Chipperfield's Circus Animal Cage

The Chipperfield's Circus range is such an integral part of the history of the brand. Here we have the animal cage - variously occupied by lions, tigers or polar bears, there is usually a decal on the side to say which, frequently they are rubbed off. This is an attractive piece with loads going on and lots to do. Reading the contemporary press blurb I discover that this is designed to be parked end to end with another one like it to make a continuous tunnel taking the animals in and out of the circus ring.

The trailer was first released in January 1961 and again in July of the same year in a gift set. The early ones had die-cast doors at the ends and between the cages and always contained lions. In 1963 the design was amended to have plastic doors and the animals were either lions, tigers or polar bears.