque Pyramid (with the huge array of small figures)

Previously on GurneyJourney:
Toonerville Trolley Toy
Gus White's Puppets


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