Automaton
Category
Toys
Date
Unknown
Materials
Metal, wood, glass and fabric
Measurements
Car - 260 mm (length); 155 mm (width); 257 mm (height), Plinth - 332 mm (length); 213 mm (width), Dome and plinth - 370 mm (height), Key - 77 mm (length)
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 663941
Summary
An old fashioned car automaton, sitting on a gold coloured wooden plinth covered in green velvet, underneath a glass dome. The car is made of metal painted orange. The paint is worn and missing in places. Two large spoked wheels are at the rear and two smaller ones at the front. There are white rubber tyres on all wheels. A brown fabric lined metal seat has a cream fabric canopy above. The canopy has many holes in it and there is evidence of mould on the top. At the front of the canopy is a discoloured cream fringe and two pieces of brown leather thong which hang down and are attached to the sprung metal chassis attached onto the rear wheel axel. The metal footwell extends from underneath the front of the seat and attaches to the pivoted front wheels. Each of the rear wheels has an orange painted metal mudguard. A metal steering stick, with a turned wooden knob, which is slotted through a hole in the footwell is no longer attached to the pivoted front wheels. There are three gold coloured metal lights and a horn. On the back of the car is a woven wicker basket. There is a key with the letters 'g' or 'B' and 'D' incised into it. Total number of items is 4.
Provenance
Loaned to the Museum of Childhood by the Betty Cadbury Trust Sudbury in May 1993.