Rare 100 year old French toy in it’s original box depicting two acrobats attached to a wire frame with brown barrel weights, cascading down a green metal ladder. Once assembled (loop the hand painted black support frame over the bottom rung of the green ladder); the two clowns in frame are placed in the top slots provided at the side of the ladder; let go and the clowns will flip over a few times until they reach the bottom. The toy is completely original and in excellent original hand painted colors of orange and yellow clowns, with a hand painted green ladder. The clowns are tin, mounted in a wire frame, with a metal ladder.
The original box is lithographed with the clowns performing and markings “Les Acrobates” “Made in France” “P.F. No. 450”, “IMP. G. Doloy. Paris”.
Dimensions: 19″ high (with acrobats in place) x 4″ wide (acrobat frame) x 15 1/2″ deep
I have never seen this toy before, and the combination of being boxed, being rare, with a unique action, makes it especially desirable among collectors of vintage toys. I found it in an estate sale in Woodside, California.
Upon request I can provide a brief 30 second video of the “action”.
Note: After 40 plus years of dealing and collecting toys, I am justly qualified to guarantee and present the authenticity of antique and vintage toys and banks; important considering the fakes and reproductions in the marketplace