German Mechanical Toy Depicting Uncle Sam with Drum

Live Auction

18" (46 cm.) Standing upon a wooden flat platform is a bisque head portrait doll depicting Uncle Sam, with angular features, brown glass eyes, pronounced nose and ears, closed mouth with wide smiling expression, sculpted grey brows, incised wrinkles and laughter lines enhanced with red ink accents, brunette wig, carton torso and legs, jointed shoulders, paper mache hands clenching drumsticks. When wound, he turns head side to side and beats the drum with both hands. Marks: S 4. Condition: bisque excellent, costume original albeit frail, mechanism functions well. Comments: Cuno and Otto Dressel, circa 1892, the model of Uncle Sam was presented in various formats including as a doll, as a candy container, and, in this very rare example, as a mechanical toy. Value Points: rare model with wonderful sculpting and bisque, mechanical action, and original (fragile) costume. With blue ribbon award from UFDC convention of 1998.