Bestoys Rockaways & Shoo Flies

Known in the United States as a “shoofly” or “shoo fly” but known in the Sydney (Australia) toy industry of the 1950s as a ‘rockaway’, this item of nursery furniture is, essentially, a child’s rocker having a seat supported between two boards cut and painted to resemble an animal. In Italian, Nazzareno Bonaretti referred to it as a dondola (rocker) or cavallo a dondolo (rocking horse).

1946

From an early age Nazzareno Bonaretti and his older brother Giovanni made toys, nursery and adult furniture to specifications to supplement their parents’ income. Italy in 1946 was very slowly recovering from the devastating results of being on the losing side of a world war.
Nazzareno was not yet 21 years of age when this photograph was taken on 4th May, 1946.

Nazzareno Bonaretti at his market stall, 4th May, 1946

He, with a younger (unidentified) boy, is offering his hand-made wooden toys and nursery furniture at one of the local markets he attended in Northern Italy near his hometown of Novellara.
Among the array of pull-along ducks and chickens, trucks and trolleys, wheelbarrows, tricycles, kiddies’ tables and chairs made by him and his brother is a gallo a dondolo (possibly gallina), a rocking rooster (or hen) at the bottom right of the photograph.
When this photo was taken, in 1946, the idea of a sit-inside rocking horse (or chook, in this case) was not new.
Similar items were listed in catalogues from the beginning of the 20th century having been developed from board-sided horse rockers from Germany as early as the 1600s. In the United States of the late 19th century, these became commonly known as “shooflies” or “shoo flies”.
One example of a shoo fly (below left) is from L.H. Mace & Co of New York, another from the Sears Roebuck catalogue #112, (c 1902) and the third is of a child in a swan or goose taken in 1939 in the USA

Shoo Fly from Sears, Roebuck catalogue #112 circa 1902

1939 photograph of a child in a swan or goose shoo fly (USA)

In Australia, and certainly from the early 20th Century, these were known as "rockaways" as illustrated in this Anthony Hordern & Sons Limited catalogue of 1914.
(See page 352 https://archive.org/details/Hordern15027/page/352/mode/2up from the collections of the Sydney Living Museums/Historic Houses Trust of NSW)

The Dexter Rockaway offered for sale in 1914 through Anthony Hordern & Sons Limited. Made of strong wood and varnished for 5/- (5 shillings) or with padded leather seat and back for 6/-

Anthony Hordern & Sons Limited 1914 catalogue

Side note: Once the biggest department store in the world, the Anthony Horden Palace Emporium at Brickfield Hill was controversially demolished in 1987 to make way for the World Square development after remaining a hole in the ground for 20 years.

Also listed as a "rockaway" was this double-seated rocking chair

Back to Nazzareno in Italy...

1951

These photos were taken in January 1951 showing the rocking rooster in more detail. It has been hand-decorated with images of Walt Disney’s Goofy and Pluto and made specifically by Nazzareno for the little girl in the picture, his daughter, with Ebe, Nazzareno's wife.

Ebe Bonaretti with daughter Susanna. Novellara, RE Italy, January, 1951

In February 1951, the same little girl in the same rooster rocker is snapped. These photos show that the sides of the rocker were decorated with different images of Goofy and Pluto.

Susanna Bonaretti. Novellara RE Italy, February, 1951

By August, Nazzareno left for Genoa and began his life-changing voyage embarking on the Flotta Lauro’s Moto Nave Roma to Australia. The ship arrived in Sydney at 2.35 p.m. on Thursday 11th October, 6 weeks after leaving Genoa. Nazzareno and other Sydney-bound passengers disembarked on 12th. It would be almost another year before he would see his wife and daughter once more.

That day came - as did another daughter a few years later - and by 1956, Nazzareno was already an established maker of wooden toys and nursery furniture, albeit under the name of R Waddell.

Personal History

The above button will take you to the personal history of Nazzareno and Ebe

The photo to the right shows a Horse Rockaway with sprayed stencil decoration in two colours. It differs from the illustration in Bestoys' first catalogue so must have been made while Nazzareno was working with Roy Waddell and Lovelock

Wife, daughter, daughter of Nazzareno Bonaretti in the backyard of their rented room in Terry Street, St Peters - c1956

Back to the shoo flies…
In Australia, these items had acquired the name ‘rockaway’ and it was by this name that Bestoys listed and marketing its evolving range.
Bestoys, as far as can be ascertained by the published material available, has always had a rockaway, dondolo or shoo fly in its range. The first appeared in the 1959 catalogue by S. Hoffnung & Co.

BESTOYS FIRST WITH SAFETY
In Australia, the rocker arc on the bottom of rockaways in the early 1950s were without any stopper at each end. An exuberant toddler, rocking back and forth without adult supervision, could have tipped over – and often did – sending the little rider head over heels and ending in tears.

This photo was taken in 1956 and shows the rocker arc without any end-stoppers to prevent tip-overs.

This photo, taken in 1951, show the dondolo made by Nazzareno in Italy with the rocker arc sporting the end-stoppers. Less of an arc but also fewer tears!

Jim was well aware of the safety aspect of the rockaways having had three toddlers of his own but it wasn’t until c1959 that he modified the rocker on the Bestoys Two-way Rocking Horse to include a very subtle stopper at the end of the arc, which can be seen here:

By the early 1960s, all of Bestoys rockaways employed this method of preventing the tip-overs. Not so with the competition some of whom even today do not have this simple form of tip-over prevention.

1959

From c1957 the sides were made of plywood and cut to shape on a bandsaw. By 1959, 5/16” hardboard was used. The back, seat and footrest were made of ¾” or 1” dressed radiata pine frame fitted with Masonite panels. The handle was usually 1¼” x ¾” pencil-round radiata pine. (Please note that all measurements are subject to the writer’s somewhat wonky recollection.)
All pieces of the rockaway were assembled in a jig, glued and nailed. The now raw unfinished rockaway was spray-painted with one coat of white undercoat, hand-sanded smooth and finished with a semi-gloss white lead-free lacquer. The final decoration of the horse was applied using galvanised metal stencils, spray-painting the red highlights on one side first and, after dry, the other side, then the final colour, navy blue, was sprayed on using a different stencil (obviously). Blotches and paint drips often occurred if the operator was not careful.
Once dry, a Bestoys decal was applied to the back and the finished rockaway was wrapped in heavy-duty brown paper, ready for shipment.
Because of the large volume each assembled rockaway had – about a quarter of a cubic yard, a better way had to be found.

Horse Rockaway from Bestoys 1959 catalogue

By 1959, the Rockaway was offered unassembled in a carton, supplied complete with pre-drilled holes in the ends of the back, seat, footrest and handle, and with a set of nickel-plated wood screws and domed washers. The interior parts were available painted pink or blue.
Eventually, by 1970, the pre-assembled rockaway was discontinued and all models were offered only in flat packs.

Bestoys "Rocking Horse" from the 1973 catalogue.

While not strictly a Rockaway or Shoo Fly, the “TWO WAY” ROCKING HORSE was a combination rockaway and rocking-horse-on-stand. Easily removed from its swing-stand, it became a rockaway and was suitable for children from 18 months to 6 years of age. The design was spray-painted on using stencils.

By 1963, this item was discontinued but re-introduced as a sit-astride rocker in 1973 – see below left. This time around, the motif was silk-screened.

From the archives...

Enjoying a ride on the Two-way Rocking Horse, this 3-year-old was snapped on the verandah of his home around the middle of 1961.

1963

By 1963, a new design had been introduced: the Swan Rockaway. Made using the same materials and methods as the Horse, it, too was available either fully assembled or in a flat pack (until 1970).

Kangaroo Commode-Rocker-Chair

Bestoys Kangaroo-Commode-Rocker-Chair from the 1963 catalogue

1963 also saw a new product: The Kangaroo Commode-Rocker-Chair.
This 3-in-1 featured folding legs that converted it from a rocker to a static chair.
While the 1963 catalogue lists only one design, the Melbourne Toy Fair in July 1964 displays a second design that of a (lady) kangaroo in a bonnet and carrying a bunch of flowers.
These items were discontinued by 1965.

Melbourne Toy Fair of July 1964 displaying the Kangaroo-Commode-Rocker-Chair in bonnet and flowers

While Rockaways attracted sales tax (varying at times from 12.5% to 15%) of the wholesale price because they were classed as toys, both of these Commode-Rocker-Chairs were exempt of sales tax because the convertible seat concealed a little child's potty making it an article of necessary furniture, not a toy.

1965

1965 saw a major change to the way the decoration was applied. For the first time, screen printing was used and new designs introduced to take advantage of the fine detail that silk-screening could cope with. Only the Swan remained spray-painted and stencil-decorated.
The Horse was completely reshaped and two new animals were introduced: the Lamb and the Elephant. All four rockaways were offered fully assembled or in a “convenient carton” flat pack and with the option of pink or blue internally.

Bestoys Rockaway range from 1965 catalogue: Horse, Swan, Elephant and Lamb

1967

After working closely with Pylon Chemicals to develop a non-toxic ink that would adhere to the new Corinite plastic-laminated material, Jim (Nazzareno) introduced a new rockaway made of 3/16” laminated hardboard to the existing range of four: the POLO PONY. It was offered in an extensive range of woodgrain colours.
This new Corinite was easy to cut and decorate, and needed minimal finishing and embellishment. As with the other Corinite cots and cradles introduced that year, the only spray painting was to the internal timber parts and they were finished in lead-free gold lacquer.
All five models were still offered fully assembled or packed flat in a carton.

"Polo Pony" Rockaway in Corinite from Bestoys 1967 catalogue

1970

The LAMB and the ELEPHANT Rockaways were dropped from the Bestoys range in 1970. A new HORSE (“Sandy”) was introduced and the SWAN was re-designed. The only Rockaway to remain unchanged was the POLO PONY.
Now, all Rockaways were screen-printed and available only in unassembled, flat pack form. The Horse and Swan had pink or blue interior colour options and the Polo Pony, gold.
Another change was to the material used for the back and footrest. These were now made using ½” particle board, saving time in not having to cut and assemble two parts to make the backrest and three parts to make the seat and footrest.

New design Horse and Swan Rockaways from Bestoys 1970 catalogue

1973

While not strictly a Rockaway or Shoo Fly, the ROCKING HORSE was re-introduced by 1973 but without the detachable swing-stand. The rocker was small enough to be considered as a rockaway as it suited the same age group – 18 months to 5 years. It was a sit-astride, rather than a sit-inside.
The interior colour options by 1973 had changed and the "Sandy" HORSE and SWAN Rockaways now came with orange interiors, in line with the fashion trend of the day and eliminating the boy/girl:blue/pink choice.

c1976

The POLO PONY had been discontinued by 1976, most retailers opting for the more colourful Horse or Swan design.
The small Rocking Horse, too, was discontinued.

1978-1981

Once again, the Horse Rockaway design changed. The Swan Rockaway remained unchanged - for the time being...

The Horse Rockaway from Bestoys 1978-1981 colour catalogue

1982

By 1982 there was another - and final - change to the designs of the HORSE and SWAN Rockaways. “Sandy” Horse became “Rusty” and the Swan gained a cygnet but the interior colour remained orange.

These Bestoys Horse and Swan Rockaways remained in production until 1985, almost 40 years after Nazzareno Bonaretti offered his gallo a dondolo in a Northern Italian market in 1946.

FINDS

WOW! This really is a vintage find.
Apart from the c1958 Bestoys Desk found in Huskisson, New South Wales in September 2025, this Bestoys Horse Rockaway dates from the same period and is one of the first items made by the young manufacturing company Bestoys. This example is in good condition given its venerable age showing some playwear and loss of paint. It clearly shows that the sides were made of hardboard, and the back, seat, footrest and handle of timber and Masonite. It also shows that those pieces were painted with the same colour as the interior of the sides. This item would have been supplied in a flatpack--the screws can be seen but they have been replaced.
A fabulous find after all these years! The boy (blue for boys, pink for girls was the done thing at the time!) who rollicked away in this rocker now would most likely be a grandfather.
With sincere thanks to the seller and to Facebook Marketplace with no intention to infringe copyright: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/901426822321990/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Ab8e11c4f-281d-47fe-8b92-2ba5b9d2a94a

c1958 Bestoys Rockaway from Facebook Marketplace January 2026

c1958 Bestoys Rockaway from Facebook Marketplace January 2026 - Compare with Bestoys catalogue of c1959

c1958 Bestoys Rockaway from Bestoys catalogue from c1959 - Compare with Facebook Marketplace January 2026

Detail of c1958 Bestoys Rockaway from Facebook Marketplace January 2026

Detail of back view of c1958 Bestoys Rockaway from Facebook Marketplace January 2026

Interior of c1958 Bestoys Rockaway from Facebook Marketplace January 2026

HORSE ROCKAWAY - 1965 to 1970
A "Gummie" since 2015 and from Belmont in New South Wales, listed this beautifully restored Bestoys Horse Rockaway in September, 2024. This design was in production from 1965 to 1970. The interior would have been painted either pink or blue and it would have been sold as a flat-pack to the purchaser or assembled by the retailer. This design was the first to signal the change from a two-colour spray-painted motif to a two-colour silkscreened motif.
With sincere thanks to the seller and to Gumtree with no intention to infringe copyright: https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/belmont/toys-indoor/childs-vintage-rocking-horse-sleigh/1327450726

Bestoys Horse Rockaway from 1965-1970 listed on Gumtree in September, 2024

September, 2024 Gumtree ad for Bestoys Horse Rockaway manufactured between 1965-1970

Interior of Bestoys Horse Rockaway from 1965-1970 listed on Gumtree in September, 2024

Bestoys Horse Rockaway from 1965-1970 listed on Gumtree in September, 2024

Details of Bestoys Horse Rockaway from 1965-1970 listed on Gumtree in September, 2024

SWAN ROCKAWAY - 1970 to 1972
In mid-November 2022 this Bestoys Swan Rockaway was listed for sale for $50.00 on Facebook’s Marketplace. It appears to be in good condition given its 50+ years even though moisture appears to have affected some of the paintwork. However, the silk-screened swan motif is still in good condition. This particular example would have been from Bestoys’ earlier batches as the seat, back and footrest are made using Masonite nailed onto radiata pine frames. Later, these would be made of solid ½” Pyneboard. The author of the ad even added an extract of the Bestoys catalogue to substantiate the year of manufacture.

Bestoys Swan Rockaway offered on Marketplace November 2022

The accompanying images clearly show the method of manufacture of the back, seat and footrest. The seat was made of two lengths of radiata pine onto which was glued (PVA water-soluble) and nailed a Masonite board using a simple jig to ensure every seat was exactly the same. One length of timber had a groove into which the back rest slotted. The back rest was made of one length of radiata pine also glued and nailed to a Masonite board, also using a jig. The footrest was similarly constructed but with no grooves in the timber. After assembly, the seat, footrest, back and handle were transferred to the spray room where they would be undercoated, sanded and given their final coat of lead-free lacquer in either pink or blue, later changed to yellow or orange. No instructions were supplied with the flat pack as the assembly was logical and simple.
This item was originally listed here: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/829521854861917/?hoisted=false&ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A58644f73-7277-405f-81a6-c6bac487274

SWAN ROCKAWAY - 1970 to 1972
This Bestoys Swan Rockaway was listed on Facebook Marketplace in March 2024. It is a little weather-worn but still holding together. The interior fittings are blue so this item may have been for a baby boy (if tradition prevailed...). This also helps to pin the manufacture date to before 1973 when the interior colour was changed from the choice of pink or blur to orange only.
As with the example above, this particular example would have been from Bestoys’ earlier batches as the seat, back and footrest are made using Masonite nailed onto radiata pine frames. Later, these would be made of solid ½” Pyneboard.
With thanks to the Seller and Facebook Marketplace: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/307954028563045/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A83783ecf-ec54-427a-82bb-bc3d2fdb81f

Bestoys Swan Rockaway from Marketplace March 2024

SWAN ROCKAWAY - 1970 to 1972
In November 2025 this Bestoys Swan Rockaway was listed on Facebook Marketplace. Scratched, weatherworn and playworn, it nonetheless has remained intact.
With thanks to the Seller and to Facebook Marketplace and with no intention to infringe copyright: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1846500195954986/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A3f686668-fd77-4eb2-9447-99aa644098ec

Pre-1973 Bestoys Swan Rockaway on Marketplace in November 2025

When possible, the Bestoys logo was incorporated in the screen printing

The interior of the pre-1973 Bestoys Swan Rockaway on Marketplace in November 2025. As with the examples above, this particular rockaway would have been from Bestoys’ earlier batches as the seat, back and footrest are made using Masonite nailed onto radiata pine frames. Later, these would be made of solid ½” Pyneboard.

The interior of the pre-1973 Bestoys Swan Rockaway on Marketplace in November 2025

Pre-1973 Bestoys Swan Rockaway on Marketplace in November 2025

HORSE ROCKAWAY - 1978-1981
Gumtree offered this “Vintage Childs Bestoys Orange Rocking Horse 60” but with no other details available at the time it was found (April 2021). It is most likely produced between 1978 and 1981.

Offered through Gumtree around April 2021. This Horse Rockaway was most likely produced between 1978 and 1981.

June 2024 and the same Bestoys Horse Rockaway appeared in this Facebook Marketplace offering with a price of $50. Definitely produced between 1978 and 1981 rather than the suggested 60s or 70s, it is in good condition and the screws appear to be the original, together with the screw cup washers.
With thanks to the Seller and to Facebook Marketplace with no intention to infringe copyright:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/418220414365512/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A3ae58d92-73cf-4a93-857e-b05adb25ea6f

Facebook Marketplace offer of Bestoys Horse Rockaway June 2024

Facebook Marketplace offer of Bestoys Horse Rockaway June 2024 - Detail

Facebook Marketplace offer of Bestoys Horse Rockaway June 2024 - screw and washer

Facebook Marketplace offer of Bestoys Horse Rockaway June 2024 - Interior detail

"SANDY" HORSE ROCKAWAY - 1970-1977
This Bestoys "Sandy" Rockaway was offered on Facebook Marketplace in March 2024. It would have been manufactured between 1970 and 1977 when it was replaced by the last of the horse designs.
With thanks to the Seller and Facebook Marketplace: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2425968771124133/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A83783ecf-ec54-427a-82bb-bc3d2fdb81f0

"Sandy" Horse Rockaway (1970-1977) from Facebook Marketplace March 2024

Other Rockaway Finds - Imported

Found abandoned by its owner to the Sans Souci (NSW, Australia) council cleanup of 12th September, 2021, this rocker is a little weather-worn but would still be serviceable, requiring only assembly of all the parts and a little sprucing up.

Very little information is available on this rockaway-rocker other than it was imported into Australia around the 1970s (a guesstimate) and that it was made in Czechoslovakia as stamped on one of the slats. (Czechoslovakia was founded in October 1918 and dissolved 1st January, 1993. It is now part of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Ukraine.)

This rocker is superbly made of plywood approximately 2 cm thick and was found disassembled but complete with all its parts, including steel brackets and screws. Unlike its Australian counterparts, but like its predecessors of more than a century ago, the horse motif is painted on both sides of each panel using stencils and sprayed in five colours - brown, red, blue, green and yellow. The seat and back are made of slats attached to a bead rail and the foot rest is a single slat with an extra slat at the other end of the rocker. The handle is a dowel. All internal components slot into grooves in the panels and the unit is held together with steel brackets and screws.

This horse rocker was made in Czechoslovakia and found disassembled and abandoned in September 2021 - showing the two side panels.

This horse rocker was made in Czechoslovakia and found disassembled and abandoned in September 2021 - showing all components.

The edges of the horse rocker made in Czechoslovakia showing the plywood composition of the side panels.

This horse rocker was made in Czechoslovakia and found disassembled and abandoned in September 2021 - the two side panels showing internal slots.

The foot rest slat from the horse rocker made in Czechoslovakia showing country of origin stamp.

The horse rocker was made in Czechoslovakia and found disassembled and abandoned in September 2021 - showing the two side panels and all components.

This horse rocker was made in Czechoslovakia and found disassembled and abandoned in September 2021 - showing all components.

Some of the slats, dowel, screws and steel brackets for the horse rocker made in Czechoslovakia.

The underneath of the seat of the horse rocker made in Czechoslovakia.

Found on eBay 4th October, 2021
Listed as "Olaf" and made in Germany by a seller in Chirbury, Shropshire in the United Kingdom, it appears to be the exact model as the one abandoned above.
Olaf measures 56 cm (22") high x 33 cm (13") wide x 84 cm (33") in length.
Asking price is ₤275.00 or about $AU500.00 - makes one wonder how the person who discarded that rockaway in Sans Souci would feel had they known this...

"German" Shoo Fly offered on eBay October 2021

Found in Dirty Jane's Bowral April, 2022
A bit of info on Dirty Jane's, a favourite haunt...
Dirty Janes is a true Australian family business. Run by the dynamic father-daughter duo Athol Salter and Jane Crowley, as well as son-in-law Bob, Dirty Janes offers a unique shopping experience in the heart of the Southern Highlands. (More can be found here: https://www.dirtyjanes.com/)

On the wall of Stall 39, a side panel from the Czechoslovakian rocker was displayed. The panel was in fair condition showing some loss of decoration due to peeling paint but was still impressive. The asking price for that one panel was $175.00 (!). I believe the date stated on the ticket is a little early and more likely this rocker was produced in the late 1970s to early 1980s.

Found on Gumtree (Australia) January, 2023

Another example of this solid (plywood) timber rockaway from Czechoslovakia.
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/clayton/toys-indoor/antique-vintage-wooden-children-toddlers-rocking-horse-seat/1306390813

The same one appeared on Facebook Marketplace in October, 2023
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/648486140745638/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A0570b1d6-b872-496b-87e0-98bd5558bac7

Found on Facebook June, 2024, this Rooster Rocker appears to have been made in Czechoslovakia by the same manufacturer as the Horse Rockers above. The shape of the backrest, the use of red-painted slats for the seat, backrest and footrest and the use of steel brackets to hold these in place against the sides all indicate this. The sides as well appear to have been made of sturdy plywood and decorated by spray-painted stenciling inside and out.
The date attributed to this rocker is 1970s. This may be correct but, if it was imported by George Wills & Co Limited N.S.W., then the likely date is early 1980s. This item appears to be in excellent condition.
With sincere thanks to Facebook Marketplace and the Seller and with no intention to infringe copyright: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1495897357944267/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A26fc54b0-54b6-4126-abf2-4ed543beb07

Rooster Rocker advertised on Facebook Marketplace in June 2024

To read more about George Wills and Co click on the button to the right and scroll down to "1981 - another shift"

History of Bestoys

Rooster Rocker advertised on Facebook Marketplace in June 2024