Novelty Toy Works Toys and Games

Novelty Toy Works toys and games appear to have been numerous. A variety of Copyright Notices appear with some frequency during the life of the business. Most, or all, appear to be in the name of Carl Brache (occasionally mis-spelt as Brach). The names associated with the toy or game rules are noted in the application in some cases and give us some clues as to what to look for to identify an old toy as a Novelty Toy Works product.

5642. The Novelty Toy Works Proprietary Limited, 317 Rae-street, North Fitzroy, Victoria.—Pamphlet: ” Got him ! Being Rules and Description of a New Game.” By Carl Brache. 6th March, 1917.

Trove | Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 – 1973) | Thu 26 Apr 1917 [Issue No.63] | Page 932 |
PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1912

From the following notice we can see an instruction sheet or rules for a game were copyrighted with the title “Spinacolor” in 1919.

7437. Carl Brache, Novelty Toy Works Pty. Ltd., 317 Rae- street, North Fitzroy, Vic.—Sheet of Letterpress: ” Spinacolor.” 4th April, 1919.

Trove | Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 – 1973) | Thu 17 Jul 1919 [Issue No.89] | Page 1146 | PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1912

And a new ‘Indoor Outdoor’ game “Biffit”

7538. Carl Brache, Novelty Toy Works, 317 Rae-street, North Fitzroy, Vic.—Sheet of Letterpress: ” Biffit.” The New Indoor and Outdoor Game. 23rd May, 1919.

Trove | Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 – 1973) | Thu 17 Jul 1919 [Issue No.89] | Page 1148 | PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1912

Another letterpress sheet with, perhaps, game rules

8312. Carl Brache, 317 Rae-street, North Fitzroy, Vic.—Sheet of Letterpress: “Fly-Me.” 20th March, 1920.

Trove | Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 – 1973) | Thu 22 Apr 1920 [Issue No.36] | Page 606 |
PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1912

Varying from previous entries, Carl Brache is listed at what appears to be a private residence address:

8547. Carl Brache, ” Noojee” Kinane-street, Brighton Beach, Victoria. Sheet of Letterpress: ” Four Good Old Games on one board, ‘ Solitaire,’ ‘ Fox and Geese,’ ‘ Merelles,’ and ‘Take Me’.” 1st July, 1920.

Trove | Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 – 1973) | Thu 21 Oct 1920 [Issue No.89] | Page 1970 | PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1912

Is “Bagatelle” a new game or a revision or version by Carl Brache and Novelty Toy Works.

9871. Carl Brache, 317 Rae-street, North Fitzroy, Vic. Sheet of Letterpress: ” Bagatellette. An Enticing Game of Skill for Everyone.” 15th November, 1921.

Trove | Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 – 1973) | Thu 19 Jan 1922 [Issue No.5] | Page 45 | PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1912

The last one I found was for a Table Tennis set

10,112. Carl Brache, 317 Rae-street, North Fitzroy, Vic. Sheet of Letterpress : ” The Netto Ping Pong Set (Table Tennis).” 27th February, 1922.

Trove | Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 – 1973) | Thu 27 Apr 1922 [Issue No.35] | Page 719 | PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1912

A side note to all the above is that I have been unable to find any copyright or patent information for the two toys that I have more information on. Both the Marvelscope and the Little House Builder toys do not appear to have any gazetted information.

Christmas Toy Sale Advertisement

Further searching found another panel advertisement in the Launceston Examiner newspaper in December 1921. The contents includes a number of the above-mentioned copyright game and toy names along with the Little House Builder and interestingly “The Wonderscope” toy.

NEW NOVELTY TOYS. The Little House Builder, 6/6. The Australian Wonder Kite, l/6. The Umbrella Kite, 6/-. The Wonderscope, 7/6. Bagatellette, 4/-. Spinacolor, 3/-. Biffitt, 4/-. Paint Boxes, 1/-, l/6, 2/-, 3/-, 4/, 4/6. Paint and Tracing Books, 6d, 9d, 1/-, 1/6, 2/-. Bobs, the Premier Table Game, 10 /-. 12/6, 13/6. Hydroplane Yachts, 3/6. Ping-Pong Sets, 17/6.

Trove | Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 – 1954) | Sat 10 Dec 1921 | Page 14 | Advertising

Given the headline to the section of “New Novelty Toys” and the inclusion of many names that are associated with the Novelty Toy Works, I expect that several other products in the list are from the same factory.

A copy of the Novelty Toy Works catalog would be useful. I guess there will be one in a library, I just need time to find it.