Mercury toy
Category
Toys
Date
1860 - 1870
Materials
Wood, paper and string
Measurements
170 mm (length); 210 mm (height)
Place of origin
Germany
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 663988
Summary
Wooden jointed acrobat with painted face, black painted hair and spotted bandeau (1860 - 1870). Green painted arms and body. White painted legs with red garters. Brown painted feet. Wearing a blue and gold coloured paper jerkin over a faded purple fabric skirt. The body is filled with mercury. He stands on a wooden box with a bottom drawer. The box is covered in paisley designed paper. The near half of the top of the box is painted orange with a white daisy design, sitting on which is a rectangular paper covered table supported by a painted orange, turned pedestal base. The figure leans backward and his hands rest on the table.