Pet Shop Playset Table of Contents (click on name to move to section)

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Figures

Animals

Accessories

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Featured in PFPC Issue 43, the Pet Shop Playset was released in 1952 in two variations, #4209 and #4210.  Unlike most of the company's playsets, this one was directed at girls as well as boys.  It may have been intended for use with doll houses, because its four human figures were slightly larger than most other playsets and were included in some doll house sets.  The human figures were included only in set #4210, but otherwise the two sets were identical.

Marx also sold a Pet Shop Delivery Truck that came with some of the set's dogs.  It was sold separately, but made a nice addition to the playset.  



Figures

As noted above, four of the company's early doll house figures were included in set #4210.  Molded in a cream vinyl, they were in 1/2-inch scale, slightly larger than the company's playsets.  The father, for example, was about 75mm tall.

1.  Father, right hand in pocket	2.  Mother, right hand brushing hair	3.  Son, hands in pockets	4.  Daughter, right hand out

Animals
 
The Pet Shop housed a group of 31 animals; some were duplicated.  A small animal group was very different from almost all other Marx playset figures, but groups of dogs and monkeys were the normal vinyl/plastic and eventually used in other company playsets.

     Pet Shop Small Animal Group
 
Fifteen of the 31 animals apparently were made specifically for and found only in the Pet Shop Playsets.   Some of the 15 were duplicates in a set, so there were seven different poses.  They were very unlike other animals in the set and even in other Marx playsets, as they were made in hard plastic, either light brown or red.  

1.  Puppy, sitting	2.  Puppy, walking	3.  Bunny, lying

4.  Bunny, sitting Photo courtesy of collector Tim White	5.  Bird, tail out straight	6.  Bird, tail up

7.  Parrot

     Pet Shop Dogs

The other 16 figures were made up of 1) six monkeys and 2) ten dogs.  The monkeys came in a red brown vinyl and the dogs in a red brown or white vinyl.  The monkeys were also used in Marx circus playsets.  The dogs apparently originated with the Pet Shop sets, but were also sold as a group and possibly individually.  They also came with the Marx pet shop delivery truck and a few early farm playsets (one to a set).

This group of dogs was made specifically for the Pet Shop Playset.  However, veteran seller Kent Sprecher's web site notes that they were also sold as a figure group in the standard Marx red polka dot boxes, as well as with pet shop trucks and in some of the early farm sets (one dog per set).  They may have been sold individually also.

They are readily available on the market today, much more so than other parts of the Pet Shop Playset.  They can be found in both vinyl and plastic and generally will be white, brown, red brown, cream, or tan.  Referred to as 60mm scale by collectors, they are slightly larger than the 54mm Champion Dog group shown on the Animals page of this web site.  Except for size, several of the Champion Dog figures are almost identical to those in the Pet Shop group.

1.  Poodle	2.  Scottie	3.  Boxer
4.  Bulldog	5.  Cocker Spaniel	6.  Beagle
7.  Labrador Retriever	8.  Boston Terrier	9.  Irish Setter
10.  Dachshund

     Monkeys  (PL-361)
 
A final animal group that came in the Pet Shop sets were standard six monkeys that were also included in Circus and some Jungle sets. The Pet Shop monkeys came in a red brown vinyl. 

1.  Monkey on all fours, tail down	2.  Monkey on all fours, tail up	3.  Monkey sitting, arms out to sides
4.  Monkey hanging by two hands	5.  Monkey hanging, one arm forward and one arm back	6.  Monkey hanging by all fours

Accessories

     Pet shop

Of course, at the center of  the Pet Shop Playset is the pet shop itself, made in the company's usual tin-plated, pressed steel.  Its stamping is identical to the Marx Babyland Nursery and Schoolhouse buildings.  

The back side of the building is open, and both the inside and outside are colorfully lithographed.  Similar to early Marx service stations, pieces of clear acetate were included to cover the building's two windows. 

Pet Shop I recently discovered this picture in my photos from OTSN 2017.  I do not recall whose display it was, so if you recognize it as yours, let me know, and I'll be glad to give you credit for it.

Inside of Pet Shop I found this photo lost in my computer today and do not not know where I took it.  The reflections in it make me think maybe I took it at the Marx Museum in West Virginia.  But I am not sure, so if you recognize it as your display, let me know and I'll give you credit for it.

     Small Inside Accessories

Sets included two groups of small inside accessories.  According to PFPC, the first set was molded in metallic silver hard plastic.  I wonder if perhaps these two groups were alternated in color, as the counter shown below is obviously brown, a color that PFPC cites for the second group.  

In today's market, the silver color may make you think that you are holding a Mexican re-issue, but for whatever reason, this is the color that Marx chose to make these four items.  

1.  Store counter	2.  Window display counter

3.  Dog cage	2.  Shipping crate with separate lid

5.  Small table

A second set of small inside accessories came in either red or light brown hard plastic.  All together, these items more than filled the pet shop!

6.  Parrot perch	7 and 8.  Round bird cages

9.  Monkey bars	11, 12, and 13.  Aquarium, pet bed, and Carrying cage

     Small Outdoor Accessories

Outdoor accessories included what the PFPC article describes as an "outdoor exercise runway.  Made in cream hard plastic, it is made up of 2 long and 5 short interlocking fence pieces.

14, 15, and 16.  Outdoor cages

Sets also came with a tree, which could be any one of the three common trees included in many of the company's playsets.

Full tree or Oak tree (PL-131)	Scraggly tree (PL-131)	Delta tree or A tree (PL-524)

Board fence

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