1937-38 Ohio Art Snow White Tea Sets

Well-known for their high quality tin lithographed toys, the Ohio Art Company of Bryan, OH was a prolific manufacturer and Disney licensee in the 1930s. Among their myriad of items produced, the children's tea sets are probably some of the most sought-after. Several different Snow White packages were issued.

Their 22-piece boxed set (#638S “pink”) includes six servings of 4" diameter plates, 2.5" saucers, and 1.25" tea cups. Plus one tea pot with lid, open sugar and creamer cups, and an 8" x 10” serving tray.

All of the pieces feature various lithos of Snow White and the dwarfs.

Copyright imprint reads, "OHIO ART CO. - BRYAN, O. USA - ©1937 WALT DISNEY ENTERPRISES."

The original box measures 12" x 18" and is 2" deep. The repeating patterns on either side of the lid are of rabbits. This same box was used for other Snow White sets also.

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In a 1938 wholesale catalog produced by L. Gould & Co. of Chicago (pg.96), we get some solid information about what was in each package and also how much they sold to retailers for. The 22-piece set above was wholesaled for $8.50/dozen. A similar 16-piece collection went for $8.00/dozen.

Catalog scan via gdawg.

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Also listed in the catalog is a condensed 8-piece box. Dimensions 10.25" x 10.5". Wholesale price $4.00/dozen.

This set included a small serving tray with an illustration of Doc at the piano while Snow, Dopey and Bashful look on. Measures just 5.5" x 7.5".

The tray is seen in The Collector's Encyclopedia of Disneyana by Michael Stern and David Longest, p.143 (Collector Books, 1992).

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Another variation was this nine-piece set which came in a 10" x 12" box (2" deep). It's marked “Children’s Tea Set” with the product #62R-8631/Pink stamped on side panel. The cover illustration features three girls and a boy having a tea party together. Enclosed are two plates, two saucers, two tea cups, a tea pot w/lid, and the creamer and sugar cups. Some sets may have originally come with a serving tray as well.

Boxed tea set images via Hake's.

Hake's sold this last set at auction for $474.38 on November 10, 2011. We don't see many tin toys like these anymore. It's kind of special that Ohio Art made 'em to last.

1937-38 Ohio Art Snow White Beach Toys

A trip to the beach in 1938 was made all the more fun with the introduction of Snow White sand toys from the Ohio Art Company. Tin pails, shovels, and sprinkling cans were produced in a wide assortment of sizes and lithographed designs.

This first example shows Snow White sitting upon a tree stump with dwarfs gathered around. The pail measures approximately 5.5" tall (not including handle) and 5.25" across top rim. It also features a lipped-base

[CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE]

Lipped-base pail courtesy of the Michael Filippello Collection.

Standing about the same height and incorporating the same artwork, this second pail differs from the one above only in not having a lipped-base.

Images via Hakes.

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The lithograph encircling this next pail has the princess sitting at the forest edge with the dwarfs approaching from both sides. The "Snow White" font at bottom is small. The pail has a normal base and measures approximately 4.25" in height (not including the rounded handle).

Even toys that look the same at first glance, may have interesting variations. A similar, but slightly larger pail shares the same artwork. Yet, the "Snow White" text at base is much more prominent. In addition, Grumpy was hidden under the handle attachment in the above example, but he's quite visible here. Also, the handle on this one is flat, not rounded.

The smaller and larger pails shown side-by-side. Both are imprinted with "Ohio Art Co." and "©1938 Walt Disney Enterprises."

From above.

Image courtesy of Brian at Disneyana Vintage Collectibles 4U.

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A couple pails were listed in The Collector's Encyclopedia of Disneyana by Michael Stern and David Longest, p.142-143 (Collector Books, 1992). The smaller of the two is identical to one above. The second is a 10" version with artwork of Snow and the dwarfs running through the forest.

The artwork of Snow White on the tree stump is pictured in a 1938 wholesale catalog from the N. Shure Company of Chicago (page 1024). Three different sized tin pails are offered: 3.25", 5.25", and 6.75". Each comes complete with a sand shovel. The sets were sold to retailers per dozen for just 38¢, 80¢, and $1.95, respectively.

Ad image via gdawg.

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Also pictured in the above N. Shure Company catalog is a Snow White watering can, overall size 9" x 11". Wholesale price $1.96 per dozen. The artwork shows Snow placing a flower garland on a deer.

A smaller 6.5" version (below) of the same lithographed can was sold by Hakes in June 2008 for $556.60, and another in July, 2012 for $172.50. On the opposite side, Doc holds a sprinkling can as the dwarfs wash up. Top and bottom are bordered by bunnies.

The 6.5" can (listed as 6") is pictures side-by-side with an 8" in The Collector's Encyclopedia of Disneyana, pages 142-143.

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An Ohio Art "Sand Toys" advertisement appeared on page 78 of the April 1938 issue of Playthings, the premier journal of the toy trade industry. An array of sand toys are seen in Cecil Munsey's 1974 Disneyana book.

Image scans via gdawg and the Michael Filippello Collection.

A similar ad from Playthings September 1939.

Image courtesy of the William Stillman Collection.

The Ohio Art Company was nothing if not prolific when it came to the production of high quality tin toys for Disney.