Lithographed tinplate clockwork hen made in Japan in the late 1970s

The upper body of the hen is lithographed tinplate with the underside, beak and comb unit and tail of yellow plastic. It is yellow, with orange, brown, white, blue, green and black markings. It stands on two red plastic flat feet. At the back is attached the arms of a cart, red plastic on yellow plastic wheel. On the cart is glued an egg of soft vinyl plastic. The key protrudes from the right side of the body which houses the mechanism. When wound up the hen walks on its flat feet, each moving separately, and tows the cart behind it.

Given by Clio Whittaker

References: This collection of toys was acquired by the donor while attending Peking University in 1978 and 1979. The majority of the toys were made in China for its own market.

See additional notes, B. 106-1996

Historical significance: This is a modern version of an nineteenth century autoperipatetikos

The upper body of this hen is lithographed tin plate while the underside, beak, comb and feet are plastic, as is the cart the hen is pulling. A clockwork mechanism is housed inside the body. When wound up the hen walks on its flat feet while towing the cart. The toy was made by the Tokyo based Yoneya Toys Co, one of Japan's leading manufacturers of mechanical toys.

B.119-1996