ANTIQUE TOYS WILL BE ON DISPLAY NEXT WEEK

P.T. Barnum has been described as one of the most famous showmen of his time.

Barnum cam to fame during the late 1800s, when he presented such circus attractions as Gen. Tom Thumb, a midget; Jenny Lind, a noted Swedish singer; and Jumbo, a giant elephant.

Barnum helped establish the most famous circus in history: the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. So it was only natural that Barnum owned Jumbo Jr., the Walking Baby Elephant toy introduced by the Henry O. Lund Co. in the early 1880s. The unusual toy was given by Barnum to one of his groundskeepers, Herbert Redhead, in 1882.

The toy, currently valued at between $40,000 and $60,000, was found during a recent International Toy Collectors Antiques Roadshow in Iowa. It is believed to be the only one in existence.

The roadshow will be at the Bavarian Halle in Fruitland Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and Jumbo will be among antique toys on display.

"This is a wonderful toy," said Jeff Parson of Athens, Ill., a member of the toy collectors group, which sponsors 48 shows a year throughout the United States. "It still has its original dovetailed box with labeling," he said.

Parson, a collector of German windup toys, is coordinator of the show. "We buy and sell toys at the show, and we'll tell you what your toy is worth," he said.

The group, headquartered in Springfield, Ill., is made up of thousands of toy collectors from all over the world. Parson said the group buys toys for its members.

A show also will be presented at the Executive Inn in Paducah, Ky., Tuesday through Thursday. Parson and other members will discuss toy collecting at both shows.

"The roadshow is a great opportunity for local residents and collectors to ask questions about antique toys," said Parson. "If they have some old toys they can bring them along."

Among the most popular toys currently are robots and space toys, said Parson. "People are looking for the l950s and 1960s items, along with many of the Marx Toy items from the U.S," he said.

Rarity and condition determine prices, he said. "Although condition is everything, some toy collectors do look for some older toys that can be used for parts," said Parson.