Automaton
Category
Toys
Date
circa 1900
Materials
Bisque and wood
Measurements
Each automaton - 564 mm (length), 240 mm (width), 830 mm (height)
Place of origin
France
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 657374
Summary
Three bisque-headed clown automaton with painted wooden hands, legs and feet (circa 1900). Two with blonde and one with dark mohair hair. All with inset glass eyes, open mouths with teeth and painted facial details. Each wearing elaborate silk costumes with lace trim. Each of these costumes is badly faded and very worn, even threadbare, in places. They stand on a set of white painted wooden steps which is attached to a pull along rectangular wooden plinth. The plinth is covered with green-grey paper with an embossed foliate design. This in turn rests on four metal revolving wheels. A ribbon attached to a ring at the front of the plinth enables it to be pulled along and when it is each of the clowns' heads and arms move. The clown at the top of the steps wears a jester's faded red silk pointed hat with a bead trim. In each hand he holds a brass(?) bell. The clown in the middle wearing a witch's hat plays a wooden violin. The clown at the bottom wearing a jester's red silk hat with bells hanging from it, plays a metal red, white and gold coloured drum. A piece of grey velvet ribbon. A strip aluminium twisted into a coil shape.
Marks and inscriptions
'6/0'