c.1969 Yonezawa, Chuckling Charlie Laughing Clown Robot in Original Box
One of the later robot to come out of Japan was this battery operated Chuckling Charlie Laughing Clown Robot. It's completely made out of plastic which is unusual for toys of this vintage. The toy is fairly scarce despite plastic being less sought after than metal. This example also comes with it's original box. It was manufactured by Yonezawa for the F.J. Strauss Co., Inc. under the trademark of Straco. By the late 1980's all nine patents for the Strauss company expired.The Yonezawa trademark doesn't appear on the toy or box. However, a different robot called Happy Harry the Hysterical Laughing Robot has an identical body, arms, and actions; therefore Charlie was produced by the same company.The toy has six actions: It moves with bump and go motion. It stops and emits a loud laughing sound (more evil sounding than funny). The head and neck starts shaking while it's laughing. The neck elongates upwards which allows the mouth to open. Laughing continues. Simultaneously the arms (at the shoulders) raise upwards. Laughing is still going on. The tongue protrudes out of the mouth slightly and lights up. Laughing continues. After several seconds it stops laughing, the tongue withdraws, the neck shortens, arms lower, and it moves forward. The cycle repeats. Laugh volume can be adjusted by turning a small Phillips screw driver inserted into a hole located on the front, top right blue plastic section near the waist.The colorful box has circus scenes on two panels and Charlie on the other two panels. A parade of white elephants runs near the bottom of the box on all sides. It has all of its original flaps intact. It also has all three of its original cardboard inserts. Size: 14". Sold: Dec. 2015
Price Sold: $ 210
