Any Ideas On This German Zoological Gardens Toy?

[bumblebee]

This came from an estate with several 1930s era board games. It is made in Germany and appears to have never been built. It consists of cardboard and wood and then these animals figures which may look like plastic, but are very light and delicate and appear to be made of two halves of paper pulp pressed and painted. Each animal has a little thread loop on its back as if for hanging. (One of the animals, the fat elephant, is made in Japan and of different material--probably thrown in there later).

Any ideas on who made it and when? I tried Googling the animal figures and could not come up with similar figures.

[winnie]

What a beautiful box and looks complete!!

The animals were made near Neurenberg and are made of some kind of composition (paper mach).

If the animals are not signed it's impossible to say who made them because the moddelers worked for various companies,the most famous companies were Hausser and Lineol.

Is there not any mark on the box??

Look at this.

http://www.toy-soldier-gallery.com/Sources/LineolCatalogue/ForeignCatalogue37/ForeignCatalogue37.html

http://www.toy-soldier-gallery.com/Sources/LineolCatalogue/Catalogue25/Catalogue25.html

[bumblebee]

Thank you, Winnie! That's the first real information I have on them. I still cannot find a mark anywhere beyond "Printed in Germany" and "No 1666" on the instructions.

These figures are very fragile. It's a wonder they survived so long as toys. I am not sure whether mine match the catalog link you sent me. The boar looks very familiar.

[bumblebee]

I did some more research and these seem very much like "dresden paper ornaments", especially given the fact they have the thread loops on their backs.

[winnie]

I think you're right on the Dresden christmas ornaments,as you say they're very fragile and I think they're hollow inside.

When I first saw the box I thought molded Zoo animals,probable made by Lineol,but I was obviously wrong,anyway it's a very nice box.

[bumblebee]

Your reply gave me my first real lead, so thank you! Here are close-ups of all the animals. http://imgur.com/a/JfTMp

Amazing detail for their size, and I really cannot believe they survived all these years given the fact that they were among a lot of board games that were heavily played with!

[ann]

I've seen that octagonal zoo structure before, but I can't remember where. By that, I mean it's a real structure in a European zoo. In Austria? Germany? Where oh where was it . . .