$4,750
Sold
sold
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Description
16"(41 cm.) overall. 14"l. Arranged upon a three-wheeled
tinplate base is a paper mache donkey with textured grey
coat,ears,mane,brown glass eyes,tail,fancily decorated with red
pom-poms as though on his way to a party or parade. Seated on
the donkey is a bisque-head man with blue glass eyes,painted
facial features,closed mouth,pierced ears,blonde mohair wig
over cork pate,wire upper arms,metal hands,costumed in
original purple and ivory silk party costume,wooden shoes,silk
knit stocking cape,holding a glass bottle in his metal hand.
Condition: generally excellent,mechanism functions well. Marks:
G. Vichy Paris (mechanism). Comments: Givhy,circa 1875,when
wound,the entire toy glides along and then revolves in an
eccentric manner; meanwhile the man lifts and lowers the glass
bottle as though drinking,and whips the donkey onward (the
donkey's head also moves up and down in time with the
whipping). Value Points: rare mechanical toy in fine state of
preservation with amusing movements and activity.