K-Line #K-41932 Statue of Liberty w-Base

Today marks the rare occasion when I actually have a blog post prepared for a major holiday. Normally the holidays just kinda sneak up on us and the day gets here and I say, "Oh Man it's (insert name of holiday)!! What'll we talk about?" - Usually nuthin' :-)  Today's' post, featuring The Statue of Liberty, celebrates Independence Day and actually ties in to a couple of other aspects of my collecting:

1 K-Line
2. Statue of Liberty toys and statues

Some years back I started collecting K-Line plastic buildings and accessories as an adjunct to my Marx collection because the early K-Line offerings were made using the original Marx molds. Through this process I ended up with three different variations of K-Line Lady Liberty's. And then during a business trip to New York in 2005 I actually saw her in person, but not up close. The company I worked for at the time hired a fishing boat and we had our company 'picnic' right on the boat as it traveled up and down the Hudson River. That ride on the Hudson was memorable for many reasons but most of all for the chance to see this iconic statue. It was terrific to see this gift from France and symbol of freedom to people everywhere, even if from a boat on the Hudson. Well, that started me collecting Lady Liberty's for awhile until I decided to just stop because there simply wasn't room for all this stuff. Since then I've begun to start selling the collection. Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina

The real Statue of Liberty

The K-Line Statue of Liberty was originally made from Marx tooling and consisted of only the pedestal and statue. Marx made only one version while K-Line made two statue w/pedestal versions all of which came as easy to assemble kits. K-Line's first offering came with a copper colored statue while a later release came in the weathered, verdigris green color we are all familiar with today. The last version made by K-Line was upgraded by: including the old fort (Fort Wood) base that the statue was built on; was ready made for immediate display; and had a lighted torch.

The statue as originally designed by Marx - pedestal and Lady Liberty - K-Line's upgraded design was made with more realistic coloring. It's easily removed from the base.

The upgraded K-Line version with the Statue of Liberty resting upon old Fort Wood. It measures 14" (35.56cm) H x 9" (22.86cm) wide at the base

K-Line Statue of Liberty

Train Time will return to Toys & Stuff next Wednesday.

Today, as we mark the 236th year of the signing of The Declaration of Independence it would seem fitting for Toys & Stuff to present one our most precious symbols of Liberty - The Statue of Liberty - in toy form, K-Line's #K-4193 Statue of Liberty. Enjoy!

The Prototype

Per Wikipedia: "The Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World; French: La Liberté éclairant le monde) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886. The statue, a gift to the United States from the people of France, is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, who bears a torch and a tabula ansata (a tablet evoking the law) upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue has become an icon of freedom and of the United States."

The statue is built upon a pedestal erected within the walls of what had been at the  time, an unused fort - Fort Wood, an 11-point star fort built in 1806-1811 - located on Bedloe's Island in New York Harbor (now called Liberty Island). The inspiration for Lady Liberty and the trials and tribulations of those who made it possible are way too many to explore in detail here. Just the story of its design and construction is fascinating enough, but add to that the politics, the historical context both in France and America, the national demeanor at the time of its gifting is enough to fill volumes. Her story is simply amazing!

Back in 2005 I was fortunate enough to see Lady Liberty while on a trip to New Jersey. I wasn't able to actually go on Liberty Island but can share at least a few photos. The day was quite hazy and so the sky isn't very blue in the photos, but it does peek out from the haze in a couple of shots.

The Toy

Back in the 1950s, the Louis Marx Co. put out a series of model kits based on National landmarks. The series included the Capitol Building, Lincoln Memorial, White House, and the Statue of Liberty among others. After Marx folded, Maury Klein was able to purchase the tooling for his K-Line series of plastic kits based on the old Marx line. K-Line first offered Lady Liberty in the version you see here today - the Statue located on its pedestal and copper-colored. Later K-Line versions would see The Lady in her familiar green copper patina. The original copper colored and patina colored offerings are easy snap-together kits. Later versions would have a pre-assembled Statue sitting atop the star fort and include interior lighting.