Details
Britains very rare clockwork 'The Mechanical Foot Race'
comprising two men with cast-metal heads, hands and lower legs, dressed in red, yellow, blue, white and red silk costumes, running around cylindrical painted and lithographed paper-covered viewing stand, with detachable flagpole and flag, wooden winning post and key, in wooden box with fragments of paper interior lid label --45cm. high to top of flag, each figure --22cm. high, circa 1890 (figures G-VG, some fading, viewing stand overall G, some rust spotting and staining, some chipping and glue repair to plinth, box F, some splitting)
comprising two men with cast-metal heads, hands and lower legs, dressed in red, yellow, blue, white and red silk costumes, running around cylindrical painted and lithographed paper-covered viewing stand, with detachable flagpole and flag, wooden winning post and key, in wooden box with fragments of paper interior lid label --45cm. high to top of flag, each figure --22cm. high, circa 1890 (figures G-VG, some fading, viewing stand overall G, some rust spotting and staining, some chipping and glue repair to plinth, box F, some splitting)
Literature
"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."
Special notice
VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 15% on the buyer's premium
Further details
See Front Cover