French Mechanical Pull-Toy "Farmer Boy with Hummingbird"

13 Watching

Live Auction

12" (30 cm.) overall. Standing upon a wooden platform with metal spoked wheels is a bisque head doll with blue glass eyes, painted lashes and brows, accented nostrils and eye corners, closed mouth, brunette mohair wig, carton torso and legs, painted Dutch style shoes, bisque forearms, farm boy costume, and holding a pitchfork and basket of flowers. In front of the boy is a grassy mound with appliqued flowers and fruits, centered by an, admittedly oversized hummingbird. When the toy is pulled along, the boy turns his head side to side and waves the pitchfork as though to scare away the bird, which flits back and forth, pecking at the growing food in the farmer's garden. Condition: generally excellent. Comments: French, circa 1890, a series of amusing mechanical vignette toys were created by one firm, as yet unidentified, but all with identical platforms and mechanical systems. Value Points: delightful and well-preserved early toy.