Rocking horse
Thuringian
Category
Toys
Date
circa 1920 - circa 1939
Materials
Skin, wood, metal, cow hide and papier mache
Measurements
665 mm (length); 218 mm (width); 735 mm (height)
Place of origin
Germany
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 665761
Summary
A German skin covered convertible 'platform and rocker' type horse probably dating from the 1920s or 1930s. 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. This was one of the most popular horses produced in Ohrdruf in Germany until the 1980s. This horse would originally have had a base that attached to a bow rocker. The base would have been detachable turning the horse into a pull-along/push-along design. The base is a replacement. The horse now stands on a trolley made of a solid wooden plinth and runs on small solid metal wheels set in recesses. The horse has a wooden frame and papier mache head, however both eyes are missing (originally glass eyes). The shaped wooden frame is covered in beige cow skin, a lot of which has been worn away. It's mane and tail (cow hair), which is separated, are of light coloured horse hair and it has black painted hoofs. Either side of the forelock are two pieces of brown leather. It has a leather noseband and the only a bit of harness attached to the horse is yellow and extends between the front legs. An expensive horse of this type would have had a detachable harness with double reins and a cast iron stirrups. There is also one detached metal stirrup. Total number of items is 3.
Makers and roles
Thuringian , manufacturer