Hi all,

Many of you will have seen the posting by BD regarding my unveiling of something I acquired earlier this year - an original mid-1950's display piece "Wunderrad" (Wonderwheel) BKM 7 built from Märklin Metall to display H0 in a rather novel way with just the Loco (CM 800 / 3000) and pulling three wagons actually driving a large 10kg Ferris wheel.

During my research I have located several examples of the same item at various locations, and what I'm now looking for is verification of those, as well as any new examples not yet recorded of which I am sure there must be at least a couple more.

My starting point was a reference on the German forum stating that around a dozen examples were known to exist. This got me curious, but mainly because my initial aim was to seek more information about the item in general, and where better to start than existing owners? Unfortunately (but not totally unexpected), response has rather low. Most people these days are busy, especially Toy Museums and the like which are often run by volunteers. Not to mention I don't speak German, and may not be asking in the correct manner.

So what I'm asking is for anyone who has seen one of these Wonderwheels "in the flesh", to provide some details. Not much, basically just confirming where it is, Museum, privately owned etc, whether it is open to view by the public, (or special arrangement), and most importantly, some good clear photographs of it from as many angles as possible. The main reason for this is to rule out duplicates where an item may have changed hands, but also as an aid to identifying variations in the models and a further benefit is that if anyone particularly wanted to see one, they may not be far away already.

And of course if you are lucky to be able to speak to someone who knows the history of the item, where it originally came from etc, note that as well. If any details are provided but not for public information, then please PM me rather than posting here.

What I have listed below are all the examples I have found so far. Virtually all my research has been from the internet, and a couple of word-of-mouth references. I have listed them in the order they appear on the 'net, ie the earliest article or reference to one is listed first. For the few that I have been told about, they are entered when I heard about them. And of course the URL for the information as reference.

The URL may be a direct obvious link, or it could be a link to a mention on another forum.

It took quite a lot of search manipulation trying different combinations of keywords to find some of them, those keywords/tags include; (apart from the obvious "Märklin")...

Wunderrad, Riesenrad, Werbehilfen, Verkaufsmodelle, Schaufenstermodell, Wonderwheel, Ferris Wheel, Sales Aid and probably some I have forgotten, some with and without spaces, variations on capitalization, searches on images as well as content but I may (certainly) still have missed something obvious that the native speaker of another language might find easily.

I should also add that the wheel is known to have been produced in German, Swedish, English and Italian versions. I would also expect to find Dutch, and possibly one or two other continental languages where Märklin had a strong presence.

Anything I have been asked to keep private I have done so, but if I have accidentally disclosed something that should not be here please do let me know.

I would really appreciate letting me know of any errors in this posting, link problems etc, but I'd also like anyone who has personal knowledge of any of the museums, or lives nearby if you could confirm the actual location and address, a link to their web site etc.

I hope it makes interesting reading. If there is an additional URL, I've added it below the entry

1: 13/01/2008 - Heinz Busch, Holdenstedt - Privately owned - (would love a better copy of this article)

2: 04/12/2009 - Frank Ronneburg, Tischbahn - Privately owned -

3: 08/01/2010 - Moba Train display (ownership unknown) -
Alt URL - http://www.mobatrain.de/!_Veranstaltungen/Modellbahntage.html

4: 02/07/2012 - Tuebingen Boxenstop (Museum) -

5: 20/02/2015 - Musuem? - Darmstad Nord (?) - ** Possibly a replica **
** Some detailed photos might help confirm this because some of the components could be difficult to replicate - ie the rotating banner top and bottom covers, and the main axle with commutator/slip ring.

6: 01/07/2016 - Walter-Eisenbahnen - Privately owned? (or on-sold) -

7: 13/11/2016 - Spielzeug Museum, Trier -
Alt URL (article) - www.landesverband.lu/download/2224/signal-092016-web.pdf ** Article on Page 32

8: 05/06/2017 - Treuchtlingen - (LED pimped) - Musuem - ** Possibly a replica **
** Some detailed photos might help confirm this because some of the components could be difficult to replicate - ie the rotating banner top and bottom covers, and the main axle with commutator/slip ring.
Alt URL - www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxPBmJKsrB4

9: 04/10/2017 - Frederik Niehues (Auction listing - wheel only) -

10: 01/12/2017 - AnticoMondoAuktionen, Bornheim, (Auction listing) - Possibly near-original. Packing crate and all.
** Almost certainly has since changed hands

11: 06/04/2018 - Franz H. Frankfurt (friend of Andreas H) - Privately Owned - confirmed and have photos

12: 25/04/2018 - Erwin Kleemeier, Bad Oeynhausen - mentioned in "Spielzeug Revue" Apr 1999 - article not online.
** If anyone has copies of Spielzeug Revue and can provide a scan for me it would be much appreciated, it seems other similar items were covered as well.

13: 12/01/2015 - Eslöv Toy Museum, Sweden -
** Swedish version

14: 08/11/2017 - Erlebniswelt Toggenburg, Switzerland, (Musuem, on loan?) -

Outside Europe

15: 31/07/2011 - National Toy Train Museum PA, USA -
** Several other references can be found to this wheel which is also the only confirmed English version.

16: 07/01/2012 - Nette Auctions, Danbury, CT, USA (Auction) -
** Buyer unknown - may be another of the items listed here

17: 24/03/2018 - Andreas Hildebrandt, USA, Privately owned - have confirmed directly with Andreas, photos pending. (Sancho has seen it)

18: 24/03/2018 - Sold by a German seller to a new owner in the USA (advised privately)

19: 2018 - Stephen Cook, Wellington NZ - Privately owned (my own wheel)

I have also been advised that Frans Bevers, Malle also owns one. I asked here about his Museum recently but at that stage could not really reveal why I was asking. I have not included Frans in this list at this stage, it may or may not be a further example but if anyone visits that exhibit, and sees it, photos please!!!

** And finally, there is quite possibly another example in the USA - the first time I heard about any of these wheels and what started me on this was an article I read several years ago (10 give or take) which was very clear that there was a Restaurant somewhere in the USA which had one along the wall and operating. I have not been able to find that original article despite * many * hours searching. I've checked the MML, and other forums. I've also read many old MEA handelspost and US Märklin Insider magazines as well, thinking it was most likely in one of those. That wheel may since have changed hands of course but if anyone knows of it, or the article I refer to I'd LOVE to know. No doubt it's hiding in plain sight!!

Thanks in advance for any help.

Cookee

And here is the page from the 1957 Verkaufsmodelle catalogue showing the Wunderrad as new numbering item "0100". (Provided by a German source who wishes to remain anonymous)

There are several other similar advertising models but that's another topic altogether.

Edited by user 02 June 2018 05:14:16(UTC)  | Reason: Update links, edit listing, further confirmation

That would be awesome if you get the opportunity

The Wunderrad weighs around 20-25kg. The wheel itself is just over 10kg, the frame is a little heavier. The one that has been displayed at the Märklin Musuem is in a special cabinet, I think it is coin-operated.

If they say it is 300kg, then the cabinet alone must be about 275kg by itself!! That is a lot of wood.

I can carry the wheel with one hand, the frame needs two

At this stage, I have not approached Märklin directly, because I fear what their answer will be "Sorry, we have no information about it". I think it is all in how you approach them.

But I have asked my local friendly factory-direct dealer to make some enquiries for me and will see what comes out.

Otherwise, I might have to ring Herr Florian Sieber and have a private chat

From what Markus told me, and other info, the dealers often got a good discount for this sort of item, and the idea was that after they had finished with it as a display, it could be dismantled and sold as parts.

The listed price in 1957 was DM 285, In 1957 the 3017 (ST800) was DM 125, The biggest starter set was 3207 (SK800 plus coaches) and that was DM 140, So even at a discount the Wunderwheel was still quite an investment for the dealer.

Thankfully, a few seem to have survived. There would also not be too many shops with enough spare space to have something like this on show.

And the Wonderwheel is not the biggest item they made like this!

Cheers

@Steve, are you sure about Belgium ?
The photo says 'speelgoedmuseum Trier' and Trier is in Germany. (Spielzeugmuseum / Toymuseum Trier).
'Oudetrucksenmeer.nl' is a Dutch website, meaning old trucks and more.

@Steve,

Dietmar posted more than 100 photo's of his visit to the toymuseum in Trier on FAM, spread over 5 different threads, but unfortunately no photo of the Wunderrad.

So most likely the Trier museum don't own one.
If you want I can ask the museum.

Hi Markus, that's interesting. All the images or videos I have of Frank's wheel (at the Unimog Gaggenau) show the wheel as a stand-alone display, whereas the images for the one shown at the Märklin Museum have the wheel in a large orange coin-operated cabinet - if we are talking abut the same one?

I realise that some of those references are now a few years old which is why I hope to confirm if there are any duplicates of the same item under more than one name.

The reason I made that connection was from the videos on YouTube under User "Tischbahner" which I had understood to be Frank's Youtube account?

I now have a few updates and corrections to make to my listing.

Should I be expecting an article for this month's magazine??

13 June.

Ian did say to me that it would be good to print something this month given the level of interest shown on clubnight.

Thank you Stefan.

I know only one other examples of the "Ballturm" (ball tower), but that one is a later, coloured model. And it does not have a box. It is in a private collection.

From the catalogue M385 (1932):



Regards

Markus

Thanks for that Stefan, much appreciated. Did you by any chance happen to get a photo of the white sign lying down in the front left corner?

it appears to have fallen over and the only image I have of it is quite small - it appears to state that the wheel was offered to selected toy shops in the 1950's and this particular one has been on loan from "Regula Siefert" of Frauenfeld since 2009, (if I read it correct). ??

The Ballturm was a nice additional photo as well which Markus has added some info about. I have not found the Bridge in between, my earliest sales model brochure is 1931 but of course it may be a custom-built model and not a factory sales model.

Hi,

It took some time to find back a photo of the other example I know. It is restored, it was rescued from a scrapyard.



Regards

Markus

There's one here for sale:

Ball tower


Condition looks quite good!

Nigel

Is it a coincidence that one has just come up for auction?

https://www.the-saleroom...2-4d6a-8ec2-a92c009a8a71

Paul

I apologize for the duplicate, somehow I missed Nigel's post....

thanks for sharing the images, quite a fantastic piece!!

Paul

Hey Alan, are you sure that's correct? Seems to me one is the actual auction house selling it (mehlis) whereas the other one (thesaleroom) appears to be more of an auction finder, which redirects to the original site.

Similar to "liveauctioneers".

Cheers

Cookee

Could well be, i didn't double check the second one carefully.

Nor was I!

That’s quite a high price. Very rare, though, so if someone wants it, he just has to keep on bidding!

Best wishes,

Nigel

Hi all,

I think I've found another one - scroll down until about halfway along the page.

https://www.tapatalk.com...lin-4161-t90111-s10.html

I wonder who has it now???

Best regards
Peter

I reported this Wonderwheel / Wunderrad listing a couple of weeks back, seems it has actually sold for Euro 4,500

https://www.ebay.de/itm/...cl-Versand-/362557552699

That seems to be on a par with other examples that have sold in the past. It actually sold for more than I expected it might.

There's still the second one, in more original condition, sitting at Euro 4,850 Buy it Now.

https://www.ebay.de/itm/254136677256

This one has been relisted, the previous listing was pulled for a "listing error" (which is often a euphemism for 'sold outside of eBay') but I was pleased to see it relisted.

The seller admits to knowing nothing about it, he acquired it along with an ST800 which is what he mainly wanted.

Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but once you've seen one, they seem to get under your skin.....

Hi Kurt,

That wheel is known, but not on the list. I don't know why. I bought it ~2000 at WOLFSBURG, Germany where it came from a toy-store in bad condition and sold it to a collector from the GAGGENAU team in 2007 who restored it perfectly. Did you even think that the sign is a replica? He had really done a good job. Unfortunately the restorer passed away in 2010.

Regards

Markus

Marcus - Comparing the sign on this one with others I would never have known it was a replica. Very authentic. Thanks for the backstory (owner lineage). I'm sure that it looks very different from the one you rescued nearly 20 years ago. Hopefully it will continue to be preserved for future generations.

Kurt

Hi Markus, are you referring to my list compiled last year? - https://www.marklin-users.net/cookee_nz/gbmc/bkm/Wunderrad201805.htm

I'm not sure why it is not noted as such, there are many links on other forums and youtube clips to the previous Gaggenau displays and I suspect it may have got 'lost' among the others, or (more likely) I was waiting to confirm who actually owns it.

I'll have a closer look through my records and see if I can got it wrongly recorded against someone else or missed altogether.

Either way, I certainly know about it and will try to clarify.

Are you able to share who the owner is? (privately is fine, I won't reveal any personal details if they wish to remain anonymous).

Cheers

Cookee

That's more or less the same condition mine was in when I got it but mine was more dirty and covered with a thin film of oil from years of lubrication.

Once I cleaned it there was a great improvement but some parts still had rust. I decided to leave them as they are, my goal being 'preservation' rather than 'restoration'.

By the way, I had the pleasure last week to meet the previous owner (David Fifield) of my Wonderwheel in Christchurch. The person I purchased mine from (Justin) appears to have spun me a very confused tale about it coming from his German Uncle etc and wasted a lot of my time trying to make sense of the history of it.

David was able to give me photos proving his ownership of the Wheel from the mid 80's until about 5 years ago when it was purchased by an NZ collector (based in Australia) who then found it was too expensive to ship to Australia so it was resold in Auckland.

David himself purchased it from a former Toystore owner (Doug Lee) in Christchurch who owned two stores in the city.

I have not been able to confirm when or how Doug Lee obtained them but it's quite possible it was obtained via the NZ/Australian importer (either Email Industries or HW Clark Ltd) but that's just an educated guess.

I'm unlikely ever to confirm those details but that fact it's been in NZ since at least the 1970's and probably earlier is excellent for it's provenance.

I found researching the history of it plus the work I needed to do on it to be just as fascinating and enjoyable as the item itself. Everyone who has seen it has been quite captivated and it's a real joy to be able to demonstrate it.

Cheers

Steve

Markus - Thanks for sharing these "before restoration" photos of the Wunderwheel currently in Gaggenau. The restoration was even better than I imagined after now having seen what it originally looked like and really demonstrates the love and attention to detail that the restorer put into the rescue effort. I have great admiration for those that preserve toys of the past.
Kurt