1952 Marx, Pan American "Clipper Meteor" Airplane in Original Box
Magnificent two-piece pressed steel No. 1678 Pan American "Clipper Meteor" Airplane by Marx. Old store stock it was opened for the first time just six months ago, only to inspect it. It's never been assembled or played with. It comes with its original set of six figures plus a pressed steel passenger stairway. It comes complete with original box, insert, and packing material. The condition is impeccable, near mint+ to mint! This is the largest toy airplane that the Marx Co. manufactured with a fuselage length of over 21" and wingspan of more than two feet. It has four metal propeller engines, two pair of rear wooden landing gear tires, and a (single) wooden tripod tire in front. The toy is all pressed steel with baked on factory enamel finish; white and blue. Each half of the fuselage has 15 die cut windows. It has two embossed doors, starboard, fore and aft (front right, rear right), and a single door on the port (left) side. Marx produced two variations of this plane. This blue and white model was first; produced in 1952. It was replaced in 1953 by an all silver version. It was painted rather than enameled. Both had large "PAA" decals are on each wing, and "Pan American", "Clipper Meteor", and "N774PA" on each side of the fuselage. For this blue and white model Marx also used an authentic PAN AM logo with an American Flag on each side of the upright tail wing. It was replaced on the silver version with a generic "PAA" logo. The airplane also comes with its original passenger stairway which was enameled in matching blue paint. There are also six molded plastic figures that are in scale with the plane. They come in their original Marx paper bag printed with "Railroad People" and "PL-378-1". This set of six was also sold with the Marx, Lighted Railroad Station Set sold the same year. Although it's unusual to pack railroad folks with a steel airplane, it was the exact set found inside the box when it was opened. The box is standard cardboard printed only with the catalog number, name, and "fragile". It's noticeably lacking a Marx logo, name and address. The Marx logo is stamped into the plane. It also comes with its original, and complex, triangular folded insert, plus original waxed paper packing material. Size: 21½" fuselage, 27½" wingspan. Sold: Oct. 2006
Price Sold: $ 1303
