Author Topic: 1930 Lionel 1066 Macy Special set with L. Green 253 loco  (Read 8719 times)

Terry

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1930 Lionel 1066 Macy Special set with L. Green 253 loco
« on: February 05, 2021, 06:17:20 PM »
Don Lewis sent me photos of this wonderful set from 1930.

(You can open one of the pictures then use the > button in the top right corner of the picture to scroll through  the others.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The loco is very hard to find. The box for the loco is even harder to find. The setbox is still more difficult to find. The cars are somewhat common because they came with a cataloged 254E set.

Notice the cars have white strips along the tops of the windows. Some olive cars also come that way. They used a similar strip on the 35/36 standard gauge cars in about 1923-4. 

Don is selling the set.  You can contact him from his website.

https://www.willowriverantiques.com/contact-us.html

starfire700

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Re: 1930 Lionel 1066 Macy Special set with L. Green 253 loco
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2021, 05:05:58 AM »
Wow, what a great set!
Mine is nowhere as nice and no boxes. I was happy just to find it, especially the loco. I bought it as a set, but must have been assembled as the loco condition is less that the cars, but they are the right cars.
Also showing a set 266 in pea green. It has a set box, but is rough. I kept it because cars and loco are all stamped for export.

pjdog350

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Re: 1930 Lionel 1066 Macy Special set with L. Green 253 loco
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2021, 05:50:07 AM »
I thought they where perfect. But I know nothing about prewar. Plus I can’t tell the difference from restored and original. You guys are perfect at there original condition stuff.

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starfire700

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Re: 1930 Lionel 1066 Macy Special set with L. Green 253 loco
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2021, 07:21:35 AM »
It takes many years, in my case near 50, to develop an eye for restorations vs. original. You not only have to be able to recognize the right color, but also the patina. Very early Lionel was spray-painted, sometimes unevenly, colors were mostly dark greens, maroon and olive. Classic period (started early-mid 1920's) was mostly dip-painted, earthy-tone colors, resulting in paint runs and thick blobs, mainly at frame ends, when the piece was hung to dry. In 1935 colors changed from earthy tones like terra cotta, mojave, pea green etc, to more-primary colors, 45N green, bright red, silver, ivory-white. Also, in 1935, Lionel went back to spray-painting, resulting in a finish with "orange peel" texture instead of runs. Silver is an exception as it was used before 1935, and I don't think it was ever used for dip-painting. Also black frames continued to be dip painted into later prewar production, well past 1935.
A good example to demonstrate would be to look at a 1934-production apple green 653 hopper, next to a 1935 or later Girard green 653 or 2653 hopper. At first, they look the same color, but the apple green 653 has a yellow warm tint, where the Girard green 653 has a brighter-cooler tone. Also you will notice the patina difference, thick runs on apple green, orange-peel on the Girard green one. Trim also helps ID years and colors, as in 1935 Lionel changed trim from brass to nickel and aluminum. In 1940 they would make another big change to semi-gloss finish on a new pallet of colors with mostly black trim and stamped lettering. Both 1935 and 1940 had some transition production which combines colors and trims. Some transition combinations defy explanation, other than "they were just making toys, and they used the parts available on any given day." Don't know if this will confuse or help.