Dear Hiloborn,
From your description I recognized the toy as the Red Raven Magic
Mirror and Movie Record Sets.
Here is a nice image of a Red Raven Movie Record with the carousel mirror.
http://www.shellac.org/wams/images/rrmirror.jpg
----------------------------------------------------------------
A description from the Internet Museum Of Flexi/Cardboard/Oddity Records:
Red Raven movie records: Tootles the Tug
?You put the faceted mirror on top of the spindle while it was playing
in order to see the animated effect, rather like a praxinoscope. This
made the pictures come to life. These records came in two variations.
The shown example is the earlier and rarer version which was a picture
disc and the later ones were simply a label put on a colored record.
Medium cardboard with embossed record on both sides. 78 rpm, 1956.?
http://www.wfmu.org/MACrec/raven.html
Here is a picture of the Red Raven Mirror
http://www.wfmu.org/MACrec/images/RedRavMirror.jpg
You can see the animation here:
http://www.wfmu.org/MACrec/raven2.html
And you may listen to the song here:
http://archive.wfmu.org/ramgen/archive/FL/tug.ra
----------------------------------------------------------------
Here?s another image of the Magic Mirror Movie Set.
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/park/1302/movierecords/phono.gif
Click on a link below to view an animation.
Little White Duck, with RealAudio
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/park/1302/movierecords/lilduck.html
Three Blind Mice, with RealAudio
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/park/1302/movierecords/3blind.html
The Whistler and His Dog
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/park/1302/movierecords/whislr.gif
Get Along, Old Pard
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/park/1302/movierecords/getalng.gif
Old MacDonald
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/park/1302/movierecords/oldmcd.gif
Tootles the Tugboat, with RealAudio
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/park/1302/movierecords/tootles.html
----------------------------------------------------------------
Unfortunately, production of this toy ceased in the early 1970?s.
?Original Red Raven Records which accompanied the Magic Mirror Movies
sets. I thought some readers may like to know that production in the
U.S. of the records and mirrors ceased in the early 1970s.?
?A phonograph manufacturer in Connecticut had acquired the rights to
Red Raven Records and the Magic Mirror and was still producing them.
However, the company went out of business (surely the dwindling market
for 78-rpm speed phonographs did not help matters any) and with it
went Magic Mirror Movies.
All of the later 1960s and early 1970s records were made of colored
translucent vinyl, red, blue, green and yellow discs, and the records
and mirrors were made from the original manufacturing molds and
masters.?
Mechanical Music Digest
http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/Digests/199811/1998.11.21.01.html
----------------------------------------------------------------
?In 1956, Morgan Development Laboratories, Inc. in Westport,
Connecticut, made 78 RPM records with zoetrope- style images on the
label. The manufacturer called them "Red Raven Movie Records." The
oversize label has sixteen images, which create a Zoetrope-style
moving image when viewed in a mirror device placed on top of the
record.?
Dead Media
http://www.deadmedia.org/notes/38/381.html
----------------------------------------------------------------
They were made in Sweden as well and were called Film-Karusell.
?I received an email from fellow 78-L member Mr. Görgen Antonsson in
Sweden, who informed me that the Ravens were sold in Sweden as well.
The labels said "Film-Karusell" with "Made in Sweden" at the bottom.
No mention of Red Raven, even though he was prominently displayed on
the label, and the sequences were identical to their U.S. counter
parts.?
http://www.shellac.org/wams/wraven1.html
Sweden
http://www.ljudochbildarkivet.se/SLBA/JAZZ/fkareng.htm
You may view more of these little "movies" converted into animation
files at the following links:
I'm A Little Teapot
Red Raven Orch; George S. Chase, Director
http://www.shellac.org/wams/wraven2.html
The Whistler & His Dog
Red Raven Orch; George S. Chase, Director
http://www.shellac.org/wams/wraven4.html
Get Along, Old Pard
Red Raven Orch; George S. Chase, Director
http://www.shellac.org/wams/wraven3.html
----------------------------------------------------------------
?These records were made first of cardboard with/without a metal rim
and center. The later records were plastic "colored vinyl", and were
originally sold starting in the late 1950s and early 1960s. There
were 40 different titles on 20 different records.
A "Magic Mirror" is used to view both of these styles of record. This
Mirror is 4" tall and shaped like a circus tent. This tent is made of
red & yellow painted tin with a chromed or mirrored plastic slanted
center.
This tent device reflects the images on the Red Raven Movie Records label
to the viewers eye. It's plastic mirrored center is designed to set
3/4" above the record label and has 16, 1-3/4" tall facets, The Magic
Mirror has been found in several different styles most styles have a
wooden ball on their tops only one has a removable ball, to allow it
to be used on a tall spindle turntable, This version would be the
latest design.?
The person who posted this description wants to buy these records as
do a large number of other collectors.
Mechanical Music Digest
http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/Digests/199707/1997.07.02.01.html
----------------------------------------------------------------
This vintage toy is still very desirable today and much in demand.
I located many want lists for the Red Raven Movie Records and they do
not seem to be available at this moment to purchase; however, they do
appear from time to time on eBay and other collectors websites.
There were two records for sale here for 20 dollars each at L & L Collectibles.
http://www.wecollect2.com/kids.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------
An old eBay auction:
?Here is your chance to win a ?Red Raven? children?s record set (5)
from the 1950s. The themes of the Red Raven records are ?Old MacDonald
had a farm?, ?The Wobblin Goblin?, ?The little red engine?, ?Raggedy
Ann? and ?Happy Birthday? with the Red Raven Orchestra Directed by
George S. Chase... and Little White Duck with Betty Wells, Bill
Marine, and the Playmates Orchestra Directed by Maury Laws. The
records are in good to fair condition.?
Sold for US $61,00
http://cgi.benl.ebay.be/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3180663861&category=30
----------------------------------------------------------------
The www.prices4antiques.com reference database (p4A) provides
information on tens of thousands of antiques and collectibles.
Musical; Magic Mirror & Record, Red Raven, 2 Records.
Category: toys
Type: musical
Origin: America
Year: 1950 - 1960
?Red Raven "Magic Mirror" movie records with mirror, American circa
1956. The record and mirror are placed on record turntable, the
animation on the record is viewed through ...?
prices4antiques.com
http://www.p4a.com/itemsummary/86208.htm
Check back often as they have auctions where this toy might appear.
http://www.p4a.com/index.asp
----------------------------------------------------------------
Movie Records, 1956.
A very good blue record. Raggedy Ann and Andy performed by the Red
Raven Orchestra. M-33. 78 RPM.
Copyright 1956-57
Price: $ 15.00
Nerman's Books and Collectibles
E-mail nerman@mb.sympatico.ca
http://illiad.biblio.com/books/4074480.html
----------------------------------------------------------------
The Kiddie Rekording website carries old children?s records.
?If you are looking for a favorite old children's 78 rpm record, there
is a 90% chance that I have it in my collection. If I don't have an
extra copy of the original record or records you seek, copyright
permitting, I can burn a custom a CD, email it as an MP3 file, or let
you download it from my Website as an FTP file.?
Kiddie Rekording
http://www.kiddierekordking.com/selling.html
Music library
http://www.kiddierekordking.com/library.html
Audio Recordings
Winnie The Pooh ? The Kings Breakfast (Luther)
http://www.kiddierekordking.com/AudioTrack%2001.mp3
You will find full contact information here:
http://www.kiddierekordking.com/aboutme.html
----------------------------------------------------------------
Time Warp Vintage Toys sold of these toys.
http://www.timewarptoys.com/gallery.htm
Image
http://www.timewarptoys.com/redraven.jpg
----------------------------------------------------------------
The 1956 Red-Raven ?Magic-Mirror Movie-Records? boxed set of records
w/ carousel-mirror was also listed in the following catalogs of
vintage auctions.
http://arenapub.hypermart.net/670pdf/22.pdf
http://www.78rpm.com/pages/rescat/booklist/nauckcat.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------
A large number of Red Raven records were included in the following auction:
http://www.78rpm.com/AUCTION/Cat_02_misc.doc
Unfortunately this auction is now closed
http://www.78rpm.com/auction_frame.htm
Search criteria:
Red Raven Movie Records
Magic Mirror carousel record set
I hope you find this helpful!
Best regards,
Bobbie7 |
