The Mechanical Foot Race

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Part 2. The "1880" Catalogue This famous catalogue contained twenty-three mechanical toys. Arnold Rolak has fifteen of these, this is the largest group ever to appear at auction. At the end of each lot description, is the original Britains description from the 1880 catalogue.

Details

The Mechanical Foot Race
extremely rare clockwork toy comprising two men with cast-metal heads, hands and lower legs, dressed in silk costumes, running around a painted and paper covered tented viewing area with flag, winning post and key, in original wooden box with paper interior lid label --15¼in. (39cm.) high to top of flag and 8¾in. (22cm.) high each figure (figures VG, tent F, rust spotting, box G, lid label F)

Literature

See British Tin Toys, Marguerite Fawdry, page 14.

O.T.S.N. Article, October 1987.

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.

Lot Essay

"This justly celebrated automatic walking match consists of a handsomely got up stand designed to represent a tent around which two men richly dressed in silk and satin, are made to walk rapidly, and pass and re-pass one another in such a manner that it is quite impossible for anyone to predict which will be the winner at the close of a predetermind number of rounds. The action of the men's legs is quite natural, in fact a fair toe-and-heel race."

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