Lilliput, Atomic Robot Man & NandoThe earliest tin robots are the Lilliput Robot (Kitahara 'Yesterdays Toys' #20) and the Atomic Robot Man
These quaint Japanese wind-ups appeared in the late 1940s. It's generally believed that the Lilliput was the first of the two. Some even claim that it dates from the 1930s, though most regard it as a product of Occupied Japan. The robots have much in common: angular lines, a wind-up motor driving distinctive hexagonal pin feet (the robots waddle along), and arms that dangle limply. It was the picture of the Atomic Robot Man that started me collecting: it looked gorgeous. It's still my favourite and is, I believe, an underestimated piece.
The box is a jewel: a mighty robot strides through the city streets, a far cry from the harmless little tin man inside. There are two versions, one with tinplate arms, the other with die-cast arms. I have not noticed a price differential between the two. The Lilliput is similarly appealing. The boxy mustard yellow robot has three dials in his chest, claw hands and he even has an oxygen supply, (why a robot would need it I don't know) His name suggests that, like Atom Robot Man, he towers over the diminutive humans. The lower arms of this one are a slide fit into the upper arm and they frequently come adrift. The manufacturer(s) of these robots remain unknown: the box of the Atomic Robot Man gives no details; I have not seen a Lilliput box (Does anyone have a picture?). Certain similarities in design such as the general shape of the feet, the design of the tabs on the legs, the panel on the base of the body and the rivet detail litho suggest that they are made by the same manufacturer. The wording 'Mionseli' on the Lilliput is apparently the name of the designer, and may be useful in establishing the origins of the Japanese robot.
Like many of these early postwar toys, they are not easy to repair. I would not relish the task of dismantling the small delicate tabs or handling the nonstandard engines inside.
A half-hearted contender for the title is the Nando robot by the Italian company Opset. It has the same simple square lines but uses a pneumatic method of propulsion. Squeezing a rubber bulb allows the robot to walk. The art work on the box suggests a 1950s vintage, rather than anything earlier; we simply don't have accurate dates.
It is often said that toys like the Lilliput were made from the tins thrown away by theoccupying American army. It makes sense, because the Japanese economy was still emerging from war and the parts of these toys are small enough to suit this recycling. It is an intriguing possibility that modern day treasures originate from trash. It is, however, more likely that they used the waste or misprinted tin from canning companies. I've seen many toys from the late 50s and 60s that have the litho from condensed milk and the like on the inside, but it is usually obvious that it is not from a single, used tin of food.
© Brian Hayes 1996