Bidspirit auction | The Columbus Egg Bell Toy

The Columbus Egg Bell Toy - Souvenir from the Columbian Exposition. Made by the Gong Bell Company. East Hampton, Ct. - Circa 1893. Without a doubt, this is one of the rarest and most enigmatic bell toys ever created. First and foremost, it is fascinating that the toy is made from many different materials. The base is shaped tin, the egg is lathed wood and the pig is cast iron. The imagery for this unusual bell toy is highly esoteric to say the least. But Chicago, the host city of the Columbian Expo, was certainly known for its many slaughterhouses and for its rail system that distributed meat products throughout the US. This is a plausible explanation for the inclusion of the top-hatted porcine party boy, but the significance of the egg remains a mystery. Condition: Pristine Condition.