Made by the George Brown Company. Forestville, Connecticut - Early 1870's. Colossal 21" Long x 7" Wide x 14" Tall. Detailed Family History of Ownership. "This extraordinary ""EXCELSIOR"" Mississippi style river boat is unquestionably one of the most significant American tin toys ever produced. Its sheer size and the complexity of its design with multiple decks, ornate trim and its peerless use of stenciling and decals make it an absolute visual wonder that one stands before with great reverence. Until the recent discovery of this wonderful specimen of the Excelsior, there was only one known extant example of the boat. It had been in the folk art collection of renowned modernist sculptor Elie Nadelman. His entire holdings of folk art were astutely acquired by the New York Historical Society in 1937. And there, in a small (relatively difficult to find) upstairs gallery for early toys, the museum's river boat passed decade after decade as the lone surviving example of this exquisite plaything. This prompted many collectors to conclude that Excelsior's production costs were so great, that it needed to be ordered as a special commission from the George Brown Company. It was even suggested that, in this scenario, it was likely the only example ever ordered from George Brown. Marc Olimpio has made these insightful remarks about Excelsior's fabrication, ""there's enough gingerbread trim and tinplate to make at least a dozen toys"". So clearly, it was very costly to manufacture. The present offering provides a golden opportunity for a collector to add a hugely important ""iconic piece"" to his or her collection. Until this toy came to light in 2021, it had spent its entire ""toy's life"" in the possession of a single family. This lot will be sold along with three substantial notebooks of detailed genealogical research that chronicle the lives and deaths of those associated with the ownership of the Excelsior. It involves various members of the Cosgrove, McNeely and Harvey families. This material is ""beyond amazing"" and it was hugely satisfying to read through. This shortened synopsis outlines some of the most vital moments in the toy boat's existence. Most likely, it was purchased directly from George Brown himself by Rhode Island dry goods magnate Thomas Cosgrove (1805-1885) as a present for his grandson Richard McNeely Jr. (1863-1908) for Christmas 1872 or 1873. The boat was exclusively in his possession, first as a child in Providence, Rhode Island; then briefly, as a working married man in Bronx, New York; and later as a prominent realtor in Bradley Beach, New Jersey. He died in 1908, aged 44, after a day of furious gin-drinking. He was actually found deceased inside a Manhattan hansom cab. For the next many years, the toy must have been in the attic of the Bradley Beach residence. It was passed to Mary (Bessie) McNeely and her husband Stanley Harvey some time in the 1930's. Soon thereafter, it passed into the hands of their son Richard Harvey, who, for a short while in the 1960's, displayed it in the front window of the McNeely Realty Company in Bradley Beach. Upon his death in 2016, his widow Sheila and their daughter Anne Harvey have been the rightful owners of the Excelsior. Now, after 150 years of ownership by one family, it will pass into the hands of one very fortunate collector."

Very Remarkable State of Preservation. Detailed Account of Expert Conservation.