Bidspirit auction | Japanese Wind-Up Gymnast Toy

Japanese Wind-Up Gymnast Toy - A Japanese wind-up gymnast toy featuring a hand-painted figure attached to a wire trapeze bar. The figure is constructed of celluloid and depicts a performer in a red sleeveless top, blue trousers, and a red cap. The figure is suspended by its hands from a horizontal wire bar, which is held aloft by a tall wire A-frame support. Mechanical movement is provided by an external clockwork motor clamped to the vertical support. The motor consists of brass and steel gears, an integrated winding key, and a crank-arm mechanism connected to the rotating bar. A metal counterbalance weight is attached to the trapeze bar opposite the figure to facilitate the 360-degree rotation. The back of the figure's red torso features raised molded text reading MADE IN JAPAN arranged in a curve. Base width: approximately 5.5 inches. Overall height: approximately 9 inches.