MONKEYS

My heart stopped when I saw this up for auction several weeks ago.  I had never seen another like it.  I normally leave the collecting of platform toys to my son, but this one I couldn't resist.  The monkey dressed up in white shirt and black tie is ever so appealing, and then the white polar bear trailing behind just as much so!   It arrived last week, and I wasn't disappointed. 

I had expected the head to be made of papier-mache, but was surprised to see it's carved of wood, possibly from a coconut shell.  The fabric of the monkey's suit is extremely old.

 

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Also arriving last week was a German mechanical monkey.  When the lever in the front of the box is pressed, the monkey's tongue sticks out.  This is a nice early toy and one I had never seen before.  The finish on the monkey is what the German collectors call "Tuchstaub" or what we may refer to as "flocked" perhaps.  Because of the "Tuchstaub" application I would date this piece ca. 1880.

Yet another monkey arrived last week, this time in the form of a squeaker.   This one is no doubt German, and although it has a little damage to one foot, I'm thrilled to have found it. 

Making it even more special is the mechanical aspect of this squeaker.  When pressing on the bellows, the tongue pops out!

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