c.1920 Josef Kraus, Charlie Chaplin Steam Powered Slate Dancer
Finely designed steam, or manually powered tinplate slate (i.e., flat) dancing figure featuring Charlie Chaplin. Realistic movement achieved using five points of articulation. The mechanism can be operated manually using the attached crank, but it was intended for use as a steam powered accessory. It's original lead pulley wheel would've been attached to a rotating belt to provide the power. The quality of the lithography is one of the best I've seen. Shading, color, fine line illustration, and an excellent likeness of the actor were accurately rendered. A small three sided lithographed stage was used to "hide" the crank mechanism. It's marked "Made In Germany", "D.R.G.M." (equivalent to patent pending), and the manufacturer's trademark. "Made In Germany" appears again on Charlie's lower, right front jacket. The embossed pale green base has four holes indicating that it was probably nailed to a wooden support. Size: 6¼". Sold: Aug. 2005
Price Sold: $ 449
