Jack-in-the-Box, Curious George made in China for Schylling in 1995

This consists of a square yellow tin box with red top and bottom, the top being a lid. Except for the base, each side bears a picture of a monkey:-two featuring a monkey playing with balloons, one featuring a monkey riding a bicycle and two, including the one on the lid, of a monkey eating a banana. The pictures are set within circles outlined with red. Inside the lid are the words Curious George. The metal winding device with a red bead handle is set into one of the pictures of a monkey playing with a balloon. The lid, which is secured by a red catch, springs open and Curious George, a puppet like creature, springs out of the box when released. He has a green coat with four simulated black buttons and a brown and cream nylon face and hands. The cardboard packaging has two pictures of the puppet jumping out of the box, one each of the monkey riding a bicycle and playing with balloons. The red top surface has a picture of Curious George eating a banana set in a circle outlined in blue and set in a yellow square in the centre. The following words appear on the top:-
Classic Tin "Jack-In-Box" featuring Curious George, Turn the handle...Hear the Music...Out pops George. In the top left is the maker Schylling and Classic Series in the top right. The base of the box contains copyright and trademark information.

Jack-in-the boxes were originally known as 'Punch boxes' as they were often rather frightening. They were also basic educational toys teaching simple scientific principles in an interesting way. The springing figure tended to be a clown but by the 1970s the clown was being replaced by new figures such as Noddy. After the 1970s the popularity of this toy diminished until the 1990s when toy manufacturers started taking an interest again and made up to date versions like this example. Curious George is a popular children's book character in the United States.

B.207:1 to 3-1999