Not currently on display at the V&A

Balky Mule

Donkey Cart
ca. 1900 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Clown seated on a cart, painted gold and cream, with two large side wheels and one small front wheel. Large wheels are lithographed to show clown acrobats and some of the marks. Back of carts show some marks and dancing clown. The clown has a tin head, shoulders, arms and legs, and pointed ruff collar. The body is dark yellow cotton over a crank shaft which stretches and compresses to give an oscillating motion. The donkey is of tin covered with dark grey flock and has four movable legs and is supported by the cart shafts. The reins pass from its mouth to the clown's hands. When wound up, the wheels turn, the clown moves pulling on the donkey. The mule is operated by a simple clockwork mechanism.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleBalky Mule (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Painted metal and fabric
Brief description
Metal clockwork toy "Balky Mule" made by Ernst Paul Lehmann in about 1900
Physical description
Clown seated on a cart, painted gold and cream, with two large side wheels and one small front wheel. Large wheels are lithographed to show clown acrobats and some of the marks. Back of carts show some marks and dancing clown. The clown has a tin head, shoulders, arms and legs, and pointed ruff collar. The body is dark yellow cotton over a crank shaft which stretches and compresses to give an oscillating motion. The donkey is of tin covered with dark grey flock and has four movable legs and is supported by the cart shafts. The reins pass from its mouth to the clown's hands. When wound up, the wheels turn, the clown moves pulling on the donkey. The mule is operated by a simple clockwork mechanism.
Dimensions
  • Length: 19cm
Production typeMass produced
Copy number
425
Marks and inscriptions
on back of cart Lehmann logo appears, followed by Lehmann Germany BILD GES.GESCH. Engl. Patent Made in Germany D.R.Patent BILD. GESCH. and an illustration of a dancing clown
Subject depicted
Collection
Accession number
MISC.330-1984

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Record createdFebruary 13, 2004
Record URL
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