American Wooden Bandwagon, Musicians from Humpty Dumpty Circus by Schoenhut

Live Auction

34" (86 cm.) l. (including horses). 21" wagon. Two wooden horses on wheeled wooden platform are pulling a grand wooden bandwagon with original painted red and green finish heavily overlaid with rich gilt accents which emphasizes the elaborately embossed designs including chariot, man on horse and other figural motifs. The carriage interior is arranged with graduated-height seats designs to accommodate the seven musicians. Each all-wooden magician has two-part head with painted hair and facial features, jointing at shoulders and hips and is designed to sit on wooden pegs in each bench. Variations in facial painting include two men with moustaches, one clean-shaven man, one with sideburns and moustache, one man with beard, and two men with goatees; each is wearing original red felt parade costume and wooden helmet, the band leader with variation of jacket. And each is holding a different instrument (bass drum, cymbals, bass horn, baton, cornet, helicon, snare drum and trombone); each drum is labeled "Humpty Dumpty Circus Band". Condition: generally excellent. Comments: Schoenhut, the pivotal centerpiece of their 1905 Schoenhut Humpty Dumpty Circus. Value Points: few of the extraordinary wagon are known to exist, this example being in exceptionally fine original condition.