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Rare 1950s/60s FAO Schwarz / Kibri West Germany Puppet Theater “NEXT SHOW” Marquee Sign with Original Box
A fascinating and unusual piece of mid-century toy history — a vintage puppet theater heading/sign made by Kibri of West Germany and connected to the legendary FAO Schwarz toy store in New York.
This piece appears to be a theatrical marquee or header sign for a children\'s puppet theater. The sign reads “NEXT SHOW” and features a charming carnival/theater style design with red-and-cream striping, gold accents, decorative trim, and an adjustable clock face that could be set to announce the time of the next puppet performance.
The sign retains its original Kibri West-Germany label on the reverse. Kibri (Kindler & Briel) was a historic German toy manufacturer known for detailed, high-quality toys and miniature pieces.
What makes this example especially interesting is the story revealed through the object itself.
The original box is marked:
F.A.O. Schwarz
610 West 58th Street
New York 19, N.Y.
The box is handwritten:
“New heading for puppet theatre”
The shipping/storage markings appear consistent with the early 1960s (one marking appears to show “63” if that is the date?).
One of the most fascinating discoveries is visible beneath the English lettering. Under the painted words “NEXT SHOW,” earlier German text can still be seen beneath the finish.
Under “NEXT,” the original lettering appears to read:
and under “SHOW,” the remaining letters appear to end:
This strongly suggests the original German wording was:
“Nächste Vorstellung”
which translates to:
“Next Performance / Next Show.”
Based on these details, this piece appears to have begun as a West German Kibri puppet theater sign and was likely converted from German to English for the American market — possibly by Kibri, FAO Schwarz, or someone involved in preparing imported European toys for sale in the United States.
During this period, FAO Schwarz was famous for offering exceptional imported European toys, making this a wonderful example of the relationship between German toy craftsmanship and one of America\'s most iconic toy retailers.
The exact puppet theater this sign originally accompanied has not yet been identified, making this an interesting research piece for collectors.
One Kibri West Germany “NEXT SHOW” puppet theater sign/headerOriginal FAO Schwarz boxOriginal dowelsPlease review all photographs carefully as they document the condition and details.
The original FAO Schwarz box will be preserved and shipped inside an additional protective outer shipping box.
A rare and unusual piece for collectors of:
- FAO Schwarz memorabilia
- Kibri toys
- West German toys
- Puppet theaters
- Toy theater history
- Mid-century European toys
- Vintage store and display pieces
A wonderful surviving example of mid-century international toy history with a mystery still waiting to be fully solved.
