Rocking horse
Category
Toys
Date
circa 1880 - circa 1914
Materials
Wood and leather, metal, glass
Measurements
940 mm (length); 760 mm (height)
Place of origin
Germany
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 660242
Caption
A German skin covered convertible 'platform and rocker' type horse. It is possibly pre WWI (circa 1880 - circa 1914). Around the turn of the 20th century the rocker was combined with the wheeled platform to create what was described as 'Schaukel und Fahrpferde' (rocking and driving horses). This description was used by the Thuringian Toy Company.
Summary
A German skin covered convertible 'platform and rocker' type horse. It is possibly pre WWI (circa 1880 - circa 1914). Around the turn of the 20th century the rocker was combined with the wheeled platform to create what was described as 'Schaukel und Fahrpferde' (rocking and driving horses). This description was used by the Thuringian Toy Company. It has a carved wooden body over which is stretched light brown skin which has a short coarse hair surface. The sewn seams are broken in places, there are bare patches and woodworm holes. It has a grey mohair mane (possibly a later replacement) and has leather ears, brown glass eyes, wooden hooves. Its nose is wooden and its mouth is slightly open. The leather stirrups are possibly a replacement, but the iron appear to be original. It wears a realistic leather saddle with leather harness around its nose and metal stirrups. It stands on a light brown painted solid wooden base which has the remains of a brown painted border. The base has 4 metal wheels and can be lifted off the carved wooden rocker by unscrewing a metal bolt at the front. The rocker is also painted a light brown with darker brown trim.