One Very Talented Monkey. Wonderful Working Vintage Wind-up Schuco Monkey playing his Violin

THE STORY - There he was in a cabinet at an Auction Viewing surrounded by Antique Gold & Silver Jewellery, War Medals, Fine Antique Tableware etc, waiting for his inspection and to be honest just from his face I had fallen in love but then..... He started playing his violin and everything else in that cabinet, in fact in the whole auction was dismissed, I only had eyes for him. With a determined heart I did my bidding and here he is. He is German, from The Schuco Factory, renowned for their wind-up toys and tin cars. The company was started in 1912 by Heinrich Muller & Heinrich Schreyer and was originally named 'Spielzeugfirma Schreyer' but in 1921 changed their name to the the much shorter Schuco. And they have made some wonderfully charming wind-up toys of which this darling monkey is one. The company halted production during the Second World War starting again in the late 40's, and then during the 50's there was a shift away from tin to plastic for the toys. My sense is that this little guy is most likely to date to the 1930's. He, as I hope you can see from the video, is in wonderful working order, turning slowly around whilst he busily plays his violin. I love his costume all made from felt with that little red beret, blue jacket and yellow trousers finished off with that little cotton tie around his neck. And how I love his face, with his downward looking eyes and soulful smile it is for me heart melting, and how could I forget those little felt ears poking our of his furry brown head. His face, hands, violin and those wonderful long black feet are I believe all tin. On one foot there is impressed 'Schuco Patent' and on the other 'Made in Germany'. He works by the key being put in his back and turned and I do want to point out that the key cannot be the original one as it `Meccano' on it, but I have to say it works perfectly.

CIRCA - 1935

CONDITION - This little guy is in I think very good condition, considering his age. As mentioned earlier the original Schuco key has been lost over time but the Meccano key he came with appears to both fit and work perfectly. And he does work as I hope you can see. His fiddling arm does appear at times more separate from the rest of his body but this is needed I think for the mechanism. His face does carry a little dirt which I hope you can see from the photos and his fur I imagine is a little more matted than when it was first played with. The back of his trousers are a little stained and there a little patch of wear just below his jacket. He does not come with his original box.

DIMENSIONS (Approx) - Height 4&3/4" / 12cm, Width 3&1/4" / 8cm, Depth 1&1/2" / 4cm

So there he is my dear little Monkey. He is collectable, but most importantly to me he is absolutely charming and there is something so wonderful in just winding him up and watching him dutifully play his violin. From another age it is true, but I think this little guy could teach us all a few lessons, especially in taking pleasure in the art of slowing down by just watching him play and listening to the gentle whirring of the mechanics.