Clown Spinning Tops
Maker: Zirndorf, Ohio Art
Materials: Tin, plastic
Construction: Tinplating
Labels/Tags: Zirndorf, Ohio Art
Age: 196-70
Description: These tops are brightly colored and light weight. The larger of the two is decorated with a clown's head on top and oversized shoes on the bottom. The smaller has caged circus animals along the surface.
Size: H. 10.5x W. 9.5x D. 9.5"
Provenance: NJ Estate
Weight: 15.6oz
Condition: Both have small losses in the paint job, but are fully functional - as of the time of cataloguing.
History: When on December 6, 1881 Mr Karl Rohrseitz gave its name to the company, there weresome few plumper and metal-pusher-associated journeymen andsome coworkers, wich manufactured small finger rings whithcheap glass bricks, eyeglass frames and reading glasses.The thengeneral economic recovery brought however good yields, so thatin the year 1896 the first part of the factory building in theKarlstrasse could be already built.In the meantime themanufacturing had been taken up by cheap "Kinderschlottern" andwhistling spinning tops.It is interesting that these toys wereexported mainly to India and South America.The even productionof "Kinderschlotter"out of sheet metal was an almost exclusive monopoly of someZirndorfer play goods factories.Therefore also the designation sounding strangely for notinauguration comes "Blechpatscher".In the year 1908 Mr.Fritz Rohrseitz transferred the companyand could already in the year 1911 expand the existingcompany and double the production plant.The staff was extended until 1914 to 60 or 70 coworkers andthe export connections to almost all countries inoverseas were structured.The first World War brought anearly complete succumbing of the foreign sales.After end ofwar the manufacturing of mobile field-kitchen brought thenecessary turn over in the first time.The management, always open for the new had found an item with the music box thatfound good admission in the inland and abroad.Beginning of the thirties the music playgoods collection was expanded with the music and choral spinning top.The second World War was again brought a sudden abort of the lucky upward developmentto the company.By a large personal use of Fritz Rohrseitz and his sons Willy and KarlRohrseitz succeeded it however to find connection to therecent time.Fritz Rohrseitz belonged to the initial members of the"combination of Bavarian play goods and Christian treedecoration manufacturers".The organization appointed himtherfore the honor member.He was considerably involved inthe constitution of an export committee after the war andincoming of the international toys show.After that SecondWorld War a widening of the assortment was aimed.Thus themanufacturing of considerable boxes for Nürnbergergingerbread begun before the war was expanded and forced.Additionally different fantasyspinning tops were brought on the market, wich today still belong to the standard program.An electrical washing machine for children was presented 1956 on the toys show.Of coursethere were small and large difficulties to overcome, but whith a brought in staff and ariskjoyful production management this succeeded again and again.Very important was andis in the future to go on with technical progress and the possibilities of the newtechniques.Dipl.Ing.Rohrseitz is owner of the company since 1970 and becomesmanagement support from his children, Mr.Werner Rohrseitz and Mrs. Reinwald, bornRohrseitz.