Antiques, Collectables, Curios, Bronze, Job Lots, Ceramics, Clocks and much more
Lot 178:
Description
Attributed to the Japanese manufacturer Alps, this mid-20th-century battery-operated mechanical toy depicts a seated bubble-blowing monkey. The figure features a moulded rubber or soft vinyl face with an open mouth and inset clear eyes. The body is constructed with a metal frame covered in tan-coloured plush fabric and is dressed in a red and blue plaid textile vest. The monkey sits atop a lithographed tinplate base decorated with wood-grain patterns and a blue lower section featuring bubble and line motifs. The rear of the base includes a yellow and green plastic-style grille, a battery compartment, and a red plastic toggle switch. The piece is marked MADE IN JAPAN on the rear of the base, alongside printed instructions for the switch. Originally, this toy would have included a bubble-blowing pipe and tray, which are now absent.
Height: 25cm – 30cm.
Condition report:
The toy is in play-worn condition. The plush fur is heavily matted and soiled, with areas of thinning and loss, particularly on the limbs and hands. The textile vest shows significant staining, fading, and fraying at the edges. The rubber face has surface scuffing and minor paint wear. The lithographed tinplate base exhibits scratches, small dents, and scattered spots of oxidation and rust, notably around the base edges and the battery door. The mechanical and electrical functions are untested, and the original bubble-blowing accessories and box are missing.
Share this lot:
